I was having a discussion with someone earlier and the topic of arguments came up. I find the idea of arguing as kind of entertaining in its' own way as often it's taken as offensive or combative by some, but I think it's really all in intention and perspective of those involved. It got me thinking about perspective in general and considering that perhaps criticism is just offering perspective with a competitive mindset. I typically shy away from criticizing others when I can help it, because to me it generally involves some judgement of the way they do something or act, but perhaps our view of criticism is equally shaped in how it is received as well as delivered.
I feel a crucial aspect of philosophy is debating my own self as much as discussing and debating things with others, but I realize that we all see things differently. It seems less frequently that I am drawn into debates with anyone now as compared to my earlier mindset. At some point I accepted that trying to push my view as any more right or wrong than anyone else's view is generally just a waste of time and often my own refusal to acknowledge someone else's perspective. It's interesting how these ideas and concepts can shape and grow over time.
It leads me to wonder if other people were always so combative because I was or if I just took other people sharing their perspective as criticism previously because of my own self judgment. I don't really focus on the past all that much as it's mainly a time sink to me, sort of like future planning, and I prefer to live in the moment. Perhaps it's just good food for thought to be mindful that not everything we perceive as criticism is actually intended as such. Obviously there is malicious criticism that is aimed at breaking someone else down, but perhaps that is never truly anyone's intent when sharing their perspective. Often, I find that what we say is much more a reflection of how feel about ourselves than the other. Respect for self and other seems to make the world a far less critical place as far as I can tell anyway. Namaste.