The Importance of being Earnest

As it seems I have logged on before Murray or Grant or anyone tries to defend me, I am afraid, yes, it is me responding to you again. Seeing as we are being so formal, should I address you as Mr Plop? Mr Plop, I am kindly proving you right by indeed having something to say, as you hit the ball back in my court, and in games of this nature one keeps rallying back and forth until the opportunity presents itself to volley down the line for a point, or until the other fouls himself in the net... Such a short paragraph, but such a fine lob for me to smash! . >>The substance of what I said was lost on you... Really? What WAS the substance? You said I get caught up in these threads, which I agreed with. You saw nothing new in our matinee, which I agreed with. You said I come across as arrogant, which I agreed with. You wanted me to let you voice your opinion, which I agreed to. You wanted me to not worry about a retort, but were interested in my response...which confused me at first, until I decided to read you at face value - and so I assure you, I did not worry in the slightest while making my retort. And then you confessed that if you'd not read things I'd said in previous threads you might have enjoyed our performance more, which also confused me because I don't quite see how the two are correlated, but it shows that the deep feelings you harbour against an individual's thoughts can taint, for you, the art they produce. See? I might not have understood your substance but it certainly wasn't lost on me. >> you just had to pick up on the way it was composed. Yes, I did that too. Yes, it was intentional. >> it just smacks of pure arrogance. Geez Louise, you're not saying anything that I didn't put out there FIRST. These two threads discussing the responses to the two shows I've just been in were STARTED by me comparing myself to 'an arrogant smart arse who delights in the sound of his own argument'...I don't think you could get a more honest confession than that! So why do you feel the need to believe you are putting me back in my place by labeling me arrogant? You can't. >> I see a man who puts himself on a pedestal... I no longer put myself on that pedestal, although I can see it clearly when I look down from my ivory tower... >>> lacks the necessarry humility use your spell check on 'necessary'. >>> to allow an audience to have an opinion without jumping to defend himself. I actually don't defend myself that often, as I am (arrogantly, so they tell me) secure in my defense most of the time. What I do is attack lame arguments. It may look like the same thing, but any chess player will know there's a difference between offense and defense. And I think you'd find yourself wrong if you looked for evidence of me not allowing an audience to have an opinion. Yes, art is subjective, and I delight in seeing many sides of an argument, including totally opposing points of view (as I expressed near the top of this thread)...so long as they are argued WELL. It is too easy to make unsupported statements, to draw illogical conclusions, and to propose facts that are unsubstantiated, all while hiding under the guise of 'having an opinion'. My crusade is to challenge you, point out where your argument is weak, and invite you to construct a stronger one in reply. Should you become more convincing, I'll immediately back down and we all win. The parts that actually DO turn out to be personal, subjective opinion remain sacrosanct. (in fact, I have actively crusaded against the professional paper reviewers to try to get them to HAVE an opinion, rather than just re-hash press releases and say nothing of value-judgement). But when statements are made that show no thought or are demonstrably inaccurate...well, that's when you offend ME. >>May I assume that you are not a full time actor Yes, you may. If you don't mind being proven very wrong. >> therefore you have a job outside of this Correct. In the last 21 and a bit years, I have also worked as a professional musician, a professional songwriter, a professional improviser, a professional theatre reviewer (!), a professional theatre production manager, a professional theatre tour manager, a professional music director, a professional voiceover artist, a professional director, I'm currently a professional theatre stage manager, I worked for a short time as a professional scuba instructor (on a couple of film sets), and sometimes as a professional drama tutor & facilitator...but none of those jobs ever last long because I keep being offered acting work! >> despite your best efforts to be judged on the same merits as those who act as a profession Thanks for your concern, but as you see, it's no longer such an effort. >> you defend yourself and talk as if you are. Ay, there's the rub. >> I get very offended Look, I'm sorry you seem to take offense at everything I do. I honestly don't know why I take such perverse delight in torting and retorting at you, other than the fact that I've spent the entire last three days in a dark theatre plotting lights and need some light mental distraction to amuse myself. If it is really distressing you so much, simply stop reading. I'll fade away. Cheers, Craig ~<8>-/====\---------