What Really Grinds My Gears: Giving The “Can You Do Better?” Argument

You know what really grinds my gears? People who give that “you can do it better?” argument whenever someone starts to criticize something or someone. Let me elaborate.

Once in a while, someone would criticize and give their opinions about something, be it food, design, or physical appearance. So the criticism continues, argument commences, and then you’ll see it. That one person who decides to bring out that sentence. “So you think you can cook better food?” “So you’re really handsome/pretty?” “So you can make better designs?” You know what’s worse? The people who comment after that happens will back that person up, thinking that it’s a perfectly fine argument. 

I mean, where’s the logic in that? Do I have to look like Barbie or Ken to say that someone looks horrible? If that person looks horrible, then that’s how it is. It’s fair, it’s valid, it’s factual, and there’s nothing that’s going to change that unless he or she goes for plastic surgery. 

Food. I never knew that I have to be a fantastic cook to be able to voice out my opinion that a certain food is horrible. Apparently if I’m unable to cook, I’m unable to know that the food is too sour, too salty, too bland, too oily, etc.

I’m pretty sure all the critics and reviewers out there aren’t experts at doing what they’re reviewing. Surely all the movie reviewers out there didn’t win a Golden Globe for being a director.

I’m not going to continue with more examples. I’m sure you get it. Or are you one of them? There’s no logic in this argument at all.