Critique – Part I: The Value of Critique

Choosing to Critique

Critiquing story is an essential skill for being fully human. Story is how we understand ourselves in context. It’s how events take on meaning in a way that makes sense for us. Mythical stories, legends from indigenous people groups, histories of dynastic heredity and even stories that are closer to home in terms of space and time, all contribute to how we see ourselves in some way.

Stories have a hand in shaping who we are in the world. It follows that critiquing narratives, which have been part of our culture helps us to become aware of their role in our lives. Critiquing also helps us to become intentional in deciding which narratives have the weight of worth and which narratives we would do better letting go of or at least relegating to a lesser role in determining our future.

The psychology of narrative was made plain to me the other day in a conversation with my sixteen year old granddaughter. She recounted a discussion she had recently with a friend about school, what they are taught and how the content is decided on and presented. She used the history of the Civil Right Movement as an example. Describing how the photos embedded into the text were black and white. At first I didn’t get her meaning, but she explained that the effect of those black and white photos as opposed to photos that may have been in color, was that they seemed distant and far removed, not alive and vital, leaving the impression that the events that took place were long ago and not so relevant today.

I was taken aback at the level of her perception and analytical ability. I would never have thought to critique such a narrative at age sixteen. Regardless of any conclusion that she might reach, the fact that she is asking questions shows a sophistication of understanding that I’m still struggling to attain

Critiquing is a skill that can and should be developed. Messages are coming at us all the time. Our main form of communication, at least the one that we use intentionally, is our words. If we are not able to critique those words, their source, their context and the motive behind them, if our pallet isn’t developed, then we are in danger of missing important nuances or even worse, being duped.

We need to be aware of and make choices about what we take in. Our psyche is precious. It’s the bank where our most valuable deposits are kept. If we allow counterfeit deposits, we’ll have little of substance to draw on.

Now more than ever when social media is constantly being high-jacked for political purposes and personal agendas, when Twitter, Facebook and other platforms are used to manipulate images and narratives, one of the most important things we can learn is the art of critique.

What reliable filters can use in our effort to critique? What value grid can we use when we're trying to decide if something is worth taking in as part of who we are?

We can ask some questions. What is the source of the narrative? What is the motive behind the story? What biases are at play? And maybe most importantly what are the values that are being put forward, not just in the words, but in the tone and at the heart of the message? Is it love? Does it engender respect and dignity, compassion and unity? What parts of the story might be missing? What other voices need to be heard to make this narrative more well-rounded?

How will you sharpen your critiquing skills?

Writing Prompt for the Week: Deciding Which Narratives Become Part of Me