It’s totally cool if you like Lost. I respect everyone’s freedom to like what they like. But the “let’s see you do better” defence of art is a terrible one. By that rationale I would have to give a free pass to white supremacist bands whose musicianship was better than mine, and I should instead be shitting all over toddlers’ finger paintings, because I can certainly do better than most of those.
It starts with the trope of the troubled teen that is going to save the world with the amazing powers she doesn’t know she has. And I bet she’s orphan. Is there a dog? A talking dog? Otherwise, I’m in.
I didn’t make my point well. I wasn’t saying “let’s see you do better,” what I actually meant was “show us what you can do – anything at all.”
Many of the most rabid critics never put themselves on the line by sharing what they’ve done; they just take pot shots at others. Putting your own work out there where people can see it – warts and all — is humbling and more than a little scary.
Someone who is familiar with that feeling is far more likely to feel empathy for another creative’s efforts, and hence less likely to stomp them down at the mere mention of their name.
Damon’s been the target of a huge amount of reflexive abuse, and it breaks my heart. I’m just saying that once you’ve experienced being on the receiving end of arbitrary criticism, you’re far less likely to direct it at someone else. Put yourself in their shoes, and your perspective will change completely.
Howard Tayler liked it, and most of the time that’s good enough for me.
Uh. No. There may be fans of Lindelof’s style, but I am not one of them. Pointing out perceived flaws and problems with a creative work is permitted without having to get out there myself in their field. If you have a job you put yourself out there all the time - perhaps on a different scale or stage. Lindelof chooses to write and inexplicably he keeps getting paid. I will continue to avoid seeing his movies after the idiotic schlock he has contributed to sci-fi.
Criticizing his work is no different than criticizing my plumber for deciding, without telling me, to swap the hot and cold lines in my house and make the toilet flush everytime I unlock my front door because “mystery.”
I am waiting for that final sign of the apocalypse when Lindelof and Shyamalan decide to make a movie together.
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My 12-year-old saw it yesterday and begged me to take her today so she could see it again. I enjoyed it! It got a bit messy at the end, but the overall story fun.
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I really enjoyed it. Not surrendering to the prevalent distopian narrative is a pretty positive message.
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Unless you consider criticism and analysis work in and of itself.
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