Everyone’s a Critic
“Hey are you going to that movie this weekend?” “No, I heard it sucked.” “Who said it sucked? Come on, let’s check it out. That actor is so good and he always picks great projects.” “Maybe next time, a reviewer this morning said, ‘Walk don’t run.’ I’m not seeing it.” Would you see the movie based on one bad review?
Are you influenced by other people’s opinion so much that you limit your experiences? When adults do this it makes sense because they’re old dogs, but when your teen does this it can greatly limit who they become by closing them off to new experiences that might be the key to unlock their passion. Consider if Elvis had not listened to R & B music or Bruce Springsteen had never heard electric [Bob] Dylan. Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. had his initial critics too; people were opposed to his type of preaching. It was his persistence that won them over. Seems impossible now given he has a holiday. Critics are everywhere and they can help guide you, but they shouldn’t be the last word.
They shouldn’t be the last word when it comes to music, religion or your teen’s future. When someone makes a comment about their ability or shortens the reach of a hopeful teen, you have to remind your teen and sometimes yourself that critics are everywhere. They could be right, but it doesn’t mean that your teen has to limit their experiences or aspirations. They were wrong about the ability of so many people. The short list includes Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan and President Barack Obama. I’m sure there is a local shero you can think of. Maybe it’s you. You have to consider, what if something your teen does or sees inspires them to change the world in a way that adds them to this list? They’ll never know if they don’t take it all in with a sense of wonderment.
So if the movie looks interesting to your teen maybe that’s because there’s something that is drawing them in, something that appeals uniquely to them. Have them take a chance. You never know, it could inspire your teen to be the next Steven Spielberg. Who knows?
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