Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 20:43:54 -0500
To: <puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org>
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] critics


TERRIFIC TERRIFIC -- your words are so true!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "mjm" <mmoynihan-AT-wi.rr.com>
To: <puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 4:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] critics


A word (or words) in general. Opinions, that is.
Critics...
I have yet to actually meet one.
Or read one recently (years actually).
What we are stuck with, plagued by, are not actual critics.
They are "reviewers".
There is a difference.
A large, fundamental difference.

Just because a person is called a "critic" does not qualify that
individual.
Nor does being hired or appointed by a publisher or an editor.

"Critics" who are actually "reviewers" should be called on it every
time they write or speak.

Criticism is an art form.
A literary art form.
A critic is an artist. Their form of artistic expression is their
critical essays and publications.

Thinking that a review is a critique is a common failing.
It is sort of like not knowing the difference between typing (or now
keying) and writing.

The late Robert Warshaw was a critic.

M. Willson Disher* was a critic (sometimes, sometimes just a reviewer)
(Disher claimed that there are only six kinds of jokes: "falls, blows,
surprise, knavery, mimicry, stupidity")

The popularity of TV film reviewers (Ebert & whoever =96 apologies to the
late Gene Siskel who was the more insightful of the 2 reviewers) has
only made people more accepting of the moronic "consumer reporter"
paradigm that most print reviewers adopt. Art is not a product it is a
process (yes, even in performance, maybe especially) Many reviewer's
actually believe that it is their job to help you decide how to spend
your limited amount of money as you "consume" (not experience) "art"
and "culture".

If you are okay with this, if you put your creative work as the
equivalent to deodorant or floor wax, then, good luck & god bless, you
& I are not in the same endeavor.

Whatever your self definition or image it is wise to remember that if
you believe the good reviews then you also have to believe the bad
ones.

I've had lots of productions reviewed, both raves & pans. Never learned
a thing about my work from either. No-one has ever come even close to
identifying what I already knew was actually working well or not
working well in my shows.

"This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!"
        =96 William Shakespeare

* I've adopted a Disher quote as one of my main guidelines as a an
artist: "Satisfy people's desire for the ridiculous and they will
accept your idea of the sublime". Works for me.

mjm

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