Know what’s easy? Criticism. It’s like the dirty joke in a comedy routine – gets the laugh – but makes you feel icky afterwards.
I am so good at the criticism. Seriously. Put a typo in your facebook status and stand back! Oh. And guess what? It totally doesn’t matter to me that my status has a typo in it. I’m hypocritical like that.
Whoa. HypOcritical sounds really close to hypeRcritical – doesn’t it? I’m getting a little uncomfortable. You?
I never miss an opportunity to be snarky. You’ll find me smack in the middle of any peanut gallery. I’m pretty sure it’s where I always fall down in my class participation points. By the way, anyone besides me think it’s weird I’m still getting participation points in a master’s program? Oops! See? I believe I just made my own point there.
It’s too easy to be critical. Think about it. When you’ve just been to a movie, isn’t it easier to talk about the things you didn’t like? It’s far more difficult to come up with something positive to say besides, “I liked it.” I’m quick to move past what I liked because that’s harder to describe than what I didn’t like. Must be all the practice I get.
There are times when it is necessary to see flaws, to root out and maybe even point out problems, like when you have to place a vote for or against something or when you need to discern between good or bad or sorta good and sorta bad. But you can discern and you can protect and you can have your voice be heard without being critical – right? I’m asking because I’m hoping.
I think it’s hard to be articulately positive and reaffirming. But life isn’t a comedy act and we don’t need a temporary laugh. We do need, and should seek, happiness and continued snark is a bummer.
open book open heart 