tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766731566498222297.post1893909844028431142..comments2023-06-01T13:32:12.070+01:00Comments on Like kicking Bambi...: On constructive criticism...Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11781877210427643305noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3766731566498222297.post-8492373497406104952012-04-06T19:22:13.100+01:002012-04-06T19:22:13.100+01:00Ah criticism. I would like to go with the old adag...Ah criticism. I would like to go with the old adage that 'with experience, all things become easier' when it comes to painful feedback sessions, unfortunately this is probably misleading. Just as one does not find getting slapped with a fish round the face any less painful or more easy each time they experience it, I think even after lots of 'constructive' feedback, the only thing that really changes/ eases is that you receive less of it because the person critiquing your work might be running out of things to say. Or the person hitting you is getting tired of having the smell of out of date carp stinging their nostrils. Truth is nobody can completely dissociate criticism of their work/ actions from a criticism of themselves, particularly when it comes to writing things of personal significance, ones inner most thoughts and feelings. It's not feeble to admit this as a shortcoming, it's brave, most people feel the same way, but don't have the courage to admit it, and as a result never take the criticisms they receive to heart.<br /><br />At the end of the day you will just have to trust that if someone, who's opinion you truly care about, does listen to/ read/ judge your work, they will measure any criticism that they think needs to be made (no matter how constructive), with compliments that also ought to be said, to help build up your confidence whilst still being honest. As with most things in life, things that seem nauseatingly frightening, are actually not so bad once you've done them. Like driving a car, or visiting Newcastle, or watching the only way is Essex... ok i lied about that last one- it's always nauseating.<br /><br />As for the notoriously prickly subject of essay marking, We've all been there! I once handed in 2 essays, spent 2 days on one, 2 weeks on the other. One got a 79, the other a 58. Guess which one was which? It's infuriating, it's bewildering, hell it's downright maddening, and all the worse when you know the person marking you has a point. Just don't take it as a judgement against yourself though, you may feel like you tried your hardest, but sometimes it's just luck of the draw, the markers generosity/ lack thereof, the markers personal views on essay structure and word-counts, the topic of your work, all have a bearing on the mark you get. These are things that you can't do much about. You just have to take what they say into account about what you can do, and keep on going. Just have confidence in the fact you are good at what you do and are getting better. Of course I say all that, but I'm pretty sure my response to that situation involved a bottle of whisky, some drinking games, several bars, some very embarrassing dancing and COPIOUS amounts of vomiting. Well anyway, if it is feeble to respond like that to things, at least know you're not the only one!<br /><br />By the way, I enjoyed the quote.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com