Does Being Critical Make One An Expert, or Simply Jealous?

My question with this entry is if being critical of creative things shows expertise or a kind of jealousy in a way. For myself I seem to be uncritical of anything. If I don’t like a song, I skip it. If I’m in a museum and don’t like an art piece I move onto another one. If I don’t like a book, I don’t finish it. With skating if I see someone with a style I don’t like, I clap anyway when the skater lands a trick. Some people though take what it seems like a personal assault on something they don’t think is up to par.

Is it because they know and expect a certain standard? My first example I was on a art gallery tour with an emerging artist. With each painting people asked what she thought of it. With each one she found a flaw but gave reasons why it was flawed. She does amazing artwork herself, so I kind of wondered if you know too much about art you can no longer enjoy it.

With musicians I found people who can play themselves are critical. Recently on a friend’s social media an emerging musician dissed Taylor Swift as having the money and time to produce 11 albums in a decade or so. It might be weird territory for me, a middle-aged man, to defend Taylor Swift, but there are so many one hit wonders who are given a chance but fall into obscurity. So, in my opinion musicians like Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and others should be respected for their longevity and effect on popular culture.

With books people are hyper critical, but I don’t quite understand why. A reader’s take on a book is subjective, and if someone doesn’t like one, I simply suggest go to another book. I keep reading for the thrill of when I get one that changes my perspective and life. That doesn’t happen most of the time. But I don’t hate any authors of the books I don’t finish. Okay I’ve never read a James Patterson book, but many people like to read his books as entertainment.

I saw a play recently and I enjoyed it. The people I went with though were disappointed that they could not hear some of the words from the actors. That was true but it did not disturb my overall experience, I was glad to see it.

With skating, I know it’s hard to do, so I don’t judge anyone I meet skating. But there are people critical of pros, and trash talk them. Skating and any creative pursuit at a professional level is so time consuming and all-encompassing to the athlete’s/artist’s life I think they all deserve more respect.

I do have things I don’t like. I will live longer if I never hear Tom Waits, or Garrison Keillor’s voice again, but I do respect their impact on millions of listeners. This is different though because their voices irritate me. It has nothing to do with the quality of the content.

Now to answer my own question. Expertise could ruin enjoyment of the arts, but it doesn’t have to.  If one takes the mindset that everything is hard, and the people that who get published, a music contract, skate sponsorship, or anything else have merit. Most successful people have at least a decade of practice behind them before their success. If you read Outliers the 10,000 hours of practice is within a short timeframe in the right place, and at the right age. If you hear about success stories try to understand what they did to get there instead of comparing it to your own work, or circumstances. Being hyper critical of everything is probably not the best way to live.