Two Thumbs Up: How Critics Aid Appreciation

"An expansive and witty examination of the usefulness of criticism" from the realm of professional tastemakers to the vast landscape of social media (Times Literary Supplement, UK).

Far from an elite practice reserved for the highly educated, criticism is all around us. We turn to the Yelp reviewers to help us pick restaurants, to Rotten Tomatoes to guide our movie choices, and to voices on social media for critiques on everything from political candidates to beach resorts. Yet even amid t...