I can't let that go unchallenged. I really like the look of Skip's flutes, and bought one you specifically said was ugly:I don't dislike it... I think some of Skip Healy's flutes are much uglier.
But why?Julia Delaney wrote:I thought that the comment some of Skip Healy's flutes are much uglier was neither kind nor necessary.
Not entirely true. Criticism is as acceptable as plaudits are (Pepsi Rule, again), but the principle is that it be done constructively. This means being coolheaded and backing up your viewpoint with observation and preferably personal experience. In positing a flute's unattractiveness, then lay out why it strikes one so. In the case of the OP, pictures suffice for personal experience, because through them we see it, and the seeing gives us plenty to point out.Julia Delaney wrote:I thought we had agreed not to criticize the work of a flute-maker on this site.
).I agree that we should keep reputations and livelihoods in mind as a way to help us differentiate between criticism and trashing. PMs and email certainly free things up, though. If we have to say something publicly, then we should consider whether fine-crafting what we say might be called for.Julia Delaney wrote:What we say off-hand can have a harmful, albeit unintended, effect on a maker's reputation and on his livelihood. If we do feel the need to criticize somebody's work then I think this should be shared via private emails.
Why not be direct? "It's ugly" is a beautiful statement. It tells me that the speaker doesn't like something, and why, and it does it in two words. It doesn't pretend to be a statement of fact, as it is, implicitly, an opinion.I would urge members to couch their observations in terms less likely to offend each other. It is not mincing words: "I don't like it" is the truth; "It is ugly" is subjective. I suggest that reasonble discourse inclines to the former.
There's a difference between opinions and unsubstantiated rumors. There was a thread recently where someone repeated a rumor that could have been truly damaging to someone else's reputation. I'd be glad to see admins delete posts like that. But I don't think flute makers, or professional players, or creators of tune books or tutorials have anything to fear from honest opinions. I responded to Othannen's comment about Skip Healy's flutes because I disagreed, and because I wanted to make it clear that his (hers?) wasn't an opinion universally held.I thought we had agreed not to criticize the work of a flute-maker on this site. What we say off-hand can have a harmful, albeit unintended, effect on a maker's reputation and on his livelihood. If we do feel the need to criticize somebody's work then I think this should be shared via private emails.
Fair enough, if you are prepared to be flamed for it. Much of this depends on the details and who's listening, of course. I still say that if you want to call something ugly, then do so, but be prepared to back it up, because contrary to your assertion, "It's ugly" does not say why; it is, as you say (and as I did before), only an opinion (and in the form of a title page, if you will). I do have a question, though: must I then assume that you are suggesting that my example above is only a pretension to fact?tsackett wrote:Why not be direct? "It's ugly" is a beautiful statement. It tells me that the speaker doesn't like something, and why, and it does it in two words. It doesn't pretend to be a statement of fact, as it is, implicitly, an opinion.I would urge members to couch their observations in terms less likely to offend each other. It is not mincing words: "I don't like it" is the truth; "It is ugly" is subjective. I suggest that reasonble discourse inclines to the former.
) that personal comments on the look of a flute should not affect the reputation of a maker, because anyone can look at pictures and make up his own mind. It's not that easy when talking about a flute's playing characteristics, because we can't always try a flute and because there's the individual ability to play the thing involved. I agree that those two simple words can make all the difference.Othannen wrote:I'm always (or most times) very careful in remembering to use "I think" when I give an opinion.
I had no idea Paul Brady came as an emoticon!Cathy Wilde wrote:
Groooooovy, baby!
I think ...Nanohedron wrote:I agree that those two simple words can make all the difference.Othannen wrote:I'm always (or most times) very careful in remembering to use "I think" when I give an opinion.
