10-05-2013, 09:04 AM
Is it not the received wisdom that calling a poem amazing and awesome, is unhelpful? Reasons why the reader thought it good are OK. Now to assert that one can say that something is shit, is no different, and equally unhelpful to the reader. It is also demanding an unrealistic level of saintliness to assume that the other guy -of whom normally we know sod all - will not be offended, or down-right annoyed and furious. I fail to see why a little friendly courtesy, and sugar-coating is bad. I should have thought it common-sense, and good manners.
I understand the method, however. My late wife experienced it, when, along with all sorts of high-powered lawyers and bankers, graduates and post-graduates of some of our finest Universities (save for her), she took an intensive Chinese evening glass, over one year. The Chinese lady who took the course, fresh out of the People's Republic, followed the 'shit' principle, screaming ''You stupid'' at her distinguished charges. Of course, that did not tell them whether they had got a tone wrong, or a word, or the sentence structure. I am glad to say that my wife was one of the few successes.
I understand the method, however. My late wife experienced it, when, along with all sorts of high-powered lawyers and bankers, graduates and post-graduates of some of our finest Universities (save for her), she took an intensive Chinese evening glass, over one year. The Chinese lady who took the course, fresh out of the People's Republic, followed the 'shit' principle, screaming ''You stupid'' at her distinguished charges. Of course, that did not tell them whether they had got a tone wrong, or a word, or the sentence structure. I am glad to say that my wife was one of the few successes.