The Critic

“It is the new and different that is always most vulnerable to market research” - Malcolm Gladwell

As our local 4th of July parade was rained out yesterday, my family and I got to an early showing of Ratatouille. It was very good. My favorite part was the write up by Anton Ego (pictured above) a very dour critic. Written in his final review was what he thought to be the most important role of the critic – To identify what is new and different and yet still outstanding – as it would be to different for the mainstream to understand or appreciate.
Couple his thoughts with the initial quote by Gladwell and one might better understand why golf is somewhat bland in this modern age, and why a critic can be so important.

Here is some of Anton's review:

"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new."