How To Respond to Criticism

People argue. On the internet, especially. Here's some tips on how best to respond to criticism of your ideas or writing - in my experience (the fact that I've often failed to follow these rules myself is part of that experience.) Be Nice Aggressive and insulting responses are a sign of weakness, and readers know it. If you're confident in your position, you can afford to be nice, and it makes your whole case look more convincing. Quite apart from the fact that it's just, well, nice. Don't call out people for not being nice, though. The Three V's - "vitriolic", "virulent" and "violent" - seem to be especially common complaints. The trouble is that just as remarking on someone'sfaux pas is, itself, afaux pas, proclaiming that your opponent is using nasty language lowers the tone of your response. It's natural to feel hurt by insults, but keep your feelings ...