ABSTRACT
Defensiveness is a common reaction to being criticised. Instead of letting in and mulling over another’s criticisms of reader to determine if there’s any truth in them, reader may resort to rationalising their behavior. Brian’s restrictions on free speech in this instance are determined by his emotional disturbance about his boss’s comments. By pointing out the conflict between his support of free speech and his dictatorial ‘shoulds’, Brian was able to develop a new perspective on his boss’s criticisms: ‘His comments may be unfair but he has the right to make them. It’s important to note that not every criticism can be divided into true or false: others might see some of reader comments as intrusive, unhelpful or ill-judged. Such oversensitivity to criticism often stems from a tension between our inner and outer selves and others’ comments can prompt troubling self-scrutiny.
