Self Criticism
Concerning the idea of self-criticism, the distinguished contemporary writer Joyce Carol Oats has said, “Self-criticism is an art not many are qualified to practice.” Although she is speaking of the literary field, her remarks bear relevance for all fields of the arts and crafts. In her book, “The Faith of a Writer,” wherein she devotes an entire chapter on this subject, she continues, “Self-criticism, like self-administered brain surgery, is perhaps not a good idea.”
All facetious irony aside, I believe there is some truth in Joyce Carol Oates’ quote above. First of all, how many know how to effectively engage in self-criticism? And do we know what it actually is in the first place? And lastly, can we handle it? She questions whether one can introspectively look into oneself with any objectivity, and if doing so at one point in time, one may also look upon an entire lifetime of creative endeavors, and sometimes with grave doubts. Oates goes on in the chapter to cite various famous literary geniuses being severely affected, paralyzed, obsessed with self-doubts, with perfection, and with the emotional “prison” of success—whereby each so-called masterpiece must be superseded by another masterpiece. Also, the misconception by artists of how their work is perceived by others, as opposed to what their work actually is in their own eyes.
Additionally, Oates says, “For some writers, the natural doubts of the self are amplified by critics’ negative assessments: if you want confirmation of your essential worthlessness, you can always find it, somewhere.” Notwithstanding, perhaps we can look at the idea of self-criticism and attempt to ascertain if there is anything positive in it with respect to the growth of the artist—without resorting to self-administered brain surgery (which is, as Oates suggests, perhaps a bad idea, indeed).
And I believe Oates’ question is valid: self-criticism must have a “ring” of self-objectivity, with which we can see with clarity our own limitations within our work. This is often quite difficult to do, and more often than not we don’t even take the time to question our personal decisions in the process of making, much less seek new answers. We are too busy, drawn deeply into executing the tasks of the moment rather than critically looking at the piece while being made. Or, we are “in love” with the idea of the piece, which then, as Wendell Castle asserts, “…disqualifies us in judging its beauty or value.” And only after time, emotion and space have separated us from the work are we able to look at it critically, that is, with “fresh eyes.” At that point, our limitations are sometimes clearly and painfully evident, eliciting the query from within: “Whatever was I thinking?” Then again, if one is incapable of criticizing oneself at all, this can lead to a false sense of confidence, avoidance of risk-taking and failures, while safely following well-established paths. But on the other hand, if one is too self-critical, this may be mentally or emotionally paralyzing, destroying the confidence or certainty necessary to embrace risk-taking, failure and less-than-perfect work, which I believe are essential elements for the paths for personal growth. In retrospect, a difficult path in any direction….
The phenomenon of criticism by others, however, is something that most artists are exposed to, usually involuntarily, when their work is publicly exhibited, for example. If positive, the effectiveness of this criticism toward one’s personal growth is, I believe, subjective at best. I suppose it looks good on one’s resume, and the positive stroking certainly does not hurt the ego. If negative, however, it can cause much self-doubt if the artist is sensitive to such remarks. In the extreme, it can lead to artistic paralysis, whereby the artist may abandon making art all together, by convincing himself/herself that he/she is no good at this endeavor. And, if a negative review can somehow be looked upon in a positive sense, it can lead to the artist asking serious questions about the aesthetics of his/her work, based upon the critic’s remarks. And, you can take the criticism too seriously, as Oats suggests: …if you want confirmation of your essential worthlessness, you can always find it, somewhere.
The foregoing brings up a question: why wait for a critical review of your work from someone else? What’s wrong with you taking an honest look at your own work? Could there not be something gained from criticizing your own work with respect to personal growth? The answers could be: “There’s no need to wait.” “There’s nothing wrong with taking a look at yourself.” And, “Yes, there is something to be gained from self-criticism.”
Just how this is actually done, however, is the basis for another commentary….
Suggestions welcomed!
J. Paul Fennell