I begin this week's issue with one of my favorite quotes from the movie, "Ratatouille":
In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talents, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new; an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking, is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, "Anyone can cook". But I realize - only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more.
Anton Ego
Those of you who have seen the movie will remember the hunchback egotistical critic (appropriately named "Anton Ego") with near impossible expectations that could make or break one's cooking career. While many may have seen Ego's role as the villain in this movie, there is most certainly more to Ego that meets the eye.
The quote above clearly underlines the ease with which a critic can pass upon a judgement with repercussions that extend well beyond one's imaginations. While ego is a professional critic, his observation can also be applied to everyone and anyone who has ever criticized something. Just to show how important this concept is, I repeat here the first point that I am trying to get across:
In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read.
We criticize just about anything and we criticize often. Ego highlights it in the second part of his quote as well, but in a more positive tone:
But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talents, new creations. The new needs friends.
Every time we meet with something new, the sceptic inside us cannot wait to jump out and dismiss its prospects. That urge is developed from our desire to succeed, which given the wrong circumstances, transforms into jealousy. Jealousy is a strong word to use here, but anybody who aspires to be somebody should at least have a strong sense of ambition. It is this sense of ambition that creates the need to be better than others. So, when a novel idea appears, one can't help but ask, "Why didn't I think of that?".
Of course, jealousy is not the only reason we criticize something. As Ego rightly points out, we thrive on negative criticism, and it is fun to write and read. It could just be as simple as that.
The second point that I am trying to make, is a much more important, yet subtle one. Earlier, I mentioned that Ego has more than what meets the eye. Here is why. Personally, I find Ego's strength of character exemplary. One could easily imagine Ego to retaliate after being humiliated by a rat who served him a peasant dish but he didn't. In fact, Ego wasn't even angry. While it is easy to admit that we are wrong to ourselves, especially in private, how often do we admit to the world that our preconceptions about something were flawed? Anton Ego discarded his ego when he proclaimed to the world about the sheer brilliance of the genius behind Gusteau's success.
This is not a proclamation that it is not OK to criticize. What I am trying to point out is that while it is in good fun to criticize something, we should keep in mind to formally and deliberately praise something that is brilliant when we face it. It is not enough to admit it to ourselves in the privacy of our own room. The importance of giving the appropriate credit where it is due is highly underrated. May all your successes be given their true recognition.
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