A guest blog by Jonathan Wilcock.
Have you seen My Name Is Earl?
It was a TV comedy series that ran from 2005 to 2009.
Earl was a redneck bully, a thief, slob and cheat. One day he wins the lottery and after being hit by a pickup truck, decides to make amends for all his wrong deeds.
He writes a list of everything bad he’s ever done then sets about re-balancing his karma.
It was funny, touching and for me very meaningful.
Now, this isn’t the best platform for spiritual debate, so let’s just say, whether you like it or not, whatever you do in this life will eventually come back to bite you on the bum.
Everything.
The Internet doesn’t need any more negativity
The Internet is amazing. It’s also a bitter and twisted place.
Supposedly educated, creative people use the Internet (particularly social media) to spread great big, stinky bucket-loads of tittle-tattle and twit-twattery.
They think it’s witty to pick other peoples hard work to pieces.
Most critics seem to think they could do better. Maybe they could, maybe they couldn’t. Either way, how does a public flogging help anyone?
Mud sticks (even to the one who’s throwing it)
We all know that it’s easier to point out the faults of other’s than it is to correct our own.
It really isn’t clever, but even more than that, it’s actually damaging – even to the one slinging the mud.
Your posts and tweets, like sound waves, can go on forever. They’re re-posted and re-tweeted and wherever they filter through, they’ve got your dabs all over them.
And the more shade you throw, the darker the world gets.
Nobody wins.
There are thousands of armchair critics out there who are getting plenty of cheap laughs. And admittedly, they’re also getting re-tweets, comments and ‘likes’, but ultimately does anyone really like them, at least, the online versions of themselves?
What gives anyone the right to name and shame? Haven’t we all got something more important to get riled about?
As the old saying used to go (referring to print advertising), this is tomorrow’s chip wrapper we’re arguing about.
Start with the end goal
I received a priceless piece of advice a few years back that’s especially useful whenever I’m tempted to wade into something that could end in tears.
All you have to do is think to yourself, “what outcome am I hoping to achieve here, will my actions logically lead towards the result I’m looking for?”
I would suggest that if the end goal that’s driving you to shout into the ether about something you don’t like is to feel bigger, smarter or happier; then it’s probably better to keep it zipped.
Criticism is a good thing
For anything to get better, feedback is essential, but the only criticism we should be doling out to each other is constructive criticism.
To grow as creative individuals we need our weaknesses pointing out, but it has no benefit when it’s done by a snidey toe rag at a distance, hiding behind a keyboard.
If you’ve got a suggestion on how someone can improve, by all means pile in and tell them how they might go about it. But tweeting about it after the event is like planting dog turds, hoping that apple trees will grow.
When you see work online that you don’t like (it is only a subjective opinion after all) all you need do is take note and avoid the same mistakes in your own work.
Anyone can criticise someone else. But before you get keyboard happy, ask yourself, “Why do I do what I do? Is it to do good work or to humiliate others who are also trying to do their best?
Next time you feel like venting in a public arena, pause for a moment and imagine how you’d feel if you were on the receiving end.
And if that doesn’t work, rent all four seasons of My Name Is Earl and that should sort you out.
Rant over.
Jonathan Wilcock is a freelance Copywriter, Art Director and Creative Director.
You can read more here.
Or drop him line here jonathan@sowhatif.co.uk