Sources For Causes

The division that separates criticism from advice is often unclear and indistinct. The intent of both, however, is obvious.

At its core criticism is destructive. The underlying spirit is mean and bitter. Its unstated objective is to make the critic feel superior.

Advice on the other hand, is more often triggered by caring and concern; the desire to uplift  and encourage rather than berate and tear down.

Advice offers encouragement and alternatives.  Criticism is nothing but destructive.

The human spirit seeks the former and dreads the latter. Because so much of it is unjust and even unfounded, criticism can be destructive. Sensible, capable and talented people can become introspective, uncertain and disillusioned when facing a barrage of vitriolic evaluation.

At an individual level its important to be able to identify both criticism and advice and fully appreciate the difference between the two. Failure to do so can raise stress to unhealthy levels. Common sense becomes far less common when mixed with anxiety.

But it should be remembered that the worst of criticism can be every bit as useless as the best of advice. Its origin is all important.

If it comes from someone we respect and admire it is of far greater significance than if the source is someone we hold in a less revered regard.

Both positive and negative input should be dissected and judged against what we know to be true.

That which we know to be true are the values we have tested and retained; the thoughts and feelings we keep in our head rather than those we keep in our heart; the lessons we have learned along the way.

To that end it is vital that we know what we think and we know why we think it.

No-one can know us better than we know ourselves, least of all the most strident critic or the most fulsome adviser.