I’ve had this debate before and was unable to come to a conclusion. It seems to me that any criticism, no matter how valid, could be characterized as harassment.
What do you guys think?
Is there a heuristic for determining which one a statement is?
Does everything just exist on a continuum between the two?
Is this harassment?

  • Salamander@mander.xyz
    2·
    3 years ago

    I don’t think this implies that. Criticism is not inherently useful. Unwanted criticism very rarely is!

    • Thann@lemmy.mlOP
      2·
      3 years ago

      Sometimes the people that need criticism the most, don’t want it ^>^

      • Salamander@mander.xyz
        0·
        3 years ago

        Yeah, fair enough. But I am reminded of an argument that I used to hear as a kid during the ‘anti-bullying’ debate. The argument was that being bullied was not only helpful but even essential during a child’s development because it helped them to ‘toughen up’ to face the real world.

        • Thann@lemmy.mlOP
          0·
          3 years ago

          Yeah, in their mind, they’re serving the public interest.
          I guess this means you need to have scientific support for your claims if you’re going to make the “public interest” claim 🤔