ABSTRACT
Destructive criticism is one of life’s great pleasures, and a seriously undervalued one. As we grow up, we are often brainwashed into thinking that the only reputable type of criticism is ‘constructive’— that is, essentially admiring but containing some suggestions as to how what has been done could be made even better. But when something is awful, why not say so? Children do; maybe that’s why they have so much fun, and embarrass po-faced adults so often! So let’s take an enjoyable look at four passages that turned out rather less well than their authors intended.
