06-10-2007

Criticism = Crab Theory?

Criticism is Crab Theory.  When I saw that, I thought it was a very interesting statement and yet, obscure at the same time.Visualization of the Crab Theory is self-explanatory.  What constitutes a Crab Theory?

Let’s analyze Criticism first.

There’s more than one way to use the word criticism. 

1) Act of criticizing, especially adversely (to oppose) - Disapprove expressed by pointing at faults or shortcomings. *

2) Critical comment or judgement - Seriouis examination & judgement of something “constructive criticism is always appreciated.” *

3) A practice of analyzing, classifying, interpreting or evaluating a literary or artistic works.  - Written evaluation of a work of literature or art. *

Constructive criticism is important to keep relationships positive and strong.  Most people are affected personally by unfair or unsolicited criticism.  Should we walk on egg shells all the time because we are affraid to offend the other person?  Sometimes we don’t need to walk on egg shells because there are ways to offer criticism without making the other person become defensive.

Check out this website - “4-1-1″ or “HELP” on guidelines to criticism and is worth reading.  It offers assumptions and guidelines for both the “Critic” and the “Criticized”.

See this link:*

http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/comm440-540/criticism.htm

Let’s analyze Crab Theory.

The following paragraph is an exerpt from the site below:

** http://library.gallaudet.edu/dr/faq-crab.html

The “Crab Theory” is used in the Deaf community as a Metaphor to describe the tendency of some people to criticize or put down the successes or achievements of other Deaf people.  It may take several different forms: Malicious and negative gossip, grudges, social rejection, etc., and is directed against Deaf community leaders, successful Deaf business entrepreneurs or educational administrators, deaf individuals who go to college while their deaf peers never get beyond high school, deaf people who “don’t act Deaf enough”, even ordinary Deaf individuals who do such positive things as buying a new car or marrying a good person.  **

So, does one’s opinion or perpective of a situation that is different from others which results in one criticizing another’s perspective considered “Crab Theory”? Next, I tried to look for information of whether Crab Theory occurs in the hearing world?

I googled and could only find one!  Rest was related to deaf and many deaf blogs elaborated on that term.  I checked the one I found that is not related to deaf (hearing japanese site) and it was a forum relating to terrorism and how other neighboring countries “pull down” a country that was affected by terrorism.  Hmm…but is that the same? 

I decided to check out Wikipedia and see if they have anything on Crab Theory.  None! So, I checked other possible related term and found “Crab Mentality”.

This is what Wilipedia has to say about Crab Mentality:

A way of thinking best described by the phrase “If I can’t have it, neither can you.”  The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by the others in the pot.  (That is the same definition on “Crab Theory”.)

That term is associated with non-constructive thinking rather than constructive.

Wilipedia also mentioned other cultures, like Filipines that use that term “to out do others at other’s expense.”   And, in Hawaii, it is known as “alamihi syndrome”.  Alamihi is known as a local black crab.  Similiar analogies used against natives of New Zealand and Guam, and  coastal indians in Canada and USA.  Also, Black Americans may have inherited a cultural crab mentality based on a “doomsay mentality.”  But, nothing is mentioned about Deaf Culture!  At least, not in Wilipedia.

Criticism can be a form of Crab Theory when it is applied in certain situation, but, not necessarily true in all situation of criticism.  Crab Theory is an idea that one will pull another down in order to benefit one’s goal to “move ahead” and be successful for one’s own selfish need rather than using “team work” concept and promoting as a team.

Does Crab Theory have a place in forums or blog comments where one expresses their opinion whether positive or negative in a constructive way? I’d like to see what others think.

What happens when personalities clashes, is that Crab Theory? What are your thoughts on that?

I think that more discussions on this, would expand our minds more.

Let’s work our brains out to apply critical and constructive thinking to the term “criticism” and how it plays a role in Crab Theory! 

 

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3 Responses to “Criticism = Crab Theory?”
  1. Anonymous Says:

    Well written. Crab Theory has nothing to do with constructive criticism.

  2. person who does not want to be known Says:

    To clarify somethings, I will explain Crab Theory. Crab theory is a theory hidden to the public due to the fear of public unrest. In schools, the crab theory is especially prominent.
    Kids who want to achieve academic excellence are called “nerds” and the reason is because their peers are “jealous” of these “nerds” achievements. They do NOT want their OWN self esteem to get hurt by the achievements of others.
    One must then use this to consider why parents value school districts. Many say that it is both the quality of the teachers and the students that determine how good a school is. However, the underlying issue is the crab theory and the bad students that encourage it. Therefore, the perfect school would obviously be a school where there are the least crabs who critcize and have negative influence on others. Thus, the Crab Theory isnt that nice of a theory to the public now is it? The theory implies that school districts are unequal, thus it is to the interest of the government that this is not disclosed to the public causing harsh critiism of unequality in public schools.

  3. Zachary A. Sinsuan Says:

    Is crab mentality = crab theory need your reply now, please. I need to finish my tem paper on crab-mentality(Filipino CUlture)

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