The popular distinction between 'constructive' and 'destructive' criticism is a sentimentality: the mind too weak to perceive in … - Brigid Brophy

Same topic Authors

Quote of the day

Never let a fool kiss you, or a kiss fool you. Oh, what lies there are in kisses!

Brigid Brophy

The popular distinction between 'constructive' and 'destructive' criticism is a sentimentality: the mind too weak to perceive in what respects the bad fails is not strong enough to appreciate in what the good succeeds. To be without discrimination is to be unable to praise. The critic who lets you know that he always looks for something to like in works he discusses is not telling you anything about the works or about art; he is saying 'see what a nice person I am.

Art, Discrimination, Nice, Saying, Strong

Same Author Quotes

I don't hold animals superior or even equal to humans. The whole case for behaving decently to animals rests on the fact that we are the superior species. We are the species uniquely capable of imagination, rationality, and moral choice - and that is precisely why we are under an obligation to recognize and respect the rights of animals.

Animal, Choice, Compassion, Rationality, Rights, Uniquely

Whenever people say, 'We mustn't be sentimental,' you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add, 'We must be realistic,' they mean they are going to make money out of it.

Add, Compassion, Fun, Mean, Money, Whenever

The person who kills for fun is announcing that, could he get away with it, he'd kill you for fun. Your. . . life may be of no consequence to anyone else but is invaluable to you because it's the only one you've got. Exactly the same is true of each individual deer, hare, rabbit, fox, fish, pheasant and butterfly. Humans should enjoy their own lives, not taking others'.

Announcing, Butterfly, Fun, Invaluable, Pheasants, True

I refuse absolutely to consign the whole male sex to the nursery. . . . I obdurately insist on believing that some men are my equals.

Believe, Male, Men, Nursery, Refuse, Sex

To argue that we humans are capable of complex multifarious thought and feeling, whereas the sheep's perception is probably limited by lowly sheepish perceptions, is no more to the point than if I were to slaughter and eat you on the grounds that I am a sophisticated personality able to enjoy Mozart, formal logic and cannibalism, whereas your imaginative world seems confined to True Romances and tinned spaghetti.

Animal, Cannibalism, Complex, Romance, Sheep, Tinned