My Critic's Manifesto

The following is my assessment of today's critic according to what I've learned in our Critical Writing (JOUR5590) course.

By JENNIFER PAXTON

It is much easier to condemn than to think.

This has been the biggest lesson I’ll take away from my JOUR5590 course. There is a huge difference between quickly judging and actually assessing a piece of work. Anyone can make snap decisions – I do it all the time. From a friend’s outfit to the taste of my morning cup of coffee, I instinctively place labels according to my own developed tastes. But why, specifically, do I feel this way? If you can justify your reasoning behind an opinion, you’ve transgressed the thin line between a critic and a reviewer.

It was difficult for me in the beginning of this course to accomplish this task. I knew if I liked something or not, but I wasn’t sure why, aside from obvious, topical reasons anyone with eyes and ears could point out. However, I learned to delve deep into my tastes and decipher what truly makes something good, bad or just OK to me.

An everyday critic is someone who places a quick verdict on a piece based on instinct alone, while a true critic articulates his or her reasoning and considers all aspects of the work. A legitimate critic has credibility and a background in the field – but doesn’t flaunt his or her knowledge with lofty language and obscure pop culture references. The best critic knows their audience and understands that most aren’t entertainment experts, but simply want their money’s worth. Critics additionally are not afraid to absolutely embrace something they love or honestly critique a work they detest.

I realized this semester that no one sets out to make a bad film, a poor meal or a terrible television series. This may sound like common sense. But as critics we tend to rip on a movie or restaurant with utmost contempt without considering the creator’s original intentions and at which point they failed. Constructive criticism is difficult and not as fun as writing a scathing review, but it’s more useful. If something fails at its goal, say so, but be sure to suggest a way in which it could have succeeded.

Today’s reviewers certainly face tremendous challenges. With the popularity of blogs and influx of social networking updates, everyone is a critic these days. However, just as only the best blogs rise to popularity, only the best reviewers will remain. Those that have a true talent for dissecting pop culture will be successful.

America will always be an entertainment-hungry nation, so I don’t think professional reviewing will diminish. Opinions have become more widespread, but that doesn’t mean their relevance will fade. Reviewing is a “survival of the fittest” career, but now critics face more competitors than ever.

The Internet is and will continue to be a landscape of entertainment opinions, ranging from in-depth analyses to Rotten-Tomatoes-esque quickies. Regardless, there’s room for everyone. No longer will one newspaper reviewer dictate a town’s weekend plans, but many will serve as a starting point for skeptical entertainment patrons.