h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If your skin is thin enough, any criticism -- even if it's constructive -- may be hard to take. Here are some tips from people who have used it to their advantage.

If you can't sing, write a song about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfjxXiIO3RQ

Take it as a compliment if the Museum of Bad Art says that your painting isn't bad enough for their collections.

Use self-deprecating humor. This has worked for me, in fact. My friends used to call me Mr. Magoo because I'm so nearsighted that I sometimes walk into things. Woody Allen has said, "In the event of war, I'm a hostage.

At the premier of "Arms and the Man," a heckler called it "a load of rubbish." Unfazed, George Bernard Shaw said, “My dear fellow, I quite agree with you… but who are we two against so many?”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/9113571/When-catcalls-greet-the-casts-curtain-call.html

Pack the hall with a friendly audience
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4136084/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Cry all the way to the bank. if you do it right, you can do it three times:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063462/?ref_=fn_al_tt_5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Producers_(musical)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395251/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4

There are undoubtedly more ways of making criticism less traumatic. If other researchers can think of some, maybe this could be an edited guide entry, unless it already is and I haven't noticed.

Another option is covered by entry A31914885
"Artists should pay little attention to their critics. Criticism tends to undermine and constrain the artist’s creativity"

I have mixed feelings about that approach, because some artists actively *want* to annoy their critics. If they won't read their reviews, how can they tell if they're meeting these criteria? For instance, there was an artist who became annoyed by a professor who told his class that an artist should never use prosaic things form everyday life as subjects for their art. The artist proceeded to deliberately do paintings in which their subjects watered their lawns, washed dishes, and wore casual clothes.

I love it. It reminds me of an artist I found on the web who's very impressive:

http://neilhollingsworth.blogspot.com/2011/05/white-bread.html

Now *that's* art.

I've just come back from practicing the organ - I have to travel to do it, since buildings aren't portable. And it reminded me of a late friend of mine, who was an organist and had quite a sense of humour.

When the elderly ladies at the church complained that his playing was 'too loud', he responded the next week with an all-stops-out, blast-em-in-the aisles prelude based on 'A Mighty Fortress'. After the triumphant final chord, he turned to me (behind him, tenor section) and whispered loudly, 'Any questions?'

Back when I was in High School, my girlfriend and I went to a small historical museum in the basement of the courthouse (yes, I was history geek even back then)

In one room they had about a half dozen or so old pump organs. We sat down on one of the benches and started to play around, as teenagers do. I knew just enough to figure out the notes from the arrangement of the black keys. We started to work out the notes for Do Re Mi (Doe a deer...)

We were making good progress when the doceint walked in - I was sure we were going get kicked out and banned for life! Instead she said 'It is good to see young adults enjoying our organs, they are mostly used by the little children'. She then added 'There is one in the corner that is not working. could you look at it for me?'

After playing with it for several minutes we realized that someone had pushed in all the stops! I don't think either one of knew what a 'stop' was at the time, but it was like 'why is thing not like the others?' After adjusting a half dozen or so stops and finding out what they did it was playing fine.

When the woman came back into the room she thanked us for 'fixing' her organ

F S

story!

re post 3:

Finest art since the invention of sliced bread

And I'm looking very much forward to seeing Florence, paulh

Hearing her not so much

Rarely has so much talent been lavished on portraying someone of so little talent.

I am sure you are completely right about that!