Creative Process and Critique

[benlehman]

(Context: A friend of mine and a friend of his have recently been going around telling creative communities that they aren't creating right, that they should follow a different method and different process. Not coincidentally one which those two people have used in the past.)

I think that other people have a right to judge my published work. (for a general value of "my").

If I don't want it judged, by not publishing it, I avoid judgement.

Do other people have a right to judge my creative process, though? (again, for a general value of "my").

I don't think so, off the top of my head. But I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.

Comments

[benlehman.livejournal.com]

Hey, Matt.

You have gone on record here that you don't agree that the social clime of our community at large is becoming a problem.

I don't agree with that statement at all. I think that the social clime of our community is a huge problem, but I think the problem is not what everyone else seems to think it is.

I've quite loudly said what I think the problem is, and tried to open a conversation about it, and I got shouted down by people unwilling to look at their own privileges and be critical of their own community. I may try again. I may not. Maybe if I had come in blistering and angry and screaming "fuck" every other syllable you all would have listened to me. Maybe not. It's a moot point because that's not my style of communication, especially not on the internet.

In all honesty, I'm probably not going to bother talking about it again. I'm just going to slowly shift into doing things the way I think that they should be done, and people can feel free to join me in that or not.

--

That's that. Now about new passionate Matt.

I think that you're using the word "passion" here as a dodge. When you say "passion" you seem to mean "hostility and disrespect." It's okay with me, in an abstract way, that you decided to amp up the hostility and disrespect in your online communications. I don't find it morally wrong. It might very well be useful promotionally (it is for Luke and Jared). It just also means that I'm not going to take your points, or your emotions, or your anger very seriously. And, probably, that I'll want to communicate less with you, because your sort of passion sends me into funks, for days and weeks, and then I come out and everyone's like "oh, Matt's just being Matt, what are you worried about?" This isn't your fault, it's just how I react to this stuff.

I'm sure you're still a nice guy. I like you! I just can't deal with internet-Matt anymore. Those are my emotions, and you can't argue me out of them. My discomfort and eventual absence is a price you have to pay for your increased passion.

yrs--
--Ben

[(Anonymous)]

Ok. Understood.

This is not meant as a dig, a tit-for-tat. It will INEVITABLY seem as one. (shrug) I don't dig Internet Ben, either. Let's just call it a draw, and get on with our work.