Don’t present your work to the ones who know nothing.

Once upon a time, there was a very famous artist in India. Everybody admired him for his paintings because they were perfect. Even if people in India knew him as Ranga Cheleri -in Indian Language, Cheleri means the master of the colors- in short, he was called Ranga Guru.

He had a student called Rachichi. After completing his education, Rachichi did his last painting. He brought it for Ranga Guru. Rachichi wanted his master to evaluate the painting. Ranga Guru said, “I can say that you are a very good artist, but the people in this city are going to evaluate your painting. I want you to take this painting to the city center. Put it the most crowded place and leave a red pencil next to it. Write a note asking for people’s opinions about it. Want them to mark the places they didn’t like.”

Rachichi did what his master said. He went to the city center to look at his painting after a few days. As soon as he saw it, he really felt sad because it was full of red marks and it was almost impossible to see the painting. He had nothing to do, but he decided to take it to his master, Ranga Guru. Rachici said he was very sad.

Ranga Guru told him not to feel upset and recommended him to go on doing painting. So, Rachichi did the same painting again. And Ranga Guru wanted Rachichi to take this painting to the city center again and put it the most crowded place, this time Ranga Guru wanted him not to leave a red pencil next to it, but he wanted him to leave a brush, a palette and a lot of painting tubes in different colors. Ranga Guru reminded him to write a note. The note was “Please, correct the places you didn’t like.” Rachichi did what his master said at once.

When he went to the city center to look at his painting after a few days and saw it, he really felt very happy because nobody corrected his painting. The materials were the same as he left. He took the painting to his master again.

When he came to talk to his master, he said:

Dear Rachichi, in the first event, you gave the people opportunity to criticize you. When you did it, they criticized you heavily more than you expected. Although some people didn’t do any paintings, they criticized your painting. On the other hand, in the second event, you wanted the people to correct your mistakes. In other words, you wanted them to be constructive. It needs education to be constructive. Nobody tried to correct your painting, in other words, they didn’t dare because they didn’t know how to do painting. Dear Rachichi, it is not enough to be a master in your job, you must be wise. You can’t wait for the natural reaction from the people who don’t know what they do. According to them, your work has no value. Don’t present your work to the ones who know nothing. Don’t discuss your work with them.

Source: Cevdet Kılıç, ‘Bilgelik Hikayeleri’