Bree

I am an extremely critical individual. For example, I rarely leave a movie theatre without whining about a certain aspect of the film - even if it's minute and the average viewer wouldn't have been bothered by it ("she dropped her accent half-way through the film, goddammit!").

Now, my mother (ironically one of the most critical people on the face of ths planet) says that being critical is merely being snobbish. Whenever I start going off on something, she'll say "Well, you have no right to criticise because you couldn't do any better."

Is that a good reason not to criticise something?

Now my Russian piano teacher used to say the exact opposite: being critical meant you had a eye for faultlessness, and even though you couldn't execute the concerto flawlessly at that time, being able to pick out the flaws meant that someday you could evaulate yourself in the same way, and be that much closer to perfection.

Which is right?

Mad Lion

Well, just because you couldn't do any better certainly doesn't mean that you can't critisize something. It only requires a knowledge of the subject involved, and the ability to analyze it and dissect it in a critical manner. It's not as if Ebert and Roper can act, direct, or produce a movie; They merely know what makes a good movie and are able to analyze and evaluate them well (heh). It DOES makes your ciritism carry more weight if you happen to be a member of the same class as what you're critisizing, but it's not necessary. Also, I don't see how there's anything inherently snobbish about complaining about something.

Ut

Bree's mother: "Well, you have no right to criticise because you couldn't do any better."

In the case of you watching a film, you have every right to criticize since you paid for it. Whether or not you could do better is completely irrelevant.

If I go in a restaurant, pay 20$ for a plate and it tastes like shit, I should not criticize only because I don't know how to cook? If I go for a surgery and the doctor butchers me, I should not say anything because I'm not a surgeon? I don't think so.

Proxima Centauri

Your Mother is a little over critical. You learned that from her, or share her genes. Why should she criticize you? She can't do better.
At its best your critical nature can make you work towards high standards. You can also help other people with your constructive criticism. An e-mail you once sent me helped me manage the fonts in this web site.
Try and criticize yourself and other people constructively.
Your Russian piano teacher is closer to the truth than your Mother.
Your reaction to this post may help you understand other people's reactions to your criticisms. Perhaps I've started being a little over critical.

bradw

From The Simpsons. Homer is giving Ned Flanders grief over his coaching of the football team:

Marge: It's easy to criticize.

Homer: And fun, too!

Arvel Joffi

This is a problem for me. I criticize everything. Every movie, every song, every book I read and, most importantly, myself! I definitely do not agree that you shouldn't criticize because you can't do better; that's ridiculous. But I drive myself (and I'm sure everyone around me) nuts because I can't take anything at face value.

I'm getting to the point where I cringe when people ask my opinion of a movie. I'm most likely going to shred it. Even many films that I really enjoy I can't help but find flawed.

I want to like things. I don't sit down with books or movies or restaurants and want to dislike it, but more often than not I'm dissatisfied. Oh well.

Jamie_L

Who says you couldn't do better? If you were the director, and you recognized the accent slipping, couldn't you have done something about it?

When I see plot holes in movies, I always think of ways the plot could have been better. Just because I'm not in the position to implement the better plot, doesn't mean I couldn't have had I been there.

Just a random though.

Jamie

Hobbs

I never criticize anything at all. I think everything is wonderful just the way it is!

Daisy

I dunno - it's one thing to analyze movies and another to shred them to pieces. The reason why I miss Pauline Kael (former movie critic) so much is because she liked movies. Seeing and appreciating what's good and interesting about something rather ordinary and flawed can be even more fun than picking it apart.

Manta

Some things for me are worth looking at criticaly - especially the books -to- movies...:banghead:

Most things aren't anything more than a passing comment though, because I know it's not worth my time or effort to try & change it, or it is beyond my ability TO change it.

Things I can change I try and bitch endlessly about (for instance...styrofoam cups that get used faster than H20 around here... I have PLENTY of ceramic coffee mugs that can be re-used. People get tired of hearing me, but I just don't care anymore ) but I don't necessarily feel 'superior' about it...it's just part of what makes me...ME

-k