So, there are a few things I take very seriously. One of them is creation. I don't mean that in a Darwinistic way. I mean the task of creating something. Art, music...I dunno...building a bookshelf. I think that the determination and passion involved in creating something is probably one of the most admirable qualities in a person.
And then, after the creation comes the criticism. The thing is? Creating is the hard part. Starting with a mere idea and following it through to completion. That's the hard part. But when the criticism comes, that always feels like the hardest part of the process.
You open yourself and your art or music (or bookshelf...?) up to your audience, to the world, and you hold your breath and your hands shake as you wait for what they'll say back to you. And sometimes it's good. Most of the time it's good. And you smile. And you get a little feeling in your heart that feels a lot like love for the thing you've created. It's a part of you, and the positive feedback is something like nourishment and encouragement.
Then you hear something bad.
Someone doesn't understand and they say something that you want to refute. You want to explain it, and go 'No, no, no! That's not it. Here's why I did that!' The problem with that is, how do you do that without sounding pompous or arrogant? Without sounding like a child, stomping their foot after someone tells them 'no'. How do you do it without it feeling like you're just insulted and emotional? (Especially when usually, you are).
The fear of criticism, I believe, is one of the main reasons that a lot of people don't share their creations. It's terrible, and it's sad that it has to come down to that. Who is one person to tell you that what you've done isn't valid or worthy? But it happens, and it sucks. It hits that place in your heart, and it makes you question your talent. If makes you question whether or not you even have talent.
It makes you take a step back, put your hands on your hips, take a deep breath, and ask yourself what in the hell you're doing in the first place.
Am I going to stop creating art or music or bookshelves? No. Probably not. But it makes you think twice about sharing it, doesn't it?
And you think that the more you make the more you might get used to the critics that seem to appear everywhere.
But you don't....or at least I haven't
I could go off on ridiculous tangents about this, but in the interest of brevity: The circumstances of "the Criticism" are really important. Sometimes you are actually able to have some sort of dialogue around the work that feels like an exchange and lets you explain your position and also stay professional (well sometimes).
This virtual art space is much, much different, where things are anonymous, but often much more personal and also vaguely permanent.
Screw the critics (especially the ones that care more about being witty than actually commenting on the work) and keep building those bookshelves...