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Critical acclaim
27/02/2008 10:25 - (SA)
Chris Roper
Man oh man, South Africans are not good at taking criticism. I think one of the reasons is that they've lived in their various electrified goldfish bowls for so long, they've forgotten that there's actually a big wide world out there.
The other reason, not to put too fine a point on it, is that many of them have the intellectual capacity of a small nat. Or do I mean gnat?
They get very shrill when you try and engage with them. I'm not just talking about people who take umbrage with the kind of columns I write. People like Anonymous of Australia, who last week wrote (and I quote verbatim), "Ons slim ouens het lankal ge-emigtrate. SOON ONE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS OR YOU WILL BE RAPED OR KILLED OR ROBBED OR SHOT OR CAR HIGH JACKED. Do you really want to make out as if SA is such a great place. Thats why we EMIGRATE. CRIME CRIME AND MORE CRIME commited by your BLACK DARK AFRICAN fRIENDS."
I can understand his point of view, and I'm fine with the fact that he appears to be looking forward to my mother being killed. Hey, he's in Australia now, he needs to get his excitement where he can. And I'm fine with Tiaan of London, who writes "Screw you and anybody that shares your opinion!" That's the English way, and I'm glad he's fitting in so well.
No, the people I really can't stand are SA artists, musicians and filmmakers, and the fans thereof, who seem to feel that journalists have no right to criticise them.
Pure, childish idiocy
The latest example of this is the response to a review by one of my writers, a review of a Liesl Graham CD. The reviewer doesn't hold back, referring to Liesl Graham as an "abomination", and describing her voice as "an endless, constipated wail", and her "self-penned, indulgent lyrics" as "blithely unoriginal".
Fairly harsh criticism, although now that I've listened to the album myself, possibly not harsh enough. But leaving that aside, it's the responses to the review that interest me. There's an outpouring of vitriol from Liesl's fans, and most of it is pure, childish idiocy.
Not all, I hasten to add. Diva writes, "when I read your review, I was expecting, in your words, an 'abomination' of an album. In fact, I was looking forward to it. But how wrong you were! Graham's album has so much to offer, and I enjoyed every track." That's counter criticism that makes you want to try the album yourself, and make up your own mind.
But such restraint is rare. Somebody who once attended the same university as the reviewer takes it upon himself to apologise on its behalf. Others, like James, demand that the reviewer produce a song she wrote. It's all very precious, and very tiresome. The job of a reviewer of cultural products is to situate the product, and to give a subjective opinion that honestly displays its own subjectivity, rather than hiding behind a facade of objectivity.
Pally pally
Fans of my columns will perhaps remember one of my Roper aphorisms about crime in South Africa: "It's only a crime if someone else is doing it." I now have a corollary, about criticism: "It's only objective if it's my opinion."
Many South African readers seem to believe that the point of reviewing a play, CD or film is to, and I quote, "give the chick a chance". In Graham's case, she had her chance. She made an album, and a reviewer gave it a bad review. Other publications, such as Men's Health (admittedly not known as a music magazine, unless you think grunting is musical), have given it good reviews. And that's the way it's supposed to work.
That's what allows artists to flourish, a landscape where they're not cosseted until they get overseas and discover they're actually deeply kak, but where their products are stress-tested and become perfect.
Alas, not in our land. Here we're supposed to be all pally-pally with each other, scratching each others mediocre backs and hoping the music/television/film industry will give us a free ticket every now and then, or if we're really lucky, allow us to fellate a really big star every once in a while. It's pathetic.
Want to judge for yourself? Listen to clips from Liesl Graham's Chrysalis, and read the review.
Ed's note: A user informed Chris Roper that Men's Health had reviewed the CD but this was in error. Men's Health has not reviewed the CD and Chris will respond formally in his next column.
Chris Roper is Editor-in-Chief of 24.com
Send your comments to Chris.
Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24.
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Why?
27/02/2008 10:51
I don't know why we are like this. I remember as a kid always chuckling when I read Mad Magazine making fun of things American. In one issue, they had a poke at Apartheid South Africa and I was furious. Silly, I know. Ashamed, I am. Right, now I am going to listen to Liesl Graham and decide for myself. - niels |
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High five!
