An idea to ponder

[ericcoleman]

Something I have been mulling over lately.

Having as many talented friends and acquaintances as I do can lead to an interesting problem. I was raised to be a critic by my father, who taught theater for decades. I have pretty much always had a problem with the idea of "I don't like something, therefore it is bad". No, you don't like it. Sometimes it is something that is good, it just doesn't speak to you (ok, sometimes it's just bad, but that isn't what we are talking about here). There is a lot of music and writing that I don't particularly like, but that I think is brilliant. There is a lot of music that I don't like that I think is amazing. It just doesn't speak to me.

So, what do you do in a situation like this? How do you deal with someone whose work you admire, but really don't like?

Or are you one of those people who, if you don't like something, it is bad?

(and no, this isn't about you ... whoever you are)

Comments

[phillip2637.livejournal.com]

I find it especially difficult in situations where I need to provide critiques, such as the on-line songwriting challenges that I keep doing. Part of their community standards is being supportive of what other people create. I try to remember what was repeated often at a photo club I once belonged to: "Comment on the picture in front of you, not the one you would have taken if you'd been there."