Make what you want to see in the world

Two years ago, I wrote this in Apple Notes:

There’s no point in criticizing others - make what you want to see in the world.

It’s stuck with me ever since, even though I don’t completely agree with the first sentence anymore. There are occasions where criticism is called for.

It feels good to call something “bad.” “Trash.” “Mid.” Whatever word we’re using now.

There’s a little ego boost in it.

If I can tell that something sucks, then I must have better taste. Better judgment. I could do better. Maybe... But I haven’t actually made anything yet.

Nick Wignall, a psychologist based in Portland, Oregon, writes:

“The problem, of course, is that while criticizing others temporarily makes you feel better about yourself, it’s a false and short-lived boost to self-worth. And in the long-run, it only leads to feeling worse about yourself for being judgmental and overly critical.”

Nick Wignall

His essay is worth reading.

It feels good being critical, but is it always called for?

Back in 2022, I watched an interview with Tyler, the Creator and Converse. He talked about how people call music “mid” without explaining what they don’t like about it. One line has stayed with me:

“People now just say something’s ‘mid’, but they can’t articulate why they don’t like it. They don’t have the vocabulary, or the energy, or the actual care.”

Tyler, the Creator

He also pointed out that people struggle to explain why they love something. He wanted people to speak because they care about the work, whether their reaction is positive or negative.

That question feels useful: why? What, specifically, did you want it to be?

(Side note: Tyler, the Creator has so many little nuggets of wisdom on creativity)

(Side note #2: I used to save all my inspo media in Notion/Pinterest now I save everything with a tool called Resurf — one of my new favorite creative tools)

The part I keep coming back to is this: when something disappoints you, you probably wanted something better.

You wanted the book to say something. You wanted the meal to taste good. You wanted the movie to make you feel something.

That expectation is worth paying attention to. What were you hoping for? What felt missing? Can you describe it beyond “this sucks”? (To become a tastemaker you MUST be able to do this).

Somewhere in those answers might be the beginning of something you want to make.

A bad book doesn’t obligate you to write a novel. You’re allowed to dislike dinner without becoming a chef. But if you keep wishing a particular kind of thing existed, maybe it’s worth trying to make it.

Write the story you wish you could read. Cook the meal you wanted to eat. Put an idea out there while you’re still figuring it out. And let it be a little disappointing, too. Your first attempt might fall short of your own taste. That seems like a useful thing to experience before dismissing someone else’s.

"It's so easy to be a critic. It's easier to be a critic than to produce work. The only way to get to your end means is to start your ‘domino effect’ , which means to put out bad work.”

Virgil Abloh

I still think criticism matters. Thoughtful feedback helps people improve, and real evil needs to be named and challenged. I don’t want to confuse accountability with being mean, or kindness with pretending everything is good.

But most of the time, when I’m calling something “mid,” I’m just yapping.

Make what you want to see in the world.