03-25-2015, 10:48 PM
Not so apropos analogies aside, there are two starting places:
1. If the poem is unclear it is the readers fault.
2. If the poem is unclear it is the writer's fault.
The first denies responsibility for the competency of the work.
The second accepts responsibility for the competency of the work.
Certainly if ten people read it and find it clear, and only the eleventh one does not, that person's opinion can be discounted(or so one would think). However, if it is a 2 - 2 split between four people, then discounting the two negative ones becomes more problematic. Taking into account that in the real world if you were to ask someone to read one of your poems. Chances are, no matter how unenlightening the poem is for them they will praise it to some extent so as not to hurt your feelings. It is the rare person who feels competent enough and committed enough to weather your disapproval (or expected disapproval) by giving you a negative review. So in the real world, no matter who you are, I would generally expect a 99% approval rating. In the PigPen that percentage drops to about 50%, unless you are unlucky enough to get myself, Leanne, milo and Tom as there will rarely be pussyfooting from those four. The point is that a negative response has to overcome many hurdles in order to make it to the writers ear, therefore a negative response should be weighed heavier than the more likely positive response.
What does this have to do with clarity? Where else will one learn of it, except from ones readers and if one has a misapprehension of the readers, one cannot get an accurate response in terms of clarity.
Dale
1. If the poem is unclear it is the readers fault.
2. If the poem is unclear it is the writer's fault.
The first denies responsibility for the competency of the work.
The second accepts responsibility for the competency of the work.
Certainly if ten people read it and find it clear, and only the eleventh one does not, that person's opinion can be discounted(or so one would think). However, if it is a 2 - 2 split between four people, then discounting the two negative ones becomes more problematic. Taking into account that in the real world if you were to ask someone to read one of your poems. Chances are, no matter how unenlightening the poem is for them they will praise it to some extent so as not to hurt your feelings. It is the rare person who feels competent enough and committed enough to weather your disapproval (or expected disapproval) by giving you a negative review. So in the real world, no matter who you are, I would generally expect a 99% approval rating. In the PigPen that percentage drops to about 50%, unless you are unlucky enough to get myself, Leanne, milo and Tom as there will rarely be pussyfooting from those four. The point is that a negative response has to overcome many hurdles in order to make it to the writers ear, therefore a negative response should be weighed heavier than the more likely positive response.
What does this have to do with clarity? Where else will one learn of it, except from ones readers and if one has a misapprehension of the readers, one cannot get an accurate response in terms of clarity.
Dale
How long after picking up the brush, the first masterpiece?
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.