EA: All Your Mesh Are Belong To Us

[Phelim]

Most of the replies were along the lines of "if you dont like my work, dont read it!!!!" or "theres nothign worng w/my spellllling, my english is graet, fukc offff, hater!!!!" or from the more literate ones, "Why don't you write something yourself if you think you're so good???!!!!!".

I like those responses because they're so delightfully expected.  It usually means you've hit the nail on the head.  And besides, a lot of people can respond back and say, "I have presented my [items|stories|drawings] in a public showcase, and I've even been flamed, too.  Nyah!"

You know I think that the poster that said that too many people's identities are wrapped up in their creations is on to something.  Whether it is a game creation, or a drawing, or a story I think people do feel that that is a piece of them out there on the net for all to see and when someone says something critical about it, they feel attacked.

Their identities are, and I think it's a mistake for most people to bother at first.  If a person is that insecure they should be looking to their English teacher (or whatever language) first, to see just how frequently they get corrected, before they ever think of posting in a public forum.

Of course, it is true that in some countries (America seems to be popular) you only need to pretend to make an effort in order to get by, so maybe that idea doesn't work so well.

Still, if you're going to post anything in public, expect that not everyone will love you, your ideas, or your execution (whether that be the idea itself, or the method used to convey it).

I write stories and bad poetry ... but I know that my end results aren't all that great.

I always wished that others would have done the same for me.. because an honest evaluation of my work would only have improved the final outcome.

I write both.  I also have up graphics work from way back when (and those I usually preface with: This was an experiement, and I pretty much think it sucks when I look at it).

I'm happy when someone comes along and says, "I'm liking this so far, but you've got a huge, massive, gaping hole in your logic over here, and you really need to take care of that before you get too far along."  I'm happy when they say, "Christ, man, you spelled Weasley wrong!"

I'm even happy with someone saying, "Uh, I like your writing style, but honestly?  The story concept is seriously squicking me out, so I'll just wander off now and never come back."

(And I've gotten all of those at one point or another.)

If I were to post Sims2 stuff (and I haven't, I just make things for my own needs for the game, usually clothing--I mean, really, does anyone need a SUSE tank-top?), I would expect someone out there, or multiple someones, to eventually say, "Dude, this sucks!  I hate your colour choices, I think the style is horrible, and I wouldn't dress my dead grandmother in it!"

[Aquamarine]

Well, if they are American they get it from being raised and schooled that way.  Precious can never do wrong and we'll just pass you along.  

Y'know, when I first read this, I was tempted to ask you from where in your ass did you extract it. However, when I gave it some thought, I realized that it's true. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." is applied to even something as innocent as constructive criticism, a word teachers love to throw around, but I don't think the average person in the US knows what to do with that considering people explode all over you for saying anything even remotely negative.

Of course, people who can't take criticism well are everywhere, but the US has created conditions that allow for even more to exist. So, good call on that. I hadn't even considered it before today.

[avic]

'Tis true.  Also disturbing, IMO, is the current trend of people to not be able to divorce themselves from a topic.  I can't disagree with you without somehow invalidating you, or so the current school of thought goes.  Hand in hand with that is that you must meet anyone who disagrees with you with personal attacks, AND if someone says something that is truly constructive criticism, they're picking on you, or acting as though they're better than you, etc. etc.  It really is a sad state of affairs.

[coliss]

"Why don't you write something yourself if you think you're so good???!!!!!"

Oh, I HATE that one. Some newbies get easily offended. :roll: Hopefully, they'll all learn and actually listen. I'm not saying that all criticisms are good, but they sure can help one to improve.

[yamikuronue]

I've got this steaming pile of shit I call fanfiction at ff.net, stuff I've been writing since I was a freshman in high school, and I've learned a lot since then-- but I feel embarrassed by the shit up there, but then, I don't want to take it down, so I've moved to a new penname for the little I write now that's worth posting.

However.

I'm suprised when  get review alerts on stories that are 2-3 years old saying how good they are.

I wrote a story back then by putting Inuyasha in the sims 1. Feel free to insult it, it's horrible, barely even a story, though I tried to fix it later on by sort of rebooting it. I got a review of it last week saying how wonderful it was, and did I know I could get a maid in that game?  :shock:

Most of the reviews were begging me for the Inu and Kagome skins I had-- nevermind the lack of pictures! Talk about a pig in a poke!

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1071328/1/  <-- the dog turd I wrote back then, I'm so ashamed.

[Ensign EO]

Most of the replies were along the lines of "if you dont like my work, dont read it!!!!" or "theres nothign worng w/my spellllling, my english is graet, fukc offff, hater!!!!" or from the more literate ones, "Why don't you write something yourself if you think you're so good???!!!!!".

