Having to watch y'all hug people. I don't do that. I'm from the east coast you know we don't hug people on the east coast you so I
Just I just have to
Express that okay, so
Before we get started. I want you to indulge me at an exercise. I'm actually going to break up the room into three parts, so
You're going to be
What's your name? What's what's the sides name make up a name?
dould Dope okay, Dope Middle part
Did you say cokes referee's I'm into it. I'm going to okay, okay, okay? What's what's what's your name Steve?
Okay, so we got dope coke poppy and Steve great
interesting mix so I want to be a teacher and you're going to be my students and
I'm going to give you a design exercise
And I want you to I want to get a better idea of your vector skills pretend
It's like day one of a typography workshop, or course and you're a graphic design student in design school
And I want you to create the letter f from this poster in illustrator
I'm going to show you do not trace it, and you have one imaginary day to complete it
so the poster Los angeles cuz we're we're
So let's just pretend that day path was very quick time for a critique
all right, so dope this is the s that you created and submitted and
It's not bad. It's not bad. It's a little rough around the edges as if are pretty hard to draw um
I'm going to give you a C-Plus
Sorry
My man, okay?
All right kofi
Your return this is this is a lot smoother looks like you have a pretty good grasp of the pen tool. You're
You're getting the hang of it looks like you might be a more experience. Which is pretty good
Gonna give you a bee
it's not perfect I
Know I know I wanted to give you an air, but how do you see like the lot?
But I can't give you a with session
Okay, oh, I showed the great already what well I mean, let's just be real see you
even know it's
Not to say to you
You forgot part we forgot to actually connect the s and you like handed this, and I'm gonna have to give you a d
Sorry in the future. Maybe in like a different classes
We've gotten an a+ like but in my heart you got an a just just so you know
so the reason I bring this up and
why we did that exercise is because we're doing a critique right live right now and
Oftentimes when there's a critique as you saw the different emotions from each group. We often
Sometimes take that critique to heart right and we sometimes ask ourselves is it about me?
What about my work? Oh?
And I think when we're talking about Critique
And whether it's related to me my work or even both?
We first have to take a step back and look at the definition of Critique
so Critique is a detailed analysis and
assessment of something especially a literary
Philosophical or political theory in this case. I want you to keep in mind that Critique is
assessment of something seeing not someone but a sing
Then you have criticism
And I bring up criticism because oftentimes in that when it comes to Critique versus criticism
We conflate the two we sometimes think that critique and criticism are one and the same and they are not
Criticism is the expression of disapproval of someone
or something on the basis of
Perceived faults or mistakes so you're looking for something that is wrong to judge
Both critiquing and Criticism is about judgment. It's just a matter of how that judgment is overlaid and
Also, how that judgment is perceived I?
bring this up because
we
Live in a society that is split up into two cultures
So we've got the society of the world at large there are two cultures
There is a collectivist culture and an individualist culture. What does that mean okay, so
Collectivist that type of culture focuses on not on the individual, but the entire group
Everyone's included not one person stands out we all work together for the good of the group
on
The other hand you have
individualist
which is
What most western Societies are based on and?
We're focused on ourselves. We care a lot about ourselves like
Screw you I want to be the star. It's all about me. That's how we're raised. It's not about
Everyone's going to become president someday it's I'm going to become president someday write
About me me me
Oh my God me again
so Nene's
And this is important when you think about it in terms of critiquing criticism because in an individualist society
We oftentimes place ourselves in situations that may not necessarily have warranted us to be there
Beyonce what it's me?
Chrissy Teigen, what is me?
It's just elbe his girlfriend someone Nana this week
and
So that brings us back to the original question is this about me is it about my work
Or is it both?
and I brought up an example of inserting myself into situations that I did not necessarily belong because that's what we do in an
individualist Society
When we get criticism or Critique? We wonder is it about me?
We don't necessarily often worry about whether it's about the work we center ourselves in question is there something wrong inherently with me?
And the answer is it depends
because in a controlled environment
Everything is contained, right?
things move around
You can control exactly the reaction that you want in our fake design school
I was able to set up an assignment give it to you
Give you the parameters and you were able to function within set parameters, right?
But in everyday life that doesn't work out that well. There's no control and
So things are just going all over the place you can't really control it you can't
Decide on Whether or not you receive criticism or even critique?
The environmental context is really important when you're thinking about how you receive critique, and how you perceive it
That's why in design school. If someone tells you well the crossbar and your h is too. Low, you're like. Yeah
Vala Point
Whereas in Life
Say for example on Twitter
Someone says the crossbar on your h is too. Low, and you're like
if that's okay kind of look like this and
Like in your mind your mind like rearranges it like foot Tha meme my crosswire Agency most
Could ask you fine - so off I?
Got so upset my mic velocity
And you're like wait
Excuse me who asked you
He'll to the nah uh-huh
This is clearly unsolicited Feedback Critique Criticism. Whatever the hell
You want to call it?
But I guess my question is is it really great
because I think that a
Public display of your work obviously is going to invite Critique
It's also going to invite
Criticism can't be controlled, but the one thing to keep in mind is that Critique?
Aims to improve
while Criticism Aims to harm I
Think oftentimes we fall into this box where we think that the work that we do and the work that we put out there is
equal to our identity
Because my identity is equal to me because I own it. I have an identity
Clearly Critique of me
Equals Critique of or Critique of my work equals Critique of me which is great news
You are you which should be pretty obvious to all of you can't be anyone else
Your work does not equal you as a person those are two separate things you are you and your work is separate
Work does not equal you
work
is an extension of
you
but your work does not
equal you
What does your word not equal?
That's right
So that means that Critique is not
inherent and has nothing to do with your self-worth, and that's something really important to keep in mind because I feel like oftentimes when we
have and receive Critique in a social space in a digital space in a place that is public we tend to conflate it with
Criticism of ourselves it's not the same thing
what this comes down to is an over analysis and
over consumption that leads to unnecessary worry strife and stress
If the Critique is not criticism, and it's not about you. Why are you so pressed, bro?
So I think that in terms of Critique. I think it's time for all of us to practice Radical Self-Care I
Think it's important for us to open our eyes and to really think about
What critique means when someone's giving it and when we're receiving it and how we're perceiving it
Critique exists for us to get better as
designers as
Developers of artists whatever you are whoever you are whatever your profession is
Critique is important for you to get better
Instead of going why are you attacking me? Maybe the question we should be asking is tell me more about that. I
Keep pressing to that
Really, okay?
The other question we could be asking is what are you seeing when you look at my work? What is it that you're seeing?
or
Maybe we can say give me a better idea of your perspective
I don't really understand where you're coming from but I want to understand because I want to get better
Critique is wonderful because
It incites conflict
tension
Discomfort all of that is the stuff of Growth
and
So it brings us back to the big question that we asked earlier is this about me is this about my work?
Or is it about both I?
Think ultimately what it's about is it's about how you?
Nos on don't do this can improve your work
get better at your craft and
become a better digital citizen who actually
Listens to the world around them they're not complaining critiquing criticism
You're taking a step back to look at the full picture to better understand
How you can grow you're taking the information, and you're breaking it down and trying to figure out
How can I apply this to my work in the future to get better? How can I listen?
my name is AmI little month I
Am a product design lead of New York times, and I struggle with Critique, and I struggle with criticism
And I conflate the two all the time. I'm getting better at it. I'm getting better at it because I'm trying to ask
More ask this question. Tell me more about that. What does that mean tell me more about your perspective