The other day while I was seated in a restaurant, I sat close to this guy, so informed, he could easily sort the best from the worst no matter how much it disguises. He was commenting on anything, of course negatively, on the TV show on the other screen, on the movie on this screen, the restaurant arrangement, the dressing code of the waiters and anything the crossed his eyes and rung in his mind. He had good arguments, informed points worth noting, but the expression was poor.
As I walked out of the restaurant, I met this other pedestrian like me and as we by-passed a 2 years old boy holding the Bible with so much courage and preaching anything good about it (the Bible) that would come on his mind, the gentle man commented, “this young man doesn’t know anything worth noting”. He was wrong of course, the little man knew just what he was talking about and other people contributed money right before him in support of his ministry.
As I entered a plaza to get some staff into my hands, I met this other gang boys at a “man age” and they were criticizing anything that crossed their eyes and moved their thinking. They talked national and world politics, sports; football in particular, fashion and more; obviously I took sometime close to them, noting what they were discussing, criticizing anyone, anything.
I have discovered something about critics in my years; they are well informed people (sometime mistaken or misinformed) who want “wrong” things “right”, but cant change anything except talking about it.
I have told friends, many times, that a good teacher isn’t a very informed person, no, but one man or woman who is willing to share his/her idea(s) with anyone just to teach them right, help them understand or improve their lives and decision making.
I imagine, if all we know as critics were good teachers, how informed or right would our society be? This is why I have decided to devote most of my life to writing in a way of informing masses. I wish, many times, I had a “louder” medium through which I could help people know, understand and do the right things rather than comment without helping.
Criticizing helps you analyze facts about something, but a good critic is one who doesn’t only expose the negatives and challenge the positives, but one who will provide recommendations on what he has analyzed. Don’t just talk about anything on the streets, in restaurants or bars.
If you’re well informed, and you have a good understanding and judgment of facts and factors, you don’t have to aim at winning but helping people know, understand and do; come join my crew of teachers, inspired by reality.
