Tim Allen wrote:
> Bob,
>
> Judged is just the wrong word
Tim, I'm sorry, but I'm a fanatic about what I think is definitional
correctness. It annoys me that because, say, "racial discrimination" is
something bad (for most people), that "discrimination" now means for
some people something evil. Same with "judge" out of "judgemental."
I would say that all response to any aspect of life is evaluative and
hierarchal, etc. We judge every step of our lives in some way, mostly
unconsciously, but we still judge, for instance, exactly how vigorous
our next step will be when walking, or figuratively. Judging is not
pronouncing sentences.
To judge, which we all do and have to do, is simply determining how well
the judge likes something. I read Sheila Murphy's poem when I first
joined Poetryetc, and judged it excellent. I judge poems whenever I
experience them. Others judge my poems. You can't avoid giving them
numbers. A low number needn't be a sentence, for--if explained, and
that's crucially important--and can help the poet raise ii if he agrees
with your judgement, or tell him you don't know what you're talking
about. if he doesn't. Even if not explained, a judgement should help
any poet by indicating how the poem's message or shape or whatever is
getting over.
I guess finally I'm defending criticism. And I could go on about the
value of that MUCH longer, maybe as long as Robin sometimes is on one of
his subjects. I'm sure you get the idea, though.
Note: I'm soon to be traveling and probably not able to get on a
computer for a while. So if I don't respond to someone pointing out
that I'm a dingbat or something worse (if there is anything worse), it's
not 'cause I'm a coward!
--Bob
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