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Healthy, well-informed,
balanced criticism is the ozone
of public life” (Gandhi)

Ozone, a molecule, “in the lower atmosphere is an air pollutant with harmful effects on the respiratory systems of animals and will burn sensitive plants; however, the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is beneficial, preventing potentially damaging electromagnetic radiation from reaching the Earth’s surface.” It is the second meaning of ozone, the beneficial one, which Gandhi is using in this quote about ‘criticism’: “Healthy well-informed balanced criticism is the ozone of public life. (M.H. Gandhi, Mahatma, Vol. 4, p 208)

Like many I have a difficult time handling criticism but find it easier coming from a friend I trust. However, in this day and age I find that many people do not criticize you but just ignore you when they do not agree, have a conflict or have another point of view. I find this type of ignoring suffocating, as if the ozone layer was damaged.

I am reminded of two other Various Quotes. One about ignoring or indifference: “The opposite of love is not hate, its indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, its indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, its indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, its indifference.” (Elie Wiesel) The other one is about conflict that criticism brings: “I am not trying to abolish conflict. There is great value in healthy conflict. And the dangers of group-think are real. Conflict can inspire creative leadership. Where there are fundamental conflicts over values, they should not be ignored in a sentimental yearning for consensus. The problem in our communities today is not that we have conflict, but that we manufacture conflict and exaggerate differences to the point where it is very difficult to make meaningful change.” (Frederick Douglas in a speech in 1857)

Be it the debt crises, Tea Party vs. Liberals, viewpoints on gay rights or abortion, people seem to take a positions on one side or other, ignore each other, thus abolishing true conflict and criticism and manufacturing conflict and exaggerate differences.

Today I published my picture story about our nonviolent action Drone and Clowns Storm the Bastille. So far there is little criticism, positive or negative. Let’s hope for some ‘ozone’ of public life.

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