Now that I've gone to grad school, I live in a world densely populated by critics, by which I mean people who've decided, on purpose, to spend their lives squinting at books. Logically, the individuals who are drawn to this kind of work do it because they're good at it and, more often than not, because they always have been. Critics-by-trade tend to be instinctively critical people, and literary analysis is simply a fun extension of an innate skill.
Unfortunately for me and my squinty brethren, critical (as a personality trait) is a pretty unflattering term. A Google search for the phrase, "No one likes a critic" yields 40,000 results. A search for "Everyone likes a critic" yields, hilariously, zero. Try to imagine a stereotypical critical person. You're likely to envision a harpy housewife, or an overbearing mother-in-law, or a stern and disapproving supervisor who glowers at you over half-moon spectacles. Critical sounds so unappetizing because it almost always secretly means overly-critical, as if anyone who engages in any kind of scrutinizing behavior is immediately a judgmental buzzkill who is too laser-focused on your faults to notice that you're actually a rather nice person.
The opposite of critical, I assume, is something like supportive. A non-critical person is non-judgmental and non-negative. They're the friends who are there to listen without interrupting. They smile approvingly. Then they give you a milkshake. You can talk to supportive people about your career aspirations and you can always count on them to give you a hug and cheer you on. Dream big! You do you! (They'd never be so judgmental as to point out that your B.A. in Economics didn't prepare you to be a "Panda Wrestler" and also that doesn't sound like a real job).
Basically, critical people tear you down, while supportive people build you up. Critics notice what's wrong, while supporters help you see what's right. Critics are haters. Supporters are allies.
As a critic, these stereotypes make me grumpy. Even if being critical gets bad PR, it's a trait that's served me well -- at the very least, it's gotten me my job. I'm inclined to see critic as a positive label, one that doesn't prevent me from being a fully functioning human capable of cellular respiration and sympathetic friendships. Plus, like I said, these days I'm always surrounded by other critical people -- and as it turns out, critics overwhelmingly make great friends! They're engaged conversationalists! They're painstakingly self-aware! They ask lots of follow-up questions! There's no such thing as overthinking! They force you to think about your own biases, motivations, and habits! They may or may not support your decisions, but they will always make sure you know why!
So maybe that's the real truth. No one likes a critic. Except critics. Who befriend each other.
No comments:
Post a Comment