Some people think that we can always benefit from being told what we are doing wrong. Some others think otherwise, believing that criticism, even when honest and well-intended, can be more harmful than helpful. Discuss these two views and give your opinion
Some people think that we can always benefit from being told what we are doing wrong. Some others think otherwise, believing that criticism, even when honest and well-intended, can be more harmful than helpful.
Discuss these two views and give your opinion
In the realm of personal and professional development, feedback plays a pivotal role by enlightening individuals about their strengths and weaknesses, thereby enabling them to make better-informed decisions. However, opinions differ regarding whether critical remarks are unfailingly conducive to aspiring improvement or may backfire. This essay delves into the dichotomous viewpoints surrounding this issue before presenting my own opinion.
On the one hand, proponents of criticism argue that critical feedback can wield significant and direct influence on individuals’ perceptions, hence fostering improvement. To be specific, it is discernible that at times, people subconsciously act according to their intrinsic nature or biased set of beliefs, even when these beliefs are flawed and ill-conceived. This may have numerous repercussions on their personal lives, such as tarnishing their image in the eyes of others, and therefore should be thoroughly rectified. Nonetheless, not everyone can perceive their inadvertent vulgar moments. This is when criticism becomes extremely beneficial, as receiving objective comments from others enables one to reevaluate themselves and eliminate potentially subsequent misfortunes. For instance, reprimands are often used by many parents to instill in children a set of prohibited behaviors and to prevent them from becoming noncompliant and overbearing individuals in their later lives. In addition, in professional settings, everyone, from executives to subordinate staff, is encouraged to engage in the feedback process, which provides the company with inherent room for improvement and prevents operational hitches from becoming irreversible. Evidently, criticism can stand anyone in good stead.
On the flip side, those who hold a contradictory belief claim that the initially positive intention of criticism may backfire if not applied appropriately, thus negatively impacting the recipients of feedback. To begin with, such remarks can have extreme emotional effects on individuals, resulting in feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, or anxiety. This harms their mental well-being and motivation, hindering their personal progress due to mental obstacles such as self-doubt or inner struggles. Moreover, in the worst-case scenario, one can even resort to catastrophic solutions to ease their anxiety, such as self-harm or suicidal thoughts. Another outcome of criticizing people can be their resistance to change, as their defensiveness is triggered. When censured, individuals tend to disprove such seemingly unfair allegations, becoming even more steadfast in their inclinations. Nonetheless, these pitfalls of criticism can be overcome easily by slight adjustments in verbal tone and choice of words when giving feedback. Thus, the advantages of critical remarks still outweigh their shortcomings.
In conclusion, critical feedback is imperative since it contributes significant value to one’s personal growth. In my opinion, despite several inherent loopholes, the promising benefits of criticism are undeniably remarkable, making it worth implementing, albeit to a moderate extent, so as to preclude unwanted side effects.
