Being an under-30 white male, my friends
constantly provide me with "constructive" criticism (that is, poking fun at me whenever the oppurtunity arises). Of course, being of equally sound mind, I toss it right back at them in equal amounts.
Criticism, in all forms, if often difficult to take. There's always the time when what they say cuts a little deep.
Serious constructive criticism can be even more painful. In the end, it does help you become a better you (or strengthens the fuck-you-I'll-be-who-I-am attitude in time), but there also has to come along with it support of who you are and what you're doing. A friend poking fun at your heavy drinking or chasing after young ladies might just cause you to watch your ass in the future. Likewise, a director (music director in my case) gives you the advice that he thinks will push your into a better performance.
In response to quadro:
Quote:
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There have been many rehearsals where I've known outright that I'm just stinking up the place. But no director has ever come up to me and said, "that was awful," or "you can't act." Instead, the director's job is to tell you what you need to do to better your performance, and that itself is a form of constructive criticism.
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Now, in my semi-professional music career, I've often heard a "What the hell was that? That sucks!" from a director (I've also had batons and music stands thrown at me, but that's another story. Passive-aggressive conductors and all that...). And you know what? Often times I know that it was warrented and expected it. Maybe I'm a little twisted, but that type of criticism actually hurts less that something like "Perhaps a little cleaner in section such-and-such" or the intolerable "Your solo chord progessions certainly were...interesting".
In the end, I think that the acceptance of criticism is completely based upon the person's view of himself and what he thinks he needs work on. If someone is offering criticism on something that we think we did perfectly well, it can result in hurt feelings, anger, or even despair. On the other hand, if we knew that we needed assistance or work, the criticism might lead us in the right direction. After all, nothing annoys me more than being praised glowingly when I
know that a performance sucked.