27/02/2008 10:52
Excellent column, as always I might add. Love your work. - Lauren |
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Thanks
27/02/2008 10:53
Thanks for treating your readers like adults in a mature world, where we are all allowed to have disparate opinions, instead of a nursery (school, not "place of plants" although some people technically qualify for the label of idiot vegetable) where we throw our monkey poo at everyone who disagrees with our point of view, in personal hatred.
Hope you have not been car high jacked yet. - Goverment Efficiency |
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Very well said Chris...
27/02/2008 10:54
Objectivity in this country is sorely lacking; I see it in the way people attack most publically stated opinions; yet very few of these vociferous (and often vicious) people are willing to put his or her name to a public article or even to their written opinion in response to an article. Half the time they hide behind nicknames and insults,when the thrust of the article does not agree with their preconceptions or opinions as you say. Grow up South Africa and learn some much needed objectivity! - Colleen Figg |
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criticism is dead..long live the critic
27/02/2008 11:09
Chris, I think its more a case of south africans are too opiniated, rather than not being able to handle criticsm.
is like they say - opinions are like A-holes - everybodies got one.. Thanks for keeping your fans laughing though
- Benny |
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YEBO
27/02/2008 11:15
I for one use my birth name in all my responses. - colin |
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yes
27/02/2008 11:16
Hi
The realistic view is that generally speaking in a broad term, s.africans are the architects of their own problems. The apartheid govt was made of backward thinking people and ahd they educated the black majority, maybe there would be no problem. Having said that, our current govt are made of idiots who do not care about the people. Also, so many s.africans don?t know about the ?outside? because they are arrogant and self-indulgent. Wake up people, no one cares about s.africans because they have a corrupt reputation(which is true). S.Africans have a mucho attitude but in actual fact crumble when it comes to the crunch. I don?t think the Aussies know what they are letting themselves in for when they let in s.africans!
- marc |
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Could'nt have said it better
27/02/2008 11:29
Great Column! Hope you are back for a regular weekly column. I think as a nation we have a bit of a problem with hypocrisy and being biased. To Tiaan, you want to screw me and you don?t even know me! (That?s for sharing Chris?s opinion) At least buy me dinner and some drinks first. Objectively speaking! - Rudolf |
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Weird
27/02/2008 11:30
Nobody shouting at me? This is unusual. Lauren, thanks for compliments. Colleen - I agree. Even our govt ministers start whining when you criticise them. Niels - We appear to be living in Mad magazine right now. And Gov Efficiency - not yet. Tsk, and these hijackers want to hold a World Cup. - Chris |
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Reviewers
27/02/2008 11:31
Why do people trust reviewers opinions anyway. The arts are very subjective, you need to see or listen to it yourself to decide wether you like it or not.Most reviewers don't have a clue what they are talking about. - Scotty |
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Brillig Chris
27/02/2008 11:35
What you say is so true. It is amazing how many people out there lack the ability to add value to any given debate. Even worse, people like the ones that you mentioned (and add Libembe, Juan, Kolobe, etc to the list) who evidently believe that they must add their own negative slant (normaly prejudicied/racial) to virtually every story. Watch this space for more of the same. - mikehunt |
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Critical Acclaim
27/02/2008 11:40
What a pompous person you are!!! Your article smacks of self righteous twattle. So condesending and intolerant of others opinions. If you were trying to make a point, sorry I could not past your arrogant stance. State your opinion but you must grow up and learn that you don't have to belittle anybody else to be heard. - Sharon |
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Your objective, cool column makes me want to read
27/02/2008 11:42
more. You offer, in this column, quite a rare read given the kind of anger and hatred people normally vent on each other. By the way,It?s OK for a mafia to say whatever they want without due consideration of what the consequences of his utterances/scribes would be. Take Xolela Mangcu for instance. A person bent on rubbishing Mr Mbeki to the extent of dedicating several chapters in his book to vent his anger on him and even himself doesn't know why. He says he just hates him. That's a empty excuse. Theres also Jon Qwelane. The age difference suggests between Mr Mbeki and these small boys is so vast one wonders what could have happened to them to lose their minds to the extent of disrespecting an elder of Mr Mbekis stature. The devil in the book of Mathew told Jesus that he owns all the kingdoms in the world. So, I am not surprised at how the people behave. - Cult |
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Sharon - ...could not past your arrogant stance?
