It seems to me that those who most readily criticize others--whether it be with malicious comments or jokes at their expense--are attempting to bolster their own lack of self-worth and feelings of inferiority. The truly confident person has no need to look for others' shortcomings and even less to comment on them. I think it's also true that we tend to criticize most in others those flaws which we have to the greatest degree.
No great insight there I guess. It's been said before. But it struck me forcefully because of recent events. God forgive me for criticizing others.
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
--Matthew 7:1-2
3 comments:
Can't say it better.
"I think it's also true that we tend to criticize most in others those flaws which we have to the greatest degree. "
>> Yes, they call that Projection. We project our negative qualities onto others. Isn't that nice ?
I don't think this is quite the same as projection. With projection, we tend to see our flaws in others, for example, I'm an angry person, so I see others as more angry than they may actually be.
What I'm talking about is being irritated by another's true (not projected) flaws, precisely because we have the same flaw. For example, it really bothers me when others are (truly) hyper-critical, but I don't even realize that being hyper-critical is one of my chief flaws.
What I wanted to get across is that, if we catch ourselves irritated at others because of some flaw we see in them, we should take that as a hint that maybe we have the same flaw.
I came across your post today after receiving some uncalled for criticism from others. I have never been good at handling situations like this.
Thank you for your post.
Post a Comment