Critique-Must-Be-Scathing-to-Be-Good

My friend and mentor Barry Boyce gave me some great insight into critique after reading my recent posts, so I thought I'd share it here:

"After reading about the notes process, I'm sorry I didn't kick your ass harder, but dude I liked it. What can I say? Also, I don't necessarily subscribe to the critique-must-be-scathing-to-be-good school. Ain't nobody who knows FOR SURE whether something is good or not artistically. It's not auto mechanics. My writing teacher taught me that the best thing you can do for someone is to be encouraging. You tell them what you think works first and then what doesn't work FOR YOU, by contrast. Then, they must find their way. That's how art works with critique. The kind of notes process where a bunch of little experts rip and tear and tweak and futz with something that is an integrated piece of work is just what [you should be] running from. As soon as you detect that somebody knows better than you what your artwork is about, that's the signal to keep your own counsel. You will never ever at any stage whatsoever receive confirmation. Thank god for that. Certainty is death."
- Barry