27/02/2008 11:47
Excellent stuff Chris. And Sharon; good advice indeed - suggest you use it skattie! - saliem |
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You managed something special today, Chris
27/02/2008 11:50
...for not even Colin could find a way to attack you from some racially based angle today! Or, *gulp*, am I speaking too soon? - Jaco |
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Sharon
27/02/2008 11:59
You said: State your opinion but you must grow up and learn that you don't have to belittle anybody else to be heard. - Sharon "
Said she, belittling him.
Hahahaha!! The irony!! - Colleen F (again) |
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Help
27/02/2008 12:06
Is Sharon being serious? Or is she making a joke? If she isn't joking, then surely SHE is the whole point of the column?
To Colleen Figg... you still owe me an email. - niels |
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Chris...
27/02/2008 12:14
I agree with you in principle, there is a good reason for people to be critical, but what does get rather thin is when people battle to express what it is that they have a problem with. A humourous crit is great fun to read, but when some brain dead tosser from verdwaalskloofsonnerkakfontein with two neurons per acre just rants without any clear focus or thread of logic one has to wonder about ones audience. Thanks by the way Chris, I will give the CD you mention a wide berth though... - Nick |
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So defensive
27/02/2008 12:17
They say the best form of defense is attack. Chris started his article guns blazing, taking the moral highground and insulting the intelligence of S. Africans, while in some cases this intelligence is cause for concern. I feel that he could have made his point with out all the fingerpointing and name calling. More professionally, is probably the word.I merely reacted and gave my opinion. Pompous!!! - Sharon |
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Sorry, but I have to agree
27/02/2008 12:20
I went and listened to the album on myspace and I have to agree I find it lacking. Reminds of some of those awful singles from Anke I once heard on the radio. A very typical SA pop produced mainstream album. That's all I can say.. - Thalion |
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Oom
27/02/2008 12:21
Well done, Chris - as per usual: brilliant. Would we not all want an Oom to get us somehwere. - Louis |
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Well written (again) Chris
27/02/2008 12:32
OK so I didn't know who this Liesl Graham was, until I read this. Followed the link to the review. After listening to a couple of tracks, I'm sure your staffer was munching "nice pills" when she wrote the review. But wait, according to Sharon, if I express a negative opinion, I'm probably childish & arrogant, so I'd better try to be nice about this double kay middle aye. *concentrates & squinches up eyes* NAH - didn't work. - mrakm |
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Jaco - sorry for disappointing you
27/02/2008 12:36
Jaco I am certainly no racist all I am trying to do is to state the facts. I do not hate any person just because they have a different skin colour that myself ? how many times must I say I love whites all of you. I have no guilt in how I treat my fellow human beings and I do sleep well at night. Sorry for disappointing you. - colin |
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Sharon - or is it Sheila?
27/02/2008 12:39
You dont get it skattie. Merriam-Webster defines pompous as [excessively elevated or ornate]. Name-calling eh? - saliem |
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News24
27/02/2008 12:48
The thing is it's more News24's fault than anyone else. They love the fact that people get worked up, because that shows lots of comments and thus shows the advertisers that their are a lot of views of certain journalists writings. Case in point is Jon Qwelane. Almost 90% of the people commenting can't stand him but News24 knows that he incites and upsets people so they totally happy with his articles. - Sally |
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Sharon (again)
27/02/2008 12:54
"reacted" is the word; perhaps you want to insert the words "knee-jerk" into your so-called reaction. Chris's column was very well written and presented the facts as they exist, which you clearly find unpalatable. - Colleen F |
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please dont criticise me..........sob, sob
27/02/2008 13:01
The missing link in your article: ?beauty is in the eye of the beholder?. Many South Africans are indeed physical and rather argue by the fist than the brain. Just compare the mud and stones thrown at a few students who thought having a bit of fun with their workers and put it on camera. This has become just another reason to set the campus a light and hold off learning for a while. Judgment day is here. They cannot even wait for the sequel to this ?barbaric? film is in the making. The sequel will show the workers forcing student to drink beer on their knees because the students are too drunk to stand up anyway. The running part has been skipped for the same reason. The workers than urinate on meat and force the students to eat it. The film ends with all participants sharing a few bottles of whiskey and fading out with the words: ?INTEGRATION COMPLETE?. Watch the comments when the clips are shown on TV. - Benzo |
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Criticism: the rot starts at the top
27/02/2008 13:02
You didn't mention politicians amongst the thin-skinned.
