More and more I've been realizing and acquiescing to my role as a consumer. Not a consumer in the Corporate America sense per se (more on that at a future date), but a consumer of media as opposed to a creator. The creator is generally regarded as the nobler postition, but a consumer is many things, if not in the least the person that puts food (or liquor) in the creator's stomach.
I hear much disdain for critics, but they provide a service and I like reading other people's opinions and interpretations on all art forms. It is, however, crucial to understand that a critical opinion, even if it's a majority, is still an opinion and you can like or dislike something no matter what everyone else thinks.
My point, I suppose, is that I feel creative when I write an opinion on something that I've thought about. Maybe I don't have the potential or the motivation to put out material often (or ever), but when I form an opinion on something, I am comfortable expressing it to the public. That's my creation based on someone else's creation. I guess you might liken it to "those who can't do... teach" But fuck that, some of our favorite people are teachers, and can you imagine them in any other role?
By no means do I expect people to take my word verbatim. I don't want a cult, and I don't read any critic on film or music or art or anything else that I completely agree with. It's impossible. My taste is nearly polar from some of my best friends, and yet we soldier on.
All I'm saying is open yourself up to new things and if you still don't like 'em, then fuck it you tried.