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Online Criticism

#42
48thStreetCustom said:
I did a short animation for a famous comedian's podcast (because I was bored) and posted it on Twitter. I liked it and was proud about pushing my abilities. I got like 1000+ views, 190 likes and like 50 "that's awesome"'s. The comedian said he loved it and his guy emailed me and asked if they could use it on patreon to advertise the podcast. It's all good.

But one guy... literally one guy... made a negative comment and it's been swirling around in my head for weeks. I didn't reply but trust me, I've come up with about 20 replies in my head ranging from FO to passive aggressive to "hey, I'm not even a cartoonist."

I listen to a lot of comedy podcasts and I've heard a lot comedians say the same thing. They'll perform for 1500 people and the place will be ROFL but one guy with sourpuss frown will get all up in their head. One negative guy cancels out all the positive. And yesterday I head Joe Rogan say he never reads Twitter comments because it's cesspool of useless criticism.
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That's the equivalent of one guy walking up to you on the street and muttering something incomprehensible. Same reaction, walk way and ignore. The people who should know better (and who identified themselves) gave you extremely positive feedback. What does that tell you?
 
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#43
48thStreetCustom said:
So if someone doesn't have a thick skin, they shouldn't put art into the world? That doesn't seem very good for culture. I wonder how many young introverted/insecure artists have had their growth stunted by anonymous jackwads on social media.
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i know several very talented people who are unfortunately too fragile to bare their soul to the public because they fear someone will not like their work. I also know plenty of people who are marginally talented who simply ignore any comment not complementary of their work. I also unfortunately know an even larger group of dip poopie’s who are incapable of anything but negative comments.
my favorite reply to most kneejerk negative dip poopie’s is “thanks for your interest, please show me how to do it better, how to make it more to your liking.”
 
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#45
buldog5151bass said:
That's the equivalent of one guy walking up to you on the street and muttering something incomprehensible. Same reaction, walk way and ignore. The people who should know better (and who identified themselves) gave you extremely positive feedback. What does that tell you?
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I know that on a certain level. But I asked the question because I wanted to know how other people deal with those kinds of things in their own heads.
 
#47
Ostie said:
Some people will say things on forums and social media that they would never say face to face. Maybe they think that they are anonymous and invisible. Maybe they think that it makes them appear intelligent. Maybe they are just having a bad day. Maybe I’m wrong. Feel free to critique my post if you disagree. :)
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As someone who was around when the CB radio craze swept America, i saw the same thing. A largish number of people who are so polite butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth in any face to face conversation would become potty mouth bullies when they could be a disembodied voice coming to you five by five and all the way live. When i traveled America doing process equipment installation and maintenance and my work truck had a CB, that culture of fake tough CB Rambos insulting for the sake of it was still thriving among long haul truckers, so it’s no real surprise to see the same thing in todays social media.
 
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#48
48thStreetCustom said:
Isn't that the Dunning-Kruger effect?
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While i was unaware (until now) such behavior was an identified personality trait, like so many things in life, I’ve always thought the many nuggets of Lazarus Long’s wisdom regards humankind to be pretty much on point.

“A “critic" is a man who creates nothing and thereby feels qualified to judge the work of creative men. There is logic in this; he is unbiased -- he hates all creative people equally.”
 
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#50
fhm555 said:
While i was unaware (until now) such behavior was an identified personality trait, like so many things in life, I’ve always thought the many nuggets of Lazarus Long’s wisdom regards humankind to be pretty much on point.

“A “critic" is a man who creates nothing and thereby feels qualified to judge the work of creative men. There is logic in this; he is unbiased -- he hates all creative people equally.”
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I hear you but at the same time I actually like good music criticism. The producer and YouTube content maker Rick Beato has his what makes this song great series but he is also highly critical of some music and breaks it down. For example, recording to a grid, auto tune, the use of I, IV, V, VI chords in every dang pop song to come out in the last 25 years. Critics can be very important, especially if you want to get better.
 
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#51
SLIV said:
I hear you but at the same time I actually like good music criticism. The producer and YouTube content maker Rick Beato has his what makes this song great series but he is also highly critical of some music and breaks it down. For example, recording to a grid, auto tune, the use of I, IV, V, VI chords in every dang pop song to come out in the last 25 years. Critics can be very important, especially if you want to get better.
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To a degree, but i’m my own harshest critic so i constantly strive to not be disappointed in myself, while also not trying to make it impossible to be pleased by my work. I’m not always successful at either but i never quit working on it. My peeve is people who criticize either for a living or a hobby. I often find pessimistic people who can only see what’s wrong but have nothing to offer by way of helping improve the object of their criticism. I’m all about learning and learning begins with a fresh POV but that is worthless without something to offer as a possible solution. I don’t get hurt if i’m told my playing sucks, but follow that with how i could improve and your cred goes up in my book.
 