This week Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi called criticism of Mbeki "treason". No wonder the ANC wants to muzzle the media. - Procrustes |
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Sally
27/02/2008 13:04
Eighty percent of the time I agree with Jon... News24 would be far poorer without him... I think of Jon as my own Coconut... please go and find your own. - niels |
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See Liesl live tomorrow at Tanza Night and decide for yourself.
27/02/2008 13:07
Liesl Graham is launching her new CD at Tanza Night in Fourways tomorrow night(corner Witkoppen and Douglass). Ladies free entrance and free select cocktails, guys R40. Come along and decide for yourself! - Dave |
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Lighten up
27/02/2008 13:08
Hey Chris. Why so serious? We miss your witty, light-hearted, funny columns. - Sandhir |
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Sharon (Again)
27/02/2008 13:09
Touche!! Colleen defender of Chris. Let's put it simply. I did not enjoy the tone of the opening paragraphs of the article, not the content. I then critised this which is my demoncratic right. Which then provoked you to critise me. I think this clearly displays what Chris was pertaining to. Saliem - don't be so sexist Sharon is not necessarily a female name. Beware who you call Skattie, Skat. - Sharon |
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Case and point: Sharon
27/02/2008 13:11
Case and point: Sharon
From what I can gather, Sharon is happy to spout an opinion, but cannot handle it should others differ... Name calling is so "primary school", don't you think? There's no need to be defensive. You have your opinion, we have ours. That's the whole point of the article, is it not? - Lauren |
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Sharon ...
27/02/2008 13:22
... you say Chris was assuming the moral high ground and insulting the intelligence of S.Africans. Did you feel like one of those 'S.Africans'? Chris has a right to expose the 'intelligence' of these S.Africans; if they respond to what he says, it does not mean that they makes sense. Don't confuse the right to make a comment and the content of that comment. - TheOne |
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Sharon - or is it Sheila?
27/02/2008 13:23
Ok point taken. Sorry skattie - it won't happen again... promise! - saliem |
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Okay Okay
27/02/2008 13:34
Okay it is obvious that I have not been articulate enough and I will drop my point. I never challenged anyone's opinion if you go back and look. I just have my opinion on the manner in which the first part of the article was written. Lauren Saliem and Collen you were very quick to react. I am out. Said my bit. - Sharon Again |
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Critical acclaim...........
27/02/2008 13:34
Aaaah the beauty of democracy and free speech, trust you guys to throw mud at each other.......quite entertaning(ooops i mispelt it i meant entertaining) i hope i have not been racial,condersending (oops condescending) or incitful(inciting) it is getting difficult to express oneself correctly some many critics - mbm |
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Love him or hate him...
27/02/2008 13:39
Chris, whether they love or hate you, Liesl Graham just got some sales, as everyone now wants to decide for themselves if her CD is any good! Crazy...teehee... - An?/i> |
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Chris is right - you have the proof!
27/02/2008 13:49
Just have to laugh at some of Sharon's comments, and some of them directed at her - it's EXACTLY what Chris was talking about in his article. Chris could have made just one statement, and the responses would have borne it all out - no further proof needed that he is spot on! - Soooo typical |
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See what happens?
27/02/2008 13:57
And there everyone got on the bandwagon after Chris used his democratic right to air his opinion. You do not need to get worked up about someone else's opinion even after they have expressed it. So where can I read any column of Sharon? She is a columnist OR ........ not?????? - Amia |
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Niels
27/02/2008 13:58
Jon Qwelane was an example dear Niels, nowhere did I say that I don't like him, please try to relax. - Niels |
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