02-08-2013, 02:01 PM
I can see the argument from both sides but I'm compelled to side with Gors on this one,
sugar coating the truth may make it easy to swallow but it also makes it easy to ignore, and I have seen this on so many forums via so many mediums, I've especially seen it in classrooms a whole lot,
1 thing that will always up the tension and drag toward hostilities its someone being willingly ignorant to the advice thats given to them, though this isn't always the case and it may seem offensive to expect that of people, it is mostly the case.
The more you sugar coat it the easier it is to consider the statement insignificant and sad as it is many people use it as an excuse to ignore such comments.
Now the only alternative is that everytime someone does something right you reward them, but praise as a reward doesn't get you far because you run into the same problem of sugar coating and rewarding in other ways requires time / resources that I'm fairly sure you would not like to spend on a complete stranger.
This isn't a complicated issue but its a common one, and it may be arrogant of me to say but fearing criticism is a terrible trait.
Any hope / shred of professionalism leaves with fearing criticism, though if your a hobbyist you may think "professional doesn't apply to me" but if you want to improve a clear goal is the skill level of professionals (quality capable of holding the respect and value of professional works is a very obvious goal, regardless if you want to go professional or just become a better hobbyist)
bottom line, take brutal honesty for its honesty not its brutality.
sugar coating the truth may make it easy to swallow but it also makes it easy to ignore, and I have seen this on so many forums via so many mediums, I've especially seen it in classrooms a whole lot,
1 thing that will always up the tension and drag toward hostilities its someone being willingly ignorant to the advice thats given to them, though this isn't always the case and it may seem offensive to expect that of people, it is mostly the case.
The more you sugar coat it the easier it is to consider the statement insignificant and sad as it is many people use it as an excuse to ignore such comments.
Now the only alternative is that everytime someone does something right you reward them, but praise as a reward doesn't get you far because you run into the same problem of sugar coating and rewarding in other ways requires time / resources that I'm fairly sure you would not like to spend on a complete stranger.
This isn't a complicated issue but its a common one, and it may be arrogant of me to say but fearing criticism is a terrible trait.
Any hope / shred of professionalism leaves with fearing criticism, though if your a hobbyist you may think "professional doesn't apply to me" but if you want to improve a clear goal is the skill level of professionals (quality capable of holding the respect and value of professional works is a very obvious goal, regardless if you want to go professional or just become a better hobbyist)
bottom line, take brutal honesty for its honesty not its brutality.