A quick course in response-to-criticism etiquette

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Devin December 6, 2002 10:07 AM	Okay, newcomers, here's a quick lesson on how one should respond to negative comments. Someone give me feedback on this comic: 55469
Post #75056	link

boorite December 6, 2002 11:23 AM	This comic reminds me of the color of white paper.
Post #75063	link

evil_d December 6, 2002 12:29 PM	This comic is like an anteater drinking the early morning dew in the blackest region of hell.
Post #75075	link

MorningGlory December 6, 2002 2:20 PM	sorry, i dont get it.
Post #75089	link

TheElPaso December 6, 2002 6:16 PM	I'd rather win the billion dollar jackpot lottery than read this comic.
Post #75119	link

theniwrenator December 6, 2002 7:36 PM	i get it and i love it! wait, no i don't get it, oh well.
Post #75126	link

andydougan December 6, 2002 7:37 PM	That comic landed me in the hospital for an emergency side transplant.
Post #75127	link

fuzzyman December 6, 2002 8:00 PM	Needs more sodomy.
Post #75131	link

Devin
December 6, 2002 8:17 PM

quote:
This comic reminds me of the color of white paper.

Thank you for your submission, boorite.

Now this comment is a bit obscure to me, and I can't even tell if it's negative feedback. So why should I get defensive over it?

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 3

Proper responses:

Defensive: Um, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Concessionary: Yeah, I guess it is.

Diversionary: Mmm... white paper...

Improper response:

Hey retard, what the fuck is that supposed to mean?

quote:
This comic is like an anteater drinking the early morning dew in the blackest region of hell.

Thank you for your submission, evil_d.

This comment is fairly obscure, except that the reference to "the blackest region of hell" would immediately set off "negative comment" in my mind. That means this comment is an insult, albeit not a very offensive one.

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 6

Saintly responses (God bless you if you respond this way):

Defensive: Well, I think the comic's pretty good, considering I had to follow some fairly tough rules, etc..

Concessionary: Back to the drawing board, I guess.

Diversionary: But why doesn't the anteater drink from the pond?

Acceptable responses (from least hostile):

What the hell does that mean? How about a straight answer, dude?

Well, your comics are like your mother sucking you off to pay for her crack addiction!

quote:
sorry, i dont get it.

Thank you for your submission, MorningGlory.

This comment APOLOGIZES (very polite) and then states a simple, non-offensive fact, that the person simply does not get my comic. The only response better than this would be to downright lie and pretend to laugh! Still, I would get a bit offended if I felt that my comic was funny.

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 2 (1 = downright lying)

Proper responses:

Defensive: Well, you see, the rule of this comic contest was to write comics where bongo pointed out a conspiracy, etc..

Concessionary: Yeah, it really isn't done right, I guess...

Diversionary: I like marmalade!

Improper response:

I can't help it if you're only smart enough to get fart and piss jokes, you dumbass.

quote:
I'd rather win the billion dollar jackpot lottery than read this comic.

Thank you for your submission, TheElPaso.

This comment is obviously a joke, but I still can read a negative critique from this, because othwerwise the person wouldn't say anything, or give positive feedback. The insult is well-cushioned, but it may be understandable if you respond to this critique in a negative way.

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 4

Proper responses:

Defensive: I thought it was good, etc..

Concessionary: ...Damn, you're right, I'd rather win the lottery too.

Diversionary: That reminds me, I gotta check my lotto ticket. Wish me luck. :-)

Improper response:

And I'd rather set you on fire and piss all over you to put you out, but we can't have what we want now, can we?

quote:
i get it and i love it! wait, no i don't get it, oh well.

Thank you for your submission, theinwrenator.

Now, truth be told, I've been in sc.com a while and I know how all statements must be phrased in the form of a joke, but say that I don't know this, I would probably be a bit offended. Still, the critique is well-cushioned, though the "oh well" at the end might set off some red flags.

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 4

Proper responses:

Defensive: Well, you see, the comic contest stated that you had to blah, blah, blah, etc..

Concessionary: I hope my next one's better.

Diversionary: Sorry, I can't tell, how do you pronounce your name?

Improper response:

Well, I get YOUR jokes; they're just not funny.

quote:
That comic landed me in the hospital for an emergency side transplant.

Thank you for your submission, andydougan.

This comment is more likely to be a compliment (and since I've gone through so many critiques, I'll treat this one as such :-) ). Why you would respond negatively to a compliment is beyond me.

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 1

Proper response:

Hey, thanks, man.

Improper response (in fact, you are a sorry-ass loser if you respond in this manner):

Which is more than I can say for any of your comments.

quote:
Needs more sodomy.

Thank you for your submission, fuzzyman.

This is an inside joke; whether you know the joke or not, it's not offensive (although if you don't know the joke, you'd probably start wondering about the regulars around here).

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 3

Proper responses:

Defensive: Um, no, I don't really think so...

Concessionary: You know, I think you're right, some sodomy WOULD make this comic good...

Diversionary: No, it needs some gamorry. *wait two millenia for someone to get the joke*

Improper response:

That's what your mother says when you kiss her goodnight.

Post #75132

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akirajim
December 7, 2002 11:19 PM

When I started to read this my eyes pushed themselves back into my head and stabbed me in the brain in a desperate attempt to be as far away from your shitty comic as possible. Now I'm left handed and can't control my bladder. Thanks a lot, fucko! If I caught you on the street I'd steal the nearest car and run you down with it, then, just to be sure you were dead, I'd wrap your lifeless body in a carpet bought from the corner store, shoot you twice, and dump you in the river. But first I'd steal your wallet, take your money to pay my medical bills, and use any identification I find on you to track down your family and shoot them one by one execution style after skullfucking them all once in each ear.

