Meerkat Prompts: Criticism
During the first time around with Meerkat Musings, I had written a post that referenced the halfway point of the year. It transpires I got this wrong. I’m only human (well, I’m only a meerkat), and I made a mistake. I dare say it is one of many mistakes I have made down the years. I am not perfect, and have never pretended to be. The trick is to learn from mistakes.
What does any prudent person do when they witness someone else make a mistake? What might be regarded as the most reasonable course of action? Do you quietly and politely explain that they’ve made a mistake, explain why it’s a mistake, and offer guidance on what to do next time? Or do you issue insults, and berate them?
When I made my mistake about where the year’s halfway point is, I was called a moron and a dipstick by one particular individual. When I wrote a post that spoke of the difference between constructive criticism and simply being nasty, they responded by suggesting I was trying to redefine constructive criticism, simply because I did not accept their premise that hurling insults was somehow a legitimate form of constructive criticism.
Instead, it seems that some people want to feel free to be as obnoxious and as toxic as they like, without consequences. Perhaps they even believe that they are somehow being helpful when they call someone stupid or an idiot. Somehow, these people never learned the difference being between rude and insulting, and offering guidance and help through constructive feedback.
To offer a very different example of how to offer a critique, I would reference the good people at my publisher, Jumpmaster Press. When I sent my book off to them, they provided a steady stream of excellent feedback, advice, ideas, and encouragement. Their efforts and patience helped me to grow and learn as a writer. The best teachers and bosses I’ve had did the same. Conversely, the worst ones were the ones who hurled abuse, or nit-picked in a snarky manner. They were of no help when it came to resolving a problem.
If you want to be considered helpful, offer constructive ideas. If you want to be considered nasty, or cruel, be crude and insulting. This is not rocket science.
