The Critic

Of all the various talents bandied about town, the most subtle is criticism. Oh yes, it's a talent! After all, giving an opinion which nobody has asked for and making sure that it is not only heard but also, at times acted upon, got to be appreciated!

When a kid, with eyes full of dreams and positive plans for the future, proudly tells their parents what subjects they want to pursue in college.....give me one example where there has been immediate and total acceptance of his/her dream/goal/ambition. Can't think of any, can you?

When you chose to work at your current job/position, how many supporters did you get?
"I still think you should have been more persistent with the HR of XYZ" (Well, I gave the interview and I know they didn't select me. If you are so confident, why don't you try there?)
"Wait for some more time, keep trying at other places, you will get a better package" (And you will be paying for my household expenses in the meantime, I presume?)

No matter where you go, weddings, funerals, parties, just commuting.....they are all around you. From telling you exactly how to stand in a crowded Mumbai local train to telling you how your deceased uncle could have survived a few more years, if he had followed their advice.....they have it all sorted in their arm-chair philosophy.

How do you distinguish between someone who genuinely wants to help and The Critic. Well, it's simple. A person who wants your well-being to be prioritised, will provide sound advice, many times agreeing with your decisions and providing sensible and practical thoughts.

The Critic will be just that. Criticising everything and everyone on a wholesale. They are highly opinionated and they want to express their tupenny-worth ideas irrespective of whether anybody is listening or is interested. They will sneak-up on you when you least expect and will not leave you till they had their say about --> what you are doing at that time --> why it is wrong--> how it should be actually done--> how someone else who followed this advice is now extremely rich and successful--> how someone else who did not follow their advice is totally ruined in life.

Did an image just pop-up in your head about someone you know? Aah, now you get it! See? That is The Critic.

So, how do you deal with them. Haha. You can't deal with them! When you see them, you gather all your things and run!
If you can't run, then you listen to every single thing they say.....and do the exact opposite! And watch the fun.

The Critic gave a friend quite an earful for the choice of wall-colour and told them to paint their walls pale yellow. The friend painted them pale green instead, plus added a single wall full of rich, velvety red paper with exotic self-design. They got compliments from all and The Critic went green with envy. Maybe The Critic is now telling you how my friend's wallpapered house has seepage and has ruined everything inside and out!

The Critic told me to wear a golden anarkali to my cousin's wedding and offered to lend me their own. I politely refused and wore a midnight blue lehenga. Well, I heard they were talking about why I will never receive any marriage proposals my whole life and how many "boys" have rejected me!

They are among us. They exist and carry on with their talents. You can't always escape them, but you have to learn survival skills. You may banish some known Critics from your invitation list, but someone you invited might turn out to be a newly-born Critic. You just learn to recognise one and stay alert to deal with them.

The Critic should always be treated with caution and the correct dosage of disdain.

Let them be themselves, leave them alone. And never criticise a Critic! Let them talk and rant. You are under no obligation to do what they say. Just don't tell them that. Doing things your way is enough to put them off and look for another prey.

So beware! They are on the prowl. You could be next!