Originally Posted by Fdemetrio
If running track, i learn everything i can, manage to finish 5 seconds faster than I normally do, that is a win.

If you run the NYC marathon, and due to work, you FINISH, when I never did before, yet hundreds of people finish ahead of me.
Major win.

What your doing is saying unless somebody is exceptionally gifted, working on their craft will not help them improve.

It doesnt matter how successful you are, you can always improve.



Good morning Larry. It's been 24 hours and you've put up a little bit of information that needs clarification.

In the above you proclaim yourself champion of the "every-man."

"We should not measure ourselves against others, but measure our success against improving upon ourselves. We should run our own races"

Those, to the best of my recollection are the words of a social-psychology professor that I had in 1972.

And I agree with them. And to the extent that they coincide with what you wrote, I agree with you.

But what you wrote, does not describe you.

Over a period of years, you have descended on the song post of almost every "every-man" songwriter at this site and told them what they needed to do to improve on their song, in accordance with the "Dominick Dunne School of Songwriting." And more often than not they would reply thanks for your input but I don't agree.

And then you would begin haranguing them about the shortcomings of their song and that would devolve into insults such as "talentless hack."

You demand strident critiques at the DDSS and strident compliance or the insults follow.
That is not allowing the every-man to "run his/her own race."
That is suffocating their efforts in accordance with your assumed paradigm.



Originally Posted by Fdemetrio
Not many people here understand craft, the ones who do know this indisputable fact well


This underscores the basic flaw of your paradigm.
It implies that you are knowledgeable enough and capable enough to hand people a verdict on where their songs stand as art.
I think not, Larry.
I think that it is more accurate to view you as a deluded scrub who thinks that a shoe box full of scribbles indicates skill and prowess, and an "understanding of craft."

It does not. It is just a shoe box full of scribbles.



Originally Posted by Fdemetrio
And im a way better writer than you, and its not cause of unworldy skill.

Before I was banned at MUSE for publicly objecting to Rachel's Trump bash, a complete stranger said a song that I posted was "possibly" the best song that had ever been uploaded to the site.

I am completely aware that is only one person's opinion on a amateur-hobbyist songwriting site.
I am also completely aware that no-one has ever said or will ever say the same about a song of yours...except for you.

Well, that's all the time I have to help you today. I'll check back tomorrow at breakfast and see if there is anything further to respond to.

xoxo

https://soundcloud.com/sunset-poet-of-texas