Critics’ Choice Episode 40

Critics’ Choice Episode 40

In this week’s Episode 40 (also known as XL) of The Djuna Shellam Podcast, among other things, I discuss the concept of critics’ choice.

Making Choices

What do I mean? I’m talking about the choices critics have on how they want to address something they don’t like. In today’s abrasive climate, it seems the norm is to be overly critical, demanding, and mean about their displeasure about a particular work or creator.

But why? Why go for the jugular and the public spanking/ridicule over something you don’t like? Me? I was raised if you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing. Over the years, I’ve found you can express your displeasure without being a jerk about it.

As an artist, I often live in my own private Idaho, so sometimes it’s helpful for me to get opinions from outsiders about my work. I may have no idea about how it’s being received unless I’m told. If I’m going down the wrong path, or perhaps unwittingly insulting someone, sure, I want to know. But it’s not necessary to berate or insult me in the process. Constructive criticism is an age-old concept, and quite useful. I welcome it.

Don’t Bring Me Down

But… I’m not going to let someone try to drag me down for their own personal agenda. We artists who put our stuff into the public know we’re opening ourselves to commentary. But we don’t have to accept nastiness from people who likely haven’t done anything themselves but try to drag others down to make up for their own inadequacies. In my experience, people who lash out and are absolutely unkind in their words are lacking something in themselves—or suffer some level of troll sickness.

If you feel compelled to comment on someone’s work you didn’t like, I urge you to consider being kind in your comments. Be considerate of the person who has put themselves out there for the world to see, who has sacrificed much of their spare time (family, socializing, work) to their art. Why go dark? What purpose does that serve?

You must understand that any suggestions or legitimate complaints wrapped in the toxicity of a harsh critic’s words are lost on the recipient, right? All that is comprehended are hurtful, stinging, and nasty words. What is the point? To make you feel superior? More intelligent? Entitled?

If You Can’t Say Anything Nice

If your comment or review is meant to help the person whose work has somehow disappointed or insulted you, wonderful. Good critics’ choice. If your sole reason is to embarrass, ridicule, or shame in an attempt to somehow elevate yourself, bad critics’ choice. Seriously, I urge you to just move on. Choosing to be a nasty critic doesn’t just hurt your intended target—it also hurts you. Oh, your friends might think you’re clever, but most people? They’ll just think you’re an ass.

I welcome constructive criticism, as well as, fawning and idolization (but that’s a whole other blog); but, nastiness? Nope. Goes right into the dustbin.

The Off Button

And, just for the record: If my FREE podcasts displease the listener, please, turn me off. No one forces you to listen to the entire podcast if it’s not what you thought it was going to be. Well, I hope they don’t, anyway. FYI: Clickbait is defined as suggesting the title or link indicates something is in the article or video, or podcast that isn’t. If the subject matter in the title is actually discussed in the particular work, then… that is NOT clickbait.

 

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