"A critic is someone who
never actually goes to the battle,
yet who afterward
comes out shooting the wounded."
-- Tyne Daly
It so easy to be critical. Often those critics are using some arbitrary standard to measure something, someone, or perhaps us by in comparison, and this causes so many of them to look for what is wrong, or what is not right or as good as the standard. Unless the standard is very low, this is an uphill battle at best.
Joseph Addison said it well: "A true critic ought to dwell upon excellencies rather than imperfections, to discover the concealed beauties of a writer, and communicate to the world such things as are worth their observation." I like the first part, but not the latter.
Jean-Michel Basquiat said, "I don't listen to what art critics say. I don't know anybody who needs a critic to find out what art is."
How many movies have you watched that you loved that the critics trashed? What is interesting to me about art, movies, music and much more, is that sometimes I get it and get excited about something on the first attempt. Other times, if I am willing to look again after first not getting it, I often get it even better. It's sort of how left-overs often taste better the next day.
Then there is the fact that I see more than I saw the first time. I watched the first year of the TV show, Longmire sometime back, and thought I would watch again. Each episode is so much better than I remembered them, and back then I thought they were good. I know a lot of movies that are that way with me. One is Larry Crowne with Tom Hanks. It was good the first time, and now that I have enjoyed it several times, I find so many more attributes. Based on the reviews I've seen of that movie, they must have missed all that I've found.
Then, there is that falling in love at first sight thing. It happens, but I think it happens more often by finding attractive qualities over a bit of time and see something with more depth at the same time. None of us needs a critic. Nor do the movies, music, whatever.
There will always be the personal choices we make, things that resonate with us and those that don't, and these are just choices--as long as that is where we leave it be.
My Choices Are Not Critique, But Preferences.
Spread Some Joy Today--Today is Monday, and it is a grand day. Spread that joy.
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