Quote:
Originally Posted by Write
Whether or not it hurts some feelings is a personal issue and it's not very becoming to reflect said issues onto the rest of the community as if it's some unspoken rule that we must only speak of anime with positive acclaim.
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I don't know
why people come to this conclusion. This does not logically follow from anything I said. You can have whatever negative opinion you'd like! The forum thrives on contrary opinions, and that should never go away! Nobody wants the forum to turn into an echo chamber of "yes-men"! All opinions can thrive! But they can
also be stated in ways that are more
constructive. Each person has the ability to make this choice when they write.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Write
Just to generally apply to the above, it's immature and narrow minded to hold constructive criticism in such low regard.
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Let me ask: how do you define "constructive"? Some people act as if "constructive criticism" simply means "I have to give reasons for my opinions", as if reasons alone make something constructive. But if I have an opinion that "90% of all forum posters are trash" (I don't have this opinion) and I provide "reasons" for this opinion, does that make my opinion "constructive criticism"? No, because it's hateful and offensive. It's destructive. But people state opinions about anime that are absolutely no less hateful and dismissive of other people, whether it's people involved in the show's production or the people who are enjoying the show. And they act like "well, it's
obviously just my opinion", while insinuating unabashedly that they're Absolutely Right unless someone can
prove them wrong. It's a miracle that
anything "constructive" can result from such an attitude, but it's still pitched by some people as "constructive criticism".
We are all responsible for the words that we write. The words we choose convey our tone, and our tone influences the way our words will be received. What sort of conversation do you want to have? Do you want to start a fight to prove your opinion is Right (TM), or do you want to have a conversation about how we all see things differently? The choice is yours. And as a mod, it frustrates me endlessly that people often choose the more destructive option out of what I can either assume is arrogance, ignorance, or indifference. If someone cares so little for the feelings of others, it makes me wonder why anyone would expect anyone to care about
them, and it renders the whole thing futile.
This is not because I want to live in a world where all opinions are positive and everyone just agrees with each other. That is completely impossible, and completely stifling to the quintessential human experience of individuality and uniqueness that I cherish very much. But I do wish I could live in a world where the first instinct isn't to reach for the throat of your opposition and strangle as hard as you can, waiting for the other party to strangle back and see who remains standing. There may be things worth fighting for with that much vigour, but enjoying anime is -- in my view anyway -- not one of them.