Monday, December 14, 2009

Criticism of the Critics from on High

First, I'd like to offer my heartfelt wishes for Joe Vitale's father to have a speedy recovery. Joe tweeted at approximately 12:00 Wimberley time that his father had a stroke.

An hour later, he posted the blog post entitled "Kill off P.T. Barnum." Something must have empowered him to criticize the criticism that has been spiraling around the Wimberley Mafia lately.

He writes:
Too many people are criticizing others who are achieving success. Instead of focusing on their own goals, they spend their time and energy writing negative posts and reviews. They don’t seem to see that (a) their work isn’t stopping anyone and (2) their work is a distraction from their own calling.
Wait, what? Did the man who doesn't like criticism criticize the critics?

Should I let Roger Ebert know that his entire career was a waste? Maybe I should make a mailing list of art, restaurant, movie, and literary critics and let them know that Joe Vitale feels their work is a waste of time and that they should really get some psychological help in order to find their own calling.

There is nothing wrong with criticism. Please see my previous post. Criticism is actually helpful, except to those who cannot handle it or those who have something to hide. I'm not going to stop criticizing ridiculous assertions just because Joe thinks it's a distraction from my own calling. He has no idea what my calling is. My inspiration now is to be a critic and satirist, and I am following that inspiration.

Are you not grateful for this? I'm following my inspiration, just like you've taught! Do you have no gratitude for what you have in your experience now? I'm grateful, especially for how easy you've made it for me to follow my satirical inspirations.

And here's some questions... so any criticism or discernment isn't helpful?

What if I buy a car, and the engine doesn't work. Should I resist that compulsion to criticize it?

Where would the U.S. be if nobody had criticized "the Divine Right of Kings?"

How about this, let's say I buy, oh, I don't know, an Awakening Course from "Dr." Joe Vitale, but it's just the same information in a previous book recycled. Oh, right, now we're getting somewhere, aren't we. I shouldn't say anything, I should be grateful that I paid $67 for something I already knew, because if I say anything else about it, I am just distracting myself from my calling.

I suppose if my calling is to pay money to people for nothing whatsoever, then perhaps you're right. I respectfully disagree.

There is an industry here, self help, where certain individuals feel their words are more important than others' words. Joe Vitale feels that his criticism of the critics is completely valid, while the critics are just wallowing in their inability to find their own path. It's like a put down wrapped up in a cloak of superiority.

Some criticism is hypocrisy. That blog post of yours, Joe, is teeming with it.

Just like Pat did with his little "experiment" gone wrong this weekend, Joe tries to turn criticism of his products and tactics around and attacks the lives of people who have the NERVE to look critically at him. And he does it with a trademark superiority complex. Anyone who takes umbrage with his factual inaccuracies and ethical considerations in his marketing and products must have something wrong with them.

Because apparently, in Joe's world, Joe is always right.

Sorry, Joe, not going for it. There's a whole other world out here where people actually think critically and would rather not be hypnotized into buying something they don't need just so you can experience abundance.

I'm sorry your dad had a stroke, and I hope he heals rapidly. But that doesn't give you free reign to criticize the critics from on high.

EDIT: Here's what RevRon has to say about Joe's dismissive missive.