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Constructive Criticism/ Criticism and It's Role in the PMC Community

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thaN04Htank's Avatar thaN04Htank
Level 4 : Apprentice Network
6
   As some of you know me, I am thaN04Htank, and you can already guess what I am talking about. The lack of constructive criticism and criticism is what made this community so soft. Everyone either gets upset or creates an uneeded arguement with the one who criticized. So this blog's purpose is to make one thing clear. Criticism and constructive criticism are both allowed and helpful. Many users fail to realize this. Let's get started.

   Communication, it's what we do on this wonderful site. Even though communication happens every day on here, users STILL fail to understand how it works. Allow me to paint a picture.

Sender > Message > Reciever > Feedback

This is how communication works, either intrapersonal or interpersonal, in this case with a mass group. I will walk through this picture with you readers. Sender= The original poster of content on this website. Message= The content. Reciever= The readers/viewers. Feedback= The comments. This is how it works on this site, but it's when the Sender does not like what the Reciever has given in terms of Feedback is when crap hits the fan. The Sender hates the "You're terrible" "Get off the site" "Stop whining loser" "You're such a nerd". The sender hates.. lesser things. Critisism. "Consructive critisism". The sender sees this as an attack if it isn't sugar coated to the point of no return, at least in most cases. It's Feedback, you can't be mad at them for using the comment section. If you post ANYTHING on a site such as this, you should EXPECT Feedback, regardless if it's "mean" or "hurtful". I've recently seen a user doing what I am discussing now. He gets a ton of replies, just because he points out the bad things in blogs so that the writer doesn't repeat the mistake. I know what some of you smart people might be thinking, "But the commenter cant get mad because he gets Feedback as well!" You're right, he can't get mad, yet 9 times out of 10 the commenter isn't mad, they just reply to the original poster. 

   Moving on with the Feedback... Like i've stated before it's Feedback. Be glad you got it. Unlike the Skindex where no one comments. Users are free to express their opinion, without using profanity and breaking the site rules. So, again, it's illogical to get mad at the Reciever of your Message. I commented on a recent blog about "think before you act/speak" and the entire blog consisted of questions about "how will this benefit you?" and "Why am I doing this?". I took every single question and answered them to were I would still be able to "act/speak" the way I wanted to, when the blogs purpose was to not engourage that. Feel free to check it out at > http://www.planetminecraft.com/blog/just-think-for-a-second-before-you-actspeak/
I
 even ended up with the original poster agreeing with me, and they also told me to write this blog. However some people still have a problem with me. You know who you are. Many Senders tell me "one day you'll understand when you finally post something". Here's that post and I will accept any and all feedback from you users. It doesn't matter if a user posts anything, they can still have an opinion.


   Now to constructive criticism and criticism. This creates such a problem for many soft posters. They get upset very, very easliy about the concept. Mainly due to the fact that they don't understand the many ways both can be used to help others grow as a person. I understand the dictionary definitions of both are different, but they can STILL be used to build the characters of others. Constructive criticism is yes when you give suggestions on how to make the content better, such as "Try using ladders for decoration more often on your builds". That is a good example of constructive criticism, another one yet a bit more harsh would be, "All of your posts are absolute trash, use your brain for once and try to be creative instead of failing to recreate real life structures." It's different, yet the same thing. It's still contructive criticism, but if I were to take a poll on how many people would rather take the advice from the first example rather than the second, i'm sure everyone would vote for the first. Just because it's "nicer" and less "hurtful", does not mean you should just listen to that person and then go off on the second. Take advice from both, because the more you do, you'll recieve less of the "mean" comments, and more "uplifting" ones.

