Introduction
In The English Critic (1939), NL Clay urged his readers not to let themselves be daunted by expert authority, slick advertising or mesmerising jargon. Every opinion deserves to be weighed and tested; and failing to subject the opinion of experts and professionals to scrutiny not only leaves the ordinary man a slave to fads and fashions, it coarsens the experts and professionals too.
To the ordinary man of to-day ‘Critic’ seems to mean
one who delivers judgment in print.
It is not so much that the ordinary man does not rely
on his own judgment as that he has excessive reverence for
the printed verdict of the professional. He will argue
fiercely with the man next to him in the football ground
but will change his mind about the quality of a broadcast
item after reading in his morning paper what the Radio Critic
says. He takes the Dramatic Critic’s word when deciding what
play to see and makes his book-lists from the selection of
compliments bestowed by critics and artfully displayed by
advertisers.
Many who take their reading seriously smile
with superiority at this respect for printed opinion, but
fail to see how little they themselves rely on their own
opinions. Success in public examinations has often been
the reward of those who have neither convictions nor courage
but who can reproduce the judgments of others. Even when
discussing books in friendly talk they frequently parrot the
findings of critics. This weakness on the part of the reader
tends to make the reviewers of our newspapers and journals
proud of their following and influence, arrogant towards
readers and condescending towards authors.
Précis
In The English Critic, schoolmaster Norman Clay argued that the ordinary person is too ready to doubt his own judgment when presented with expert opinion in literary reviews. This has had a very unwholesome effect on journalists, encouraging them to despise their readers and to believe that critics are more important than the authors whose works they are reviewing.
(59 / 60 words)
In The English Critic, schoolmaster Norman Clay argued that the ordinary person is too ready to doubt his own judgment when presented with expert opinion in literary reviews. This has had a very unwholesome effect on journalists, encouraging them to despise their readers and to believe that critics are more important than the authors whose works they are reviewing.
Edit
|
Reset
Variations:
1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words.
2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words.
3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, besides, if, just, must, not, or.
Post Box
: Ask Nicholas
Grok
: Ask Grok
You are welcome to share your creativity with me,
or ask for help with any of the
exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
nicholas@claylane.uk
See more at Post Box.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane,
from time to time you could
buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a
Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed
to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a
Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and
there is no need to register.
