It's Easy To Criticize But What Would You Suggest?

In many areas of life, we repeatedly hear individuals who are critical of others, often blaming the other for many different woes. While it is rather easy to criticize and complain, I always ask the individual doing the criticizing, what he would suggest as an alternative, and how he would suggest it be implemented? You would be amazed at how rarely the criticizing person responds with a plan of his own, but generally then continues criticizing even more.

Criticism without an alternative plan is nothing more than rhetoric and laziness. Instead of merely criticizing, let me know what part or parts you like, and which you do not, and why. Let me know what the objectives that you wish to achieve might be, rather than merely reciting the particulars of your objections.

I have never seen a perfect plan. The greatest line I have ever heard related to any plan was the character played by George Peppard in the "A Team," Hanibal, who lit up his cigar after an idea worked out as planned, leaned back and said, "I love it when a plan comes together."

This is often seen most obviously in the political arena. In times when things are not going nearly as well as most people would like, especially regarding domestic issues, but often also related to foreign affairs, the party and the politicians out of power or control generally "jump on the bandwagon" to criticize and blame the party in power for all the woes. While it is certainly legitimate to oppose someone's political position, and very often warranted, I believe it serves very little purpose to so without having a plan or a vision.

Unfortunately, it appears that many lack vision. Some are myopic, seeing things only narrowly, and not looking at the big picture. Some have a selfish vision, what I like to call "Lazy Vision," where they only see things as to how they are directly impacted. Yet others suffer from "Convenient Vision," adopting a point of view the same way an ice cream store has the "flavor of the day."

Next time there is something or someone you disagree with, don't just complain. If it means anything to you, and you really want to see it changed, take the time and the effort to fully understand the issues, all the complexities, ramifications and realities, and then "fight" for a better way to do it clearly, concisely and in detail. The politics of rhetoric, blame and apathy need to finally come to an end.