No, criticism isn't "stuff that's bad" in a category with global horrors. That's incoherent, so I don't really even know what to say.
There are a couple of ways that Paolini's work is causing harm. It got into the publishing industry through a back door, and it was substandard all the way up to the ultimate volume, and yet teenage writers who read it think this is how low the standard is that they must live up to. Beyond that? No, it's not "hurting" anyone. Do things we disagree with have to "hurt" people in the physical sense? Again with the "it's not a big problem, so it's not worth discussion" b.s.
Criticism doesn't equal potshots. My criticism of his work is also not criticism of him as a person. It's important that you learn the difference. (I also suggest learning how to use "than." And all the other homophones you consistently misuse. But that's petty of me if you're not out to sound learned and respectable in your communications.)
No, I'm not saying I'm more successful than Paolini. But yes, "not that it counts for anything." My point in saying this is that you don't know who I am. You don't know what my name is or what my situation is. I'm hardly a household name, but I do have magazine interviews, radio interviews, an appearance in a film, and published writings under my belt.
I've never once gone to any Paolini-specific site to bash him, and have never initiated contact with his fans in order to discuss his work. Obviously we are individuals, and I'm sure not every one of us behaves in an exemplary fashion, but your bit about how "we started it" is news to me. I'm not aware of any members of this LiveJournal group deliberately "bashing" Paolini, though I wouldn't be surprised if some of them want to discuss his work with fans.
With the bingo card, I am indeed painting fans as ignorant. If they use these arguments, they are. There isn't anything wrong (or "elitist") about saying that they are using terrible arguments to suggest that we aren't justified in criticizing Paolini. You've used about a third of them yourself in this very discussion. To the point that I'm still unsure whether you're a troll. If you're not, do you really want to sound like one?
There are a couple of ways that Paolini's work is causing harm. It got into the publishing industry through a back door, and it was substandard all the way up to the ultimate volume, and yet teenage writers who read it think this is how low the standard is that they must live up to. Beyond that? No, it's not "hurting" anyone. Do things we disagree with have to "hurt" people in the physical sense? Again with the "it's not a big problem, so it's not worth discussion" b.s.
Criticism doesn't equal potshots. My criticism of his work is also not criticism of him as a person. It's important that you learn the difference. (I also suggest learning how to use "than." And all the other homophones you consistently misuse. But that's petty of me if you're not out to sound learned and respectable in your communications.)
No, I'm not saying I'm more successful than Paolini. But yes, "not that it counts for anything." My point in saying this is that you don't know who I am. You don't know what my name is or what my situation is. I'm hardly a household name, but I do have magazine interviews, radio interviews, an appearance in a film, and published writings under my belt.
I've never once gone to any Paolini-specific site to bash him, and have never initiated contact with his fans in order to discuss his work. Obviously we are individuals, and I'm sure not every one of us behaves in an exemplary fashion, but your bit about how "we started it" is news to me. I'm not aware of any members of this LiveJournal group deliberately "bashing" Paolini, though I wouldn't be surprised if some of them want to discuss his work with fans.
With the bingo card, I am indeed painting fans as ignorant. If they use these arguments, they are. There isn't anything wrong (or "elitist") about saying that they are using terrible arguments to suggest that we aren't justified in criticizing Paolini. You've used about a third of them yourself in this very discussion. To the point that I'm still unsure whether you're a troll. If you're not, do you really want to sound like one?
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