In looking at the value of negative reviews, Johanna inspires a tangential thought for me when she says that negative positive reviews are harder to write. As usual, I’ve thought of how I’ve heard people say the opposite and now I’m thinking about what ones reviews says about their personalities.

I mean, some people find positive reviews easier because when they enjoy something they’re inclined to reflect on the aspects they enjoyed. Sometimes that’s because their enthusiasm has them reflecting on the best parts, like how a great comedy inspires you to repeat the best lines to your friends. Others, however, seek out a case study to explain their enjoyment — the better you can articulate your enjoyment of past titles, the more likely you can spot a promising title in the future.

Meanwhile, negative reviews can also come from various viewpoints. Sometimes there’s a desire to express one’s superiority over the creators, a “I can do better” sentiment. Sometimes, it’s a compulsion to play failure analysis that drives a negative review, an attempt to figure out what lessons can be learned from the mistakes made.

Of course, I’m generalizing here, there are plenty of motivations that can go when writing reviews, I’m mostly thinking about how a reviewer puts themselves out there with their reviews. The reviewer reveals a lot about themselves in just the points they praise or pan, but right now I find myself thinking about the revelations the tendency to praise or pan can reveal.