Richard

I am a sixth year student at the University of Georgia (That’s right, sixth!). I am only a couple of credit hours away from completing my graduate degree in journalism. I like to read, write, and give my opinion, which are all crucial facets to blogging and critical writing. I am a native Georgian, hailing from Macon, where I lived my entire life before leaving for college. Eventually I hope to find a journalism position that will pay me a lot of money to do very little (just kidding). I actually want to cover either politics or sports for a major news publication. Hopefully I am not too far away from this goal.

Read my Critic's Manifesto under "Read more!"

I believe the role of the critic is that of an informant to the public. The critic evaluates whether the general public should share in the same experience that the critic did. The critic does not tell the public what they must see, listen to, read, or eat, but the critic does give the public an idea of how they would recommend spending available time and resources. Whether members of the public heed the advice provided by the critic is ultimately up to them.

It is not the critic’s job to always be nice, but it is the critic’s job to always be fair. A good critic has to understand that life has enormous shades of gray and little black or white. Most productions, books, or restaurants are not always exceptional or not always terrible. Typically, they are ordinary, and their strengths and weaknesses should be reflected in the critical column. Occasionally, however, they are extraordinary, and if the critic wants the public to understand completely when such a situation has occurred, he or she must not resort to unnecessary hyperbole in ordinary situations.

Lastly, the critic must constantly be aware of the consequences of his or her actions. Some artists’ careers ride on what the critic has to say. Works should always be evaluated on the basis of the work itself, and not based upon previous negative experiences that the critic may have had with the artist. Critics should constantly be mindful of the positive role that their profession plays in the community, but just as equally be mindful of the dangerous results that could occur from a critic doing his or her job carelessly.