Comments on: Socially critical thinking

By: AG

AG — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 05:17:33 +0000

When you organize jour [sic] social world solely around affinity,

I’m mortified by this kind of thing, and asked the DUX organizers on more than one occasion to remove this interview as a result so that errors like this wouldn’t appear anywhere else.

I apologize for its manifestly low quality, and for whatever it’s worth, I assure you that I will never work with the individuals involved again.

By: Brian Goodman

Brian Goodman — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 18:25:11 +0000

Thank you Zachary. Link updated.

By: Zachary Jean Paradis

Zachary Jean Paradis — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:11:07 +0000

I noticed you referred to an interview I did with Adam Greenfield in this post. Since the version you referred to was pulled from the DUX07 site, I thought I would provide this link (http://www.creativeslant.com/mt/archives/000065.html) to another copy of it.

Cheers,

Zachary Jean Paradis

By: smack

smack — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:11:55 +0000

I’ve often felt provoked to comment on your thoughtful posts, but nothing has made me take the leap like this one. I think the most important piece of critique is that when it is given, it’s an honest assessment. And not only honest, but needed. Too often a critique is given just so the critiquer has contributed SOMETHING. I’m a strong believer in giving a compliment on something only when it’s a truth — which sort of goes against the constructive criticism sandwich (start with something you like..). Critique is truly helpful when the delivery is devoid of condescension, isn’t wrapped in disclaimers, and is truly meant to improve the work, not stall it.

So.. uh.. yeah, I’m a fan of open, honest, constructive critiquing

By: Frank Jania

Frank Jania — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 00:41:33 +0000

Its too bad that my engineering school didn’t have as foundational a reliance on the art of the critique as a teaching tool as our art and and architecture schools.

There were horror stories of course. One proported to have an art teacher stare at a student’s work in silence only to remove the tacks, flip it upside down and say “that’s better”. Another, of somewhat dubious origin, involved an architecture professor looking at a student’s work, telling her “go get a cup of water”, and setting the drawing on fire. Those aside, the critique always seemed like one of those experiences you have that you dread initially, but has exponential returns for your growth.

I agree with you entirely - especially with “looks good” - that is just short hand for “I’ve given your work no thought at all, in fact, I’m probably just looking at it for the first time now as we speak, and I’m really more engaged in something else anyway.”

I see it all the time, people have the opportunity to critique and don’t take it. We perpetuate it too by letting ourselves trail off in conversation, misuse words, or and “and stuff” to the end of a statement because we really haven’t researched the claims we’re advancing well enough to convince ourselves. We follow it with a near imperceptible wince and sigh, which is usually met with an agreeing nod, “uh huh” or “ok” - a tacit signal from the listener that we’ll let it go, and that they don’t expect to be critiqued either.

Its a dangerous cycle of apathy and mediocrity that also has the side effect of labeling even the most sincere critic as an asshole. “If you just wanted me to agree with you then why did you ask me what I thought?”

There is hope though, at least I think there is. I’ve given more than a couple of critiques that were honest, not flattering, and particularly thorough and they were met with appreciation. I’ve been on the other end too, but not as often as I would like to be.