Why criticism hurts (or not)!

This is one of my random posts. I was reading time magazine's year end lists of the bests and the worsts of the year. Where many of Sarah Palin's quotes and interviews and talks were subjected to a lot of criticism, and rightly so for all her dumbness, I believe. Also was watching the dramatic commercials of the next episodes of America's next top model and Stylista (2 reality TV contests related to the fashion world). So connecting these random things, I was suddenly seeing critics all over the place. Criticism about the way you talk, about the knowledge you have, about how you behave in a group, how you even look at the camera, these people have their entire existence (at least for the moment) based on what these critics have to say about them. I guess its fun to watch from this side or even agree with the critics, or to add your own little tidbits about the people at the receiving end of all this. But looking from the other end of the telescope, it must be hard as hell to put yourself out there and take all this shit from people you barely know. but again, they called it upon themselves. So I guess criticism can only hurt when you are seeking an approval/validation of some kind and it will hurt coming from a person you seek approval from....obviously, criticism can be useful if its honest and taken well as a good sport, but I really doubt Sarah Palin is going to start adding the missing 'g' (singin', readin', sayin') while she talks in order to be a little less annoying :)