2/24/12

SQUIRREL'S WORD STUDY: "GOOD"

Over the years I have improved my drawing skills... and time after time after time people have said to me something about "That's really good!"
Up until now I have just kind of said "Thank you" and brushed it off as just another compliment. But now I've been thinking: What does that even mean??
When someone calls you good at something, it generally means that you do it well. That's what I always have thought, at least. I looked the word "good" up on Dictionary.com and here's the official definitions:
1. Morally excellent, virtuous, pious, a good man.
2. Satisfactory in quality, quantity or degree, a good teacher, good health.
3. Of high quality, excellent.
4. Right, proper, fit, It is good that you are here. His credentials are good. 
5. Well-behaved; a good child.
None of these make sense to me in the way that people are referring to! I mean, I can kind of see Def. #3 being true but really, when someone says that you're good it could be meaning several things.
1. They look up to you.
2. They are actually rather jealous.
3. They are simply complimenting you
4. They want you to teach them how to draw so well or they want you to draw them something
5. They're just saying the first thing that comes to mind.
With all those variables I don't like the word "good". I might be OK with it if I get some constructive criticism along with it; such as someone saying "That's good, you might want to make the shading a bit darker though." (An example of #3, with an add-on)
I simply HATE it when people say it kind of "duh-like" and act like "Your ninja skill has like, totally stunned me, bro" or when they just say "that's good" and stare at it like it killed their dog. Both could be examples of #2.
When people say that it's good, recently I have started to be reminded of Genesis, when God first created the world. He said that (before sin came into the world) everything was GOOD. It's really a very powerful word; God didn't say that everything was excellent. He didn't say that everything was boss. He said that everything was good. Why just 'good', though? Why not  perfect? Why not amazing? Why not boss? Those words may not have existed then; and even then, those words (aside from perfect) don't really mean what God was trying to say.
God was saying that the world was a great place to be; it was perfect, it was satisfactory, it was very high quality, it was right and fit, it was even well behaved. There was no death, there was always food available, the food was always good, you would never be late for anything, and your dog never ran away or chewed up your shoes.
That's why God said good.
The Earth was good.
My drawings are not good.
My drawings are excellent. Not good. Because excellent does not mean perfect. Excellent means possessing outstanding quality or superior merit.

Thanks for bearing with me and reading all the way through this-- I might move this to Squirrels and Dragons since it isn't a story. If you liked it please let me know what you thought... this is something kind of new to me. :)

See ya laters!
~SQUIRREL!!!!!!!!

1 comment:

  1. Katie (Rine).....Hannah and I really like this. It is great.. I will remember to not use the word 'good' when referring to your art. :)
    Grandma who is missing you!!!!!

    ReplyDelete

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