My name is Jae Dark

I am 20 years old and a computer science major in college.

I am male.

I will use my profile to make both philosophical inquiries as well as write down my preferences. I encourage people to PM me for discussion on these topics. Especially if you disagree.

On the topic of criticism:

I think criticism should both be held in high regard as well as taken with a grain of salt.

Criticism is the only way to understand how people feel. Do they like what you wrote? Do they hate it? Maybe you had a character do something somebody didn't like, and that person tells you that. When somebody criticizes a decision made by an author's prerogative and not on styling and/or grammatical and aesthetic problems, it is considered a flame. Regardless of how nasty they put it, it's still criticism and should be observed as what a person thinks. It is still important and should be understood.

That does not mean you should follow those ideas. Take pride in what you write, regardless of quality. You wrote it because you wanted to write it, and for no other reason. I refuse to remove or change the fics I wrote because, despite their disgusting quality, I wrote them. Nobody else. It was I who made them interesting; it was I who dug their hole and buried them in crappy prose. I still take pride in the fact that I took the time and enjoyed making them. I won't let anybody take that away from me.

Because of my viewpoint, I hate people who simply agree with my criticisms without thought. The reason I'm writing about this is because one person finally debated my criticisms, and I greatly respect that. though I don't like the fact that he labeled me as an uncaring 13 year-old asshole, though I kind of deserved that with the review