By Wilson Love
Some of you history buffs may have come across this quote by President Theodore Roosevelt from a hundred plus years ago: “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
Wow! What a revealing description of the culture we live in today, and what a challenge to defy that culture. Criticism has been elevated to an art form in this day and age. Everywhere we turn we’re petitioned to “leave a review”. Public judgement of others is accepted and fostered as being a wholesome thing. In contrast, I was trained, in my youth, to never criticize someone in front of people, but work it out privately to your mutual benefit.
Could it be that taking a shot at someone we don’t like makes us feel better about ourselves? Are we so small in our own eyes or so starved for attention or significance that we must belittle another for satisfaction? You bet we are, but we’re not so bold with it that we actually identify ourselves in the process. Critics like to hide in the shadows. Cowardice and criticism are two fingers on the same hand.
Dr. Dean Radke, counselor to the stars of billionaire businesses, says that “the inability to successfully confront others” is a major debilitating problem across the board. We simply don’t handle it well when we have an issue with…anything or anyone.
The classic cyber criticism revolves around the following features:
[1] Anonymity – the critic doesn’t have the heart or backbone to stand behind his opinion.
(Take your thumb out of your mouth and grow up.)
[2] The Diverting Lie – “May I offer some suggestions to help you?” or, “Here’s a note to hopefully bring insight.”
(Yeah, right.)
[3] The Brainless Assumption – that others have had or will have the same experience, at the same place, with the same people that the critic did.
(Duh…)
[4] The Doomsday Prediction – that the person/business/endeavor will fail if the critic’s blurbs are ignored.
(We made it this far without your input, Bubba.)
So whatever happened to looking a man in the eye and respectfully telling him what you think? Texting, message boards, and FAKEBOOK happened, to name a few. It is easier to feel in control operating a keyboard than a conscience.
If critics could take a step back, view the big picture, and see that their contribution – HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT AM I SAYING? – critics don’t contribute anything.
Let me start over.
If the critics could see that it is much better to actually engage in something (anything!) worthwhile, than to spend their life’s energy evaluating those who do, the Gross National Product would explode. Mental hospitals would empty. FAKEBOOK would fold. Humanity would return to the upright position. America would be great again, and the average man would look for someone to praise, rather than defame.
It could happen.
My encouragement is just this: do what you love and love what you do. Put your whole heart into it. Don’t be a critic. Dismiss the critics from your world as the “cold and timid souls” they are, because Teddy was right. It is not the critic who counts.
Wilson Love is Owner/Operator of The Practical Outdoorsman, a retail and consignment store.
