麻豆社

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Professor Irene Tracey, in her inaugural speech this week as Oxford鈥檚 new Vice Chancellor, said the earlier students were taught 鈥渉ow to deliver and how to receive criticisms鈥� the better it was for them as preparation for the challenges of life.

Her wide-ranging talk touched on several significant questions, not least the issue of free speech. Professor Tracey said that people needed to be challenged to learn different things and understand problems in the round. But it鈥檚 the point about dealing with criticism that struck me most. We live in a hyper-critical age in which scrutiny and consequent criticism manifest themselves in many forms.

The rise and rise of social media has additionally caused the boundary between criticism and abuse to be increasingly blurred. The problem for many young people 鈥� and not only the young - is that because of their vulnerability in the social media jungle, criticism laced with abuse easily stifles any appetite to be creatively outspoken, controversial even - to say what they really feel.

This has led to some terrible and well documented cases of trauma, loss of life even, amongst those who are either not old enough or experienced enough to cope with online abuse.

Constructive criticism and feedback are, however, part of what makes the world go round for all of us. To be analysed by an expert or someone in the know can result in a person being spurred on to be better and more capable through the experience and knowledge of others. Most Artists, performers, sportspeople and writers for instance thrive on the critique of others. Such feedback is surely to be welcomed and applauded.

In the Book of Proverbs, it is written - 鈥渨hoever heeds life giving correction will be at home with the wise.鈥� This verse is an example of how much biblical teaching advocates encouraging others by being constructively critical in drawing on knowledge to be found in others; namely, the wisdom of experience.
Professor Tracey clearly believes learning to sit comfortably with things that are discomforting is increasingly preferable - a challenge not only for her students but for so many today, wrestling daily with criticism of all kinds.

There is nothing wrong in saying what needs to be said. Or sharing ideas that others might disagree with. But it鈥檚 the spirit and context in which it鈥檚 done that matters, and this is where generosity of spirit is the most undervalued yet necessary gift of all.

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