It is better to be making the news than taking it; to be an actor rather than a critic.

– Sir Winston Spencer Churchill, The Story Of The Malakand Field Force

I’ve been thinking about cynicism and elitism lately, especially when it comes appreciation of art and pop culture. I used to love to crap on stuff—and honestly, sometimes I still do. However, I’m at a period in my life where I don’t so much live to rip on the really bad stuff as I delight in finding the really good stuff.

As much as I malign cynicism and elitism, Lord knows I have a large oeuvre of cynical, elitist comments. I guess I’m really wanting to repent of it, and go from hating things to appreciating them. Clearly, there’s a lot of crap out there in the world, but truly … one’s man trash is another’s treasure. We all enjoy different things, and I’m really not interested in dogging your taste. I want to know what your taste is, though—and if ours don’t align, cool. I just won’t ask you for opinions on new music [or books, or magazines, or whatever produts of creative work are out there to be explored].

There’s a temptation for me to call this a maturity thing, but I think that’s pure egoism going—I don’t think that everyone goes through a cynical period, but I think that many folks do. Call it what you want—even reference William Blake—but I think that, once you get into cynicism, you have to get out of it eventually. [You might call that becoming cynical about cynicism, if you wish, but rather than being negative about negatives, I'd rather just be positive.]

A true critic ought to dwell rather upon excellencies than imperfections, to discover the concealed beauties of a writer, and communicate to the world such things as are worth their observations.

– Joseph Addison, The Spectator, 291 [2 Feb 1712]