'Happy people will always encourage. Successful people will always support. Attractive people will always compliment. Those who have nothing to offer will always bring you down.'

The above social media feed makes it easier to understand the psychology of biased critics. Whether it is an official meeting, parent-teacher conference or any of life's adventures, discouraging words start dripping from the mouths of those who are unhappy, unsuccessful and ultimately unattractive.

The irony is that criticism reveals the criticising authority more than its recipient, as Oscar Wilde writes in his aphoristic style, "Criticism is the only reliable autobiography." Simply put, criticism is always self-revealing. It exposes our own turmoil and failings.

Criticism is a matter of ego, which always seeks to be filled, while encouraging others comes from soul, which is an eternal wholeness. In a belittling criticism, the critic desires pathologically to assert their superiority, relevance or ego-pampering vendetta. Behind such behaviours........

© The Express Tribune