Response?

Post #75214

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jools December 8, 2002 3:06 AM	L337 H4Xx0R P0W3RZ 4C71V8!
Post #75224	link

UnknownEric December 8, 2002 1:09 PM	quote: Diversionary: No, it needs some gamorry. wait two millenia for someone to get the joke HA! A true classic.
Post #75273	link

Devin
December 8, 2002 3:40 PM

quote:
When I started to read this my eyes pushed themselves back into my head and stabbed me in the brain in a desperate attempt to be as far away from your shitty comic as possible. Now I'm left handed and can't control my bladder. Thanks a lot, fucko! If I caught you on the street I'd steal the nearest car and run you down with it, then, just to be sure you were dead, I'd wrap your lifeless body in a carpet bought from the corner store, shoot you twice, and dump you in the river. But first I'd steal your wallet, take your money to pay my medical bills, and use any identification I find on you to track down your family and shoot them one by one execution style after skullfucking them all once in each ear.

Thank you for your submission, akirajim.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is a negative critique (I won't go into details because it seems obvious). This person goes into a rant about killing me and my family which makes this post rather humorous, but the direct insults hurled at me far outweigh the humor. Also, note that people new to stripcreator might not even find the humor in the aforementioned rant, and some might even take it seriously.

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 8

Saintly responses:

Defensive: Well, I'm sorry my comic made you left-handed and gave you bladder problems, but I felt that this comic was blah, blah, etc..

Concessionary: Er, sorry. I'll just hide this one with my collection of toenail clippings so no one will ever suffer that cruel fate ever again.

Diversionary: Um, at least now you can wear one of those shirts that say, "Only people who are left-handed are thinking in their right mind."

Acceptable responses (from least creative):

Fuck you.

How about putting some of the energy spent on making that god-awful post into something useful, say, putting a gun to your head and pulling the trigger?

Well, after I read one of your sorry comics, my lips puckered up so bad that it sucked up my skin and turned it inside-out. Now I look something akin to your mother, you fucker! If I ever meet you, I'll step in your face so you can see the horrible monster you've turned me into, then I'm going to fuck you through your belly-button while driving a rusty nail through your skull. Then I'll find where your dog lives, fistfuck it until it dies, then stuff it down your corpse's throat and jump up and down on it a couple of times. So there, you donkeyfelching shit stain!

quote:
L337 H4Xx0R P0W3RZ 4C71V8!

Thank you for your submission, jools.

While there is no negativity in this comment, its meaning is elusive to me (partially because it's written in leetspeak). Your response to this comment all depends on whether you took this as a compliment or not. Most likely, this post would be a compliment, especially if you take the person to mean that your OWN "L337 H4XxOR POW3RZ" are "4C71V8." Because of its vagueness, however, it is understandable if someone simply went "what the hell are you talking about, dude?"

Hostility rating (1-10, 10 = highest): 1 or 5

Proper response:

If taken as a compliment: Um, thanks, I think.

If not understood:

Er, I don't understand... is that a good thing or a bad thing?

What the hell does that mean?

Improper response:

You can take your poserspeak and shove it where the sun don't shine!

Post #75278

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theniwrenator December 8, 2002 8:23 PM	quote: quote: i get it and i love it! wait, no i don't get it, oh well. Thank you for your submission, theinwrenator. you spelled my name wrong.... quote: Well, I get YOUR jokes; they're just not funny. do you really get my jokes?
Post #75296	link

andydougan December 8, 2002 9:00 PM	akirajim only got 8 for that? What do you need to do to get 10, actually kill your family?
Post #75297	link

Devin December 8, 2002 11:00 PM	quote: you spelled my name wrong.... Sorry. I'm dyslexic. :-/ quote: do you really get my jokes? But of course! (Hostility rating of my reply: 1) quote: akirajim only got 8 for that? What do you need to do to get 10, actually kill your family? It was because that whole rant was so ridiculous that it toned down the overall feeling of the post.
Post #75301	link

punkrockskaboy December 9, 2002 9:22 AM	Oh cruel cruel world, make it stop! Oh wait, the world doesn't have to make it stop...I will just put a gun to my head and
Post #75319	link

abcgi December 11, 2002 4:32 AM	Devin, I agree totally. Catch-22: I found your improper responses to be the funniest ;-)
Post #75524	link

Devin December 11, 2002 8:06 AM	Thanks. :-)
Post #75532	link

hevquip December 17, 2002 1:46 PM	faggot. oh wait, this is the internet, i mean "faggit"
Post #76110	link

Devin December 17, 2002 10:54 PM	I don't wanna respond play anymore. :-P But I will rank your responses' hostilities. punkrockskaboy: Hostility rating: 6 havquip: Hostility rating: 9 Any comments ranked 5 or below should be responded to in a civil manner. Anything above, well, I'll leave up to you. :-)
Post #76180	link

punkrockskaboy December 19, 2002 4:32 PM	HE got a higher hostility rate than me? Oh, is it because I didn't show hostility toward you?? I blew my fucking head off because of the shitty fucking comic. I think that, if viewed in that light, that is a pretty hostile thing to say.
Post #76392	link

Devin December 19, 2002 5:40 PM	It's because wittiness takes a lot of hostility off of a post. That's also why havquip only got a 9. And your insult wasn't direct. But you'll be happy to know that, at a hostility rating of 6, you're still eligible to be flamed. :-)
Post #76394	link

punkrockskaboy December 19, 2002 6:45 PM	excellent, however devin, you did not notice how I was VERY hostile in THAT response. I was hoping you would rank it as some sort of witty remark. Oh well, the flame eligability will have to do.
Post #76400	link

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