^I don't think Skywalker is suggesting that there isn't a place for criticism. From my understanding, the thread is about not forgetting the fact that Prince has always been controversial - always done things that have 'split' the fanbase in two. The love/hate reaction towards his new material is nothing new.

skywalker said:

I think "back in the days" that most critism was aimed at the music only. What Prince was on stage and on the tv was merely icing on the cake and could probably more easily be ignored.

Today, apart from the current critique of either of the latest two songs, the critism seems aimed at the man (anything from homophobia to JW to his conspiracy theories and his apparent catagorizing of "good people and bad people") and his business (Lotusflow3r.com, the fan site drama and so forth).

But yeah, I think the critique of Purple and Gold and Cause and Effect now is somewhat over the top. As if people can't help but to mix their dissatifaction with the man and the cooporation "Prince" and then their personal dissapointment about the latest musical offerings. There is a difference between the two, I'd think.

Surely though, the internet creates extremes. People who are pleased with the music, won't go on the internet and write about it, no, that's left to those who are enormously pleased with it and maybe feels indignated on behalf of Prince, thus making everything positive written on the .org sound either fanatical or just immaturely naive.
While on the other hand, people who are mildly dissapointed with the music won't go on the internet either to write about their "mildly dissapointed views" (they'd probably just play something else entirely), whereas those who are hugely dissapointed probably will find time to write about every wrong note they think Prince is playing, thus making two distinct fractions: The over the top happy Prince consumers and the overly negative Prince consumers. Anything in between never gets a reply on these boards, as they're just "boring" and "old" and "too wordy" to any one of the two passionate groups... the moderate people simply gets drowned out and end up leaving the emotional passion-orgy on here, thinking "What the f...".

To this though, I think it's important to remember, that those who initially paid 77 dollars for Lotusflow3r.com will feel more physically and literately invested in the man Prince (no, I didn't sign up for it, you see, I'm smart enough to not set myself up to a fiasco).

Anywho.

Kara said:

Cool read, thanks for posting!!

CabDriver said:

What a second post! In a year too!! Or is this one of "those" accounts, do you think?

Efan said:

In the old days your friends wouldn't have told you what a floon you were while today complete strangers have no qualm with calling your ass out.

lazycrockett said:

No, I'm pretty sure I've never been called a floon. Is that a bad thing?

Efan said:

oh not you personally "your" in general.

lazycrockett said:

Oh, I know you didn't mean me. I just wondered what a floon was. I know for sure my high-school friends in Iowa back in the '80s would never have used it. They called me plenty of other things, though. Most had no trouble telling me what they thought of Prince.