Given our times, it might actually surprise us to know that being critical, for the sake of being critical, is not a virtue.
The steady diet of our endless critique of the world (or other people) ends up taking on addictive qualities, not to mention the unsightliness of looking like an overly developed bicep in just one arm. Should we really be this convinced that we hold the cards on everything that is wrong, especially when we simultaneously seem quite under-developed in seeing how we ourselves contribute to it?
We seem to think that calling out something that doesn't work well gets us off some kind of hook. And, the gap between seeing something and doing something about it seems to only be growing.
To be sure there, is a lot to be critical of. But, shouldn't we get better at what we're doing about it than simply perfecting our articulation of what they aren't doing about it?
One (perhaps) unintended consequence of this propensity seems to be our declining ability to admire, to appreciate, much of anything at all.
We must equally (if not more) be able to stop the inertia of these inclinations and observe the many wonderful and beautiful things about the world (and, yes, other albeit imperfect people).
Without that kind of balance, we simply end up so deformed in our thinking that we are unable to provide any kind of care at all for what is needed. As has been said before, we should be more defined by what we are for than simply by what we are against.
Besides, it really isn’t that hard. We just need to make ourselves more available to the timeless things that can teach us, like the simple instruction of a morning sunrise.
…willingness to be open and to learn might be closer to virtue.