   Criticism.... good God. This is a topic nearly every soft poster refers to your comment by when they reply to stricking up an arguement. They will refuse to believe you comment is useful, and say that you're wrong. The comment section is for Feedback, which typically is just opinions, and it's really difficult to succesfully express your opinion when all the Sender does is insist on giving you theirs and saying yours is completely wrong in every way. "I just wanted to help get better-" "Well you're wrong, I belive my content is good, so it's good. There is no need for your rude comments here." That about sums it up for you users reading this. I digress, criticism can still be used however. Here's an example, "You're post truly sucks" That is criticism, am I wrong? The comment is still useful, the original Sender just needs to think about it for a second. "Hmm, this fellow believes my post is bad, perhaps I should post better content by changing my topic, or just go back to my original way of shading skins." In that example the Sender takes the comment into consideration, and will try something different in his next post. This is what every user who posts regularly should think about when given criticism. Not argue with the user. 

   Many of you are thinking "Wow, this was just a huge, drawn out insult to us users who have feelings, and care about our content!" No, it's not an insult, or atleast it shouldn't be. What I am saying is that the comment section is there for a reason, and you can't get mad about someone using it correctly. And by correctly I mean by giving Feedback to Sender about the Message. If you care about your builds so much, don't cry over the fact someone hated the post, but take it as "They are making me a better user, even though the comment was a bit harsh". 

   The PMC community has grown too soft due to the lack of these two concepts, and I think it's high time that the community isn't worried about hurting other's feelings when you state your opinion on their content. (If you live in America, you know very well that everyone is offended by something. i.e Christmas Tree --> Holiday Tree) 

I will accept all feedback to this content. Thank you all for reading this post and I hope my message gets across to all of you. Good day.

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CreditRapidFox (The only other user I've seen criticize)
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1
07/10/2014 12:32 pm
Level 14 : Journeyman Cake
tommarkc
tommarkc's Avatar
I guess you trully don't have problems with writting essays, you can make a blog from a thing I can write only a short paragraph  (meant in a good way) :P But it isn't the point, anyway.
Some people who don't accept constructive critics just need to grow up. By myself I give A LOT on every comment I get, in a way to improve myself. But on other side, I time to time see users who simply comment to hate (just found one of them on a forum 5 mins ago... from a expert user... not a comment to my build).
My point of view is, we post our creations here to show them to others and get inspiration/ motive/ feedback for improvement. So whoever don't accept useful tips just need to grow up. I think I comment quite a lot, and I always point to good and bad things (for a blogs it's harder).
1
06/30/2014 10:30 am
Level 4 : Apprentice Sus
90813498148
90813498148's Avatar
good point of view. some people hate when other users doesnt think their work is "epic". and their ego takes over to defend themselfs in a web of lies and hate.
1
06/30/2014 11:33 am
Level 4 : Apprentice Network
thaN04Htank
thaN04Htank's Avatar
I get that they get defencive over their content, but they don't understand that it's only there to help them, not insult them.
1
06/30/2014 9:04 am
Level 16 : Journeyman Dragon
Blu3_lightning
Blu3_lightning's Avatar
THIS BLOG SUCKS BECAUSE OF A WHOLE LOT OF REASONS I CANT SUPPORT WITH LOGICAL ARGUMENT BECAUSE A) THERE ARE NONE AND B) I DIDN"T READ IT.
#Itsajoke
1
06/30/2014 2:17 am
Level 39 : Artisan Dolphin
Mining Down Under
Mining Down Under's Avatar
Honestly this community is childish and very immature. I've commented on a few peoples posts and they blow up over nothing but a little comment lol.

This is the main reason why I quit this Community, Can't wait to see the Negative replies I get xD
1
06/30/2014 11:30 am
Level 4 : Apprentice Network
thaN04Htank
thaN04Htank's Avatar
We view the community the same way, yet I don't want to quit on it, I only wish to make it better.
1
06/30/2014 7:49 pm
Level 9 : Apprentice Dragonborn
foeLe
foeLe's Avatar
Unfortunately, with the amount of stubborn boneheads in the community, that's not quite possible to do, and likely won't be for a while. That's the problem when you make a fan site based on a game with a community of children and few adults. It's not always the children being that way, though.
1
06/30/2014 8:47 pm
Level 39 : Artisan Dolphin
Mining Down Under
Mining Down Under's Avatar
I agree with ETminecraft. It's hard to fix something, Which is pretty much run by kids.

