If you ever want to say something that’ll make me grit my teeth/clench my jaw/bite my tongue, this one’s always effective when looking at someone else’s creative output: “I could do that.”
Maybe you could, and bully for you, but it’s so dismissive of the amount of energy, effort, and time an artist dedicates to what s/he does. You may see or hear or read a “work of art,” but the real work of art falls between the idea of it and its tangible end point. For example, most people who make the attempt seem surprised to find that being a writer–of novels, poems, essays, stories, blogs–requires an ongoing commitment to actually, you know, WRITING–not to mention finishing. I’m sure the same is true of composers and artists in all media–and it doesn’t even take into account the time, energy, and persistence required to sell one’s creations to a society of “I could do that”s.
Edited to clarify: I’m talking about saying “I could do that” not in a “I can create, too!” way, I mean in a condescending, “It’s nothing so great; I could do as good” way.
Sorry.
Did you say that? Trust me, it wasn’t you who provoked this. It was something I read online about an artist.
I have done. Usually it means I’m frustrated with myself for not getting on with writing myself and instead making excuses about work, college, spending time with Chris, etc.
I edited the original post. I was reacting to a commenter’s condescending “I could do that” after seeing abstract paintings by a promising new artist. I would say to that commenter: Then freaking do it. Invest your money in supplies, do the work, finish the work, find a way to get it to the public, negotiate pricing, help market it, listen to people snark about it, endure a lot of “Make any money at that?” and “Plan to ever get a real job?”, sell it, ship it, and do all that while trying to create more and probably holding another job that will put some food on the table and keep a roof over your head. And keep doing it, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, decade after decade. Or shut the hell up and don’t discourage others from appreciating it or writing checks for it.
Sing it, sister!
I would LOVE for somebody to treat what they do with as little respect and see how quickly they got pissed off when it was done to them. 😀
Well, said, Becky. Especially “I would say to that commenter: Then freaking do it. “
Amen!
You know what I do in that situation?
Leave no survivors.
Because you are Endora Joan.
Not at all the same thing, but it reminds me a lot of people saying I should write books, just because I read a lot. And of course reading and writing novels are two completely different things. And Mr. Boring of our boring friends is a classic example of the condescending ‘I could do as good without even trying’ type.
Does it make you grit your teeth, too?!?
I love it when people say I should write books like so-and-so so I can sell more. And by love, I mean I want to rip their hair out by the roots. But I don’t. So far.
Absolutely it makes me grit my teeth! But then quite a few things do… I think I must be a bit intolerant. 🙂 As for Mr. Boring, the guy is absolutely talented at everything, in his own opinion.