"the point of criticism is not to improve you, but to express me."

Zennistrad

So I took a look at this web page called "15 stupid responses to criticism."

 

There are a bunch of things wrong with this article that I could go on about, but one in particular stood out, item #9.

 

Listen, you fuck, you have every right to express yourself as anyone else does, but that doesn't mean you won't be called out on it. Being rude may be "expressing yourself," and being polite may actually be somewhat condescending, but if you're going to be rude then don't act surprised when someone hacks your website or throws eggs at your house. I'd much rather be polite with my criticism than risk being punched, which you undoubtedly have been quite often if you display this attitude in real life.

Myrmidon

Oh Stephen Bond

Stephen Bond, Stephen Bond, Stephen Bond.

Fuck you.

LouieW

(From that page)

Talent is all-or-nothing entity: either you have it, or you don't. People without talent, once they're past school age, won't ever get it

People who have talent, on the other hand, know it; they also know what to take from feedback, and if they need to take anything.

I don't think that's really how talent works. I mean, I'm pretty sure there are people out there who are quite talented but let that talent go to their heads a little. On the flipside, I'd be surprised if there weren't also people who had great potential in something, but just didn't know they did. Basically, I'm kind of skeptical of the idea that those receiving feedback are going to perfectly understand how to use it.

That being said, I don't think it's really necessary to curse at the guy who wrote that. I tend to think that just because someone else chooses to be abrasive doesn't mean you should be rude back to him or her.

Myrmidon

That would be true if this wasn't Stephen Bond.

RedEyedAbyss

"I don't think that's really how talent works. I mean, I'm pretty sure there are people out there who are quite talented but let that talent go to their heads a little. On the flipside, I'd be surprised if there weren't also people who had great potential in something, but just didn't know they did. Basically, I'm kind of skeptical of the idea that those receiving feedback are going to perfectly understand how to use it."

Talent is good only as an impetus. Experience is what nurtures a person to do a good job. Misuse of talent in the sense of the latter is a lot like the misuse of "intelligence": people like to believe in innate traits because experience and wisdom require undesirable things like patience and effort.

BlackElephant

I'm not going to take him seriously because his arguments are not that great and he sounds like he's being abrasive just to get attention, not to give some kind of "tough love." It looks like he is arguing against strawmen. Nobody really says those things when confronted with criticism.

Also, he couldn't even think of a clever response to "De gustibus non est disputandum." Seriously, "And you can fuck off too, you pretentious prick" is the best he could come up with?

It's just not that great an article, and the tone sounds kind of petulant and a bit whiny.

Kraken

Talent's just a seed of aptitude. Without carefully cultivating that seed, nothing will grow.



On the other hand, those without talent can become even better than those without if they dedicate themselves to it.