I've got a lot of hate saying "Mojang is that good as a gaming place"

Too many people start wars over 1 word xD
1
06/29/2014 7:47 pm
Level 48 : Master Spider Rider
Mayanaisee
Mayanaisee's Avatar
Thanks for writing this blog. You have a very valid point here. But see, I never thought any of what you thought is wrong. I believed it was all a matter of opinions. When did I ever say that you were wrong? If anything, I agreed with you. I don't think this is a huge, drawn out insult to me at all. I just think that it's all your opinion, like how my blog was strictly my opinion. I'm not saying your blog is "wrong" and mine is "right". Because we both have opinions, right? 

But, you can't get mad at someone who doesn't appreciate the way you put something. Not the whole world is going to toughen up. Changing the way you tell someone something isn't bad. You can't change someone's sensitivity. Criticizing them even more doesn't do much if the'yre sensitive. And quite a few people on this site are sensitive. People don't want to hear what's bad. And I know you want to change that. But not everyone is going to say "Okay, thank you for telling me everything what's bad, now I'll make my post better! La la la!" It's not that easy to take the criticsm. Maybe for you it is, but that's you. Other people, such as myself, find it hard to take the criticism. Since, they know it won't take them anywhere, they ignore it. Not because I think every thing about my post is perfect, but because I know that I can't handle criticism easily. And maybe I won't change that. Sensitive people most likely won't change either. And that is the beauty of being different. You can't get mad at someone for being more sensitive than you. Rephrasing your thoughts so people appreciate them can also help you as well. It teaches you to adjust to the other person's character. And there is no problem with that. 

What bothers me as well is that I feel that you are stating that being sensitive is "wrong" and being insensitive is "right." I feel that RapidFox states this as well. I have to strongly disagree with that thought. No matter how much you yell at them and criticize them, people will be sensitive. And how is that wrong? See, maybe they didn't respond how you wanted them to, but that doesn't give you the right to think they're wrong. Except on a test, the words "right" and "wrong" are opinion. I hope you know that. There is nothing "wrong" with being sensitive. There is nothing "wrong" with being different. And if you can't handle that, then you might as well not say anything at all. Expect responses besides "I'll totally take your criticism!".

If you didn't want to read this whole thing, what I'm trying to say is that not everyone will toughen up to criticism, some of it has to come from you as well. And that there is nothing wrong with that.

What's wrong with the PMC community being "too soft"? Is there any problem with that? If someone doesn't take your criticism, so be it. That is my feedback, go ahead and tell me everything that's "wrong" about it. Thank you for posting this.
1
06/29/2014 8:29 pm
Level 4 : Apprentice Network
thaN04Htank
thaN04Htank's Avatar
You have a very good point here, but allow me to point out a few things. You are not wrong. People will ignore criticism. I do not expect EVERYONE to take my criticism. However, the fact that the community has grown soft is not an opinion. It's bright as day. It sticks out. I was recently banned from the chat for an hour because I was simply trying to tell a user that not everyone will like his content. Once I started to explain this to him, the mods stepped in and began defending him. They thought I was "bashing" him. I wasn't arguing with the user at all either. That just goes to show that the mods have grown soft as well and stopped me before "I hurt the users feelings". You're also right, there is nothing wrong with being different. I would consider myself different as there are not many people with the same perspective on here. I have just recently become active on here because I noticed amount of people who were not being as straight foward with their opinions. It stuck out to me. There is a BIG problem with people being soft. Especialy when there is a large number of them. If you saw my example about the Christmas tree, you'd understand why this is a bad thing. 

It's fine if users block out criticism, but to those who listen to it and take it, they will become better. They will grow, and the ones who didn't listen will be left behind. This is why people need to criticize, no matter if people listen or not, because users will soon be posting better and better content.
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