I remember one thread on S2C in the stories section--the girl's spelling was really terrible and I left a comment about how she should use Spell Check/get a beta reader, and she just flipped the hell out, screaming something about how she doesn't go to school and has to teach herself...  :roll:

I have a couple of things left on FF.net too, but err...  You can't see it.  It's terrible and I have poor self-esteem.  :wink:

[Pescado]

"Why don't you write something yourself if you think you're so good???!!!!!"

People have said that to me in the past, and sometimes I become irritated enough with the state of things to actually do it. In the process, I steal their cheerios and pee on their thunder.

[Aquamarine]

'Tis true.  Also disturbing, IMO, is the current trend of people to not be able to divorce themselves from a topic.  I can't disagree with you without somehow invalidating you, or so the current school of thought goes.  Hand in hand with that is that you must meet anyone who disagrees with you with personal attacks, AND if someone says something that is truly constructive criticism, they're picking on you, or acting as though they're better than you, etc. etc.  It really is a sad state of affairs.

On a questionably similar note...

Part of the reason why people like HShambala or whatever annoy me is because they spend a lot of energy trying to disguise what they're really saying or thinking in a shroud of psuedo-logic to avoid having to deal with a truly rational argument. This is a difficult situation, because it's gotten to the point of fanaticism(constant Ayn Rand spewing is a pretty good indicator of this). I can argue the overall point of paysites vs free content vs Mars or whatever, but in this particular case, she's essentially making you debate the entire situation in the context of a book because this is allegedly where she feels comfortable. And I STILL say she missed the point of the book in the sense that she's applying those concepts vastly out of context. However, I refuse to touch that shit with a ten foot bargepole because it'd be an utter waste of my time.

Why? This is an example of a person practically welded to an idea, and she knows it, because she's done it intentionally. Because, by default, when you attack the idea, you attack her "integrity" and everything she claims to stand for, therefore, she can operate from a position where she refers to everyone who disagrees with her as "monkeys" and continue to rant via a vicarious set of principles that validate her behavior. Except, they really don't. And also fail to take into account that the internet doesn't function on the level she claims to. Whoopsie.

[/bitchfest] -_-

That said, I should also give you all the link to my old fanfiction so you can ruthlessly mock it. Believe me, it blows.

Edit: removed some ambiguous wording there.

[jesserocket]

I just find it offensive that you have titled this 'debating with monkeys', assumed that no-one who disagrees with you has bothered reading, and that we're in some way idiotic and illiterate. Integrity is one thing, it's important, of course, but integrity has to be balanced with perspective and insight, otherwise it just becomes bull-headedness.

...is what I said to her about her integrity.

[yamikuronue]

wait, who? where? link!

[Solowren]

I just find it offensive that you have titled this 'debating with monkeys', assumed that no-one who disagrees with you has bothered reading, and that we're in some way idiotic and illiterate. Integrity is one thing, it's important, of course, but integrity has to be balanced with perspective and insight, otherwise it just becomes bull-headedness.

...is what I said to her about her integrity.

I read it; it was beautiful.

Brings a tear to me pirate eye! >:B

[Phelim]

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1071328/1/  <-- the dog turd I wrote back then, I'm so ashamed.

I confess, I looked, then ran away before I could be tempted to check out the one with Harry Potter in it.

Part of the reason why people like HShambala or whatever annoy me is because they spend a lot of energy trying to disguise what they're really saying or thinking in a shroud of psuedo-logic to avoid having to deal with a truly rational argument.

But isn't that the usual tactic for those without an argument?  Attempt to hopelessly confuse the opposition and induce a migraine?  Well, aside from being pigheadedly stubborn.

[yamikuronue]

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1071328/1/  <-- the dog turd I wrote back then, I'm so ashamed.

I confess, I looked, then ran away before I could be tempted to check out the one with Harry Potter in it.

harry potter, wha--

OH! hehe... that was a REALLY bad fic I did making fun of harry potter. I swear, you'd think I was on crack back then.... *eyes her old HS friends suspiciously*

[Aquamarine]

Part of the reason why people like HShambala or whatever annoy me is because they spend a lot of energy trying to disguise what they're really saying or thinking in a shroud of psuedo-logic to avoid having to deal with a truly rational argument.

But isn't that the usual tactic for those without an argument?  Attempt to hopelessly confuse the opposition and induce a migraine?  Well, aside from being pigheadedly stubborn.

Yeah, I had a brief internal debate over whether or not that was necessary in that post because it SHOULD be obvious information, but for some people it might not be, so there you have it.