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#53
Art, or music for that matter comes from within and you can choose to share it with the world or keep it hidden away, if you choose to share it with the world be it on whatever scale its going to be open to interpretation, which is sort of the point anyway but the question here is about the weird old internet and all that comes with it. Personally I think this is why art belongs in a museum because there is almost always an admission fee and those that are trully interested to see and be inspired by art dont mind paying that fee, those that just want to be critical and mean probably wont bother. The internet for all its great attributes also attracts its share of the worst of human behavior as well.

I guess at the end of the day you can choose to take it all with a grain of salt or not use the internet period, display at galleries or art shows instead.
 
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#54
48thStreetCustom said:
So I'll repeat my questions... How do you deal with criticism? How do you keep it in perspective?
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Compartmentalize. Sort reviews into 3 categories.

1) legitimate
2) not legitimate
3) other or don't know

Legitimate criticism comes from individuals who genuinely belong to your target audience or market. Their review of your work will necessarily be relevant the recognized standards of your music genre.

If your heavy metal band is one that employs the "death growl" vocal technique and the reviewer rips on your singer because he hates that vocal style, then just ignore it.

Personally, Cookie Monster vocals irritate me a lot. I just don't like them. Yet if I was reviewing a band that I thought was pretty talented overall and I liked their music, I wouldn't say anything negative about the singer if he used death growl vocals.

Good reviews always evaluate the artist according to their skill at what they do and how successful they are at accomplishing their artistic intent.
 
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#56
I don’t post music to social media. I don’t listen much, either. As a performer I get validation from my live audiences and the best kind, a rebooking by the venue. Posting online invites criticism from “civilians” who neither know nor appreciate one’s song choice, genre, style and feel free to crap on it. Worse are the musicians who are sure they could do it better ...
 
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#57
I haven't put a lot out there, but I have to use a mental filter. I'm happy to read honest, that is, positive and negative reviews, as well as constructive criticism. But I figure that if I'm putting something out into the public where it can be publicly critiqued, say on YouTube for example, I just have to accept that there's a possibility that a troll of some sort is going to post something nasty just because they can, and I have to just have a thicker skin and move on.
I remember when I saw Einsturzende Neubauten many years ago, there was a drunk hippie (yes really) in the audience, right up front, who was yelling at the audience for not dancing, as if anybody just takes it to funkytown at a Neubauten show. Anyway, he was shouting something and from the stage Blixa (singer) turns to him and says "What?" The guy shouts at him "I said I'm sorry I came!" Blixa just said "Oh." and went back to whatever he was doing. And that was it. The guy wandered off. I think that in a lot of cases, in places which encourage comments but rarely moderate, that's often just how it goes. Some of those comments are the equivalent of writing stuff on a bathroom wall, and that's about as much time as I give them.
 
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#58
48thStreetCustom said:
one guy... literally one guy... made a negative comment and it's been swirling around in my head for weeks.
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48thStreetCustom said:
I've heard a lot comedians say the same thing. They'll perform for 1500 people and the place will be ROFL but one guy with sourpuss frown will get all up in their head. One negative guy cancels out all the positive.
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:laugh:

48thStreetCustom said:
I wanted to know how other people deal with those kinds of things in their own heads.
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0000.jpg

at any given moment: no one can do any better than their best. having confidence that you've done your best is the first, the last, and all of the in-between!

you have these things "in your head" for a reason(s)... your reason(s). i'd suggest you work on yourself a little bit as it really has nothing to do with the detractor. the detractor is just showing you what you don't do so well...for yourself. ;)

the calls to ignore 'critics' is only useful (IME) if you don't need to be told to do it. YMMV.
 
#59
JRA said:
:laugh:


View attachment 3826096
at any given moment: no one can do any better than their best. having confidence that you've done your best is the first, the last, and all of the in-between!

you have these things "in your head" for a reason(s)... your reason(s). i'd suggest you work on yourself a little bit as it really has nothing to do with the detractor. the detractor is just showing you what you don't do so well...for yourself. ;)

the calls to ignore 'critics' is only useful (IME) if you don't need to be told to do it. YMMV.
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Your suggestion will be duly ignored.
 

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