Receiving Criticism Positively

[The Cleaning Crew 571]

Hello, new LotCers!
This message is for both you and the older players alike. I’ve noticed a lot of misunderstandings happening within the LotC community lately. Somebody will give somebody else advice and the person on the receiving end of that advice will immediately take what was said in the worst way possible. I'm here to try and dampen this impulse. 

Example 1:

“Your skin looks a little plain. Maybe you could ask a skinner to shade it for you.”

Negative response: “WHAT? I MADE THIS SKIN MYSELF! ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY SKINNING CAPABILITIES? I DON’T NEED NO HELP FROM NOBODY!”

Positive thinking: Maybe the person who suggested you spice up your skin wasn’t insulting your skinning abilities intentionally. Maybe he was only trying to help by suggesting a way to improve your RP. The better your skin looks, the more aesthetically pleasing you are to those around you and the better they will respond to you. If you’re super proud of your skin you don’t have to change it, but there’s no reason to get angry at somebody who was only trying to help.

Example 2:

“Could you be a little more detailed with your emotes? I don’t understand what you’re doing.”

Negative response: “WHAT? ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHING? OF COURSE I’M SUMMONING THE DARK LORD SATAN! I SAID “*summons*” DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND ANYTHING? ARE YOU SAYING I’M A BAD ROLEPLAYER?

Positive thinking: Perhaps the person who asked you to be more detailed is on to something. Just because you are initially insulted by their comment doesn’t mean that what they’re telling you is wrong. Try to look back over your emotes as if you were somebody who’s not inside your head. Would you be able to understand them? If not, working on that would be in the best interest of everybody, including you. They were probably trying to improve your RP, not criticize you personally.
 
These are only two of the many different types of misunderstandings that can and have happened to people in our community. 

Reasoning behind this guide:
The internet is a place full of words and devoid of inflection. It’s hard to tell how a person means something if you can’t hear them say it. Sarcasm is hard to detect, for example. I want to urge people to, when reading something written by somebody else, think about this before responding. Most of us are expecting criticism in one way or another when we post a new idea or response on the forums or IC. Because of this, when the meaning behind a response is open to interpretation we automatically jump to negative conclusions. This leads to a lot of unnecessary conflict and I think we can all agree that unnecessary conflict is a bad thing.
 
Please don't take this guide the wrong way. Only trying to help.

 

Another thing to keep in mind, is that veterans and accepted members should be a bit easier on the new players! Don't scare them away, help them out if you think they are having problems.

[steelersfan1221 300]

Another thing to keep in mind, is that veterans and accepted members should be a bit easier on the new players! Don't scare them away, help them out if you think they are having problems.

[homijoe 172]

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING, MAN.

 

JUDGING HOW I CRITICIZE OTHER PEOPLE IS IMMATURE AND YOU ARE BAD I'M THE BEST

 

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??????????

 

I DONT NEED HELP TAKING CRITICISM POSITIVELY, I HAVE AN APP FOR THAT!!!!!!!

 

 

Btw this is a joke ^

[Evilbanana5757 154]

Very good guide. A lot of people should read this....

[Elindor 666]

I'd like to see giving criticism positively also. There is no point in a suggestion receiving the response "No"

 

Is that it? did you fall off your chair while posting an articulate response and accidentally hit POST with your nose? Surely if two letters is all that you can muster then your opinion is invalid.

[Bethykinss 158]

Nice guide on how to receive critism in a positive way.

[The Cleaning Crew 571]

I'd like to see giving criticism positively also. There is no point in a suggestion receiving the response "No"

 

Is that it? did you fall off your chair while posting an articulate response and accidentally hit POST with your nose? Surely if two letters is all that you can muster then your opinion is invalid.

Yes. This, too.

 

Nice guide on how to receive critism in a positive way.

Oh good. That's what I was aiming for. 

[ConnorMagill 43]

I think i'm gonna try to become a guide one day for sure.

[blindmind 350]

Keep in mind that how you give criticism is just as or even more important than how to receive it. If you give criticism well, a great deal of negativity will be mitigated, if not entirely. Definitely consider making a guide on that!

EDIT: Just noticed someone said this already. Sorry about that.

[The Cleaning Crew 571]

I think i'm gonna try to become a guide one day for sure.

A noble pursuit. That's one of my goals as well. Gotta know your stuff, I hear.

[TheBareSheet 194]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.