Friday ManFAQ: Harry, it sucks.
It’s Friday, and that means answer time! For those of you who have commented with questions from previous ManFAQs, thank you. I’m adding yours to the list of questions women have asked about men over the years, and I will answer them all in turn – to continue to demystify the more malodorous gender for those of the gentler. Actual questions, posed by real women, and answered by a REAL man. What could go wrong?
Question: Why do guys always twist your words around when you make a suggestion to them to make something that’s already great better? What we say: “It’s already really great but here’s a thought to make it better.” What they hear: “So, you’re telling me it sucks?”
Answer: Not unlike falling into the manhole of comedy, criticism is when you tell me how to make it better. Constructive criticism is when I tell you how to make it better. Really, whatever it is, we don’t want to hear that it’s not 100 percent perfect because not because we did it, built it, thought of it, or are overly proud of it. We don’t want to hear about how to improve on it because we’re bored with it already, we’re done, finished, moving on. We’re lazy, really, and if you think you can make it better, go ahead, because it’s Miller Time, baby – he did his part. You’re dealing with intellectual ADD here – let’s go ride our bikes!
Besides, he only sees in binary – it’s either awesome or it sucks. His team won or they lost. The ball went through the hoop, or posts, or net, or it didn’t. Hi it the mark or he missed it. We live every day with the certain knowledge that walking across the moors of fate, we find only the singular flame of eternal glory or the dark swirling mists of perpetual obscurity – there is no middle path. If it’s not already awesome, as Harry Chapin’s brother Tom once told him: “Harry, it sucks.”
Now you know. Please, feel free to comment! Also, forward any questions you’d like answered to BUMD – at – biguglymandoll.com!
Please tell me Tom wasn’t talking about Harry’s music. ‘Cause it definitely didn’t suck.
Thanks for another great post. ManFAQ makes my Friday. :-)
LOL, Diane – glad you enjoy it!
The quote was actually in one of the live recordings of 30,000 Pounds of Bananas; great scene where Harry says Tom told him the ending sucked, so he re-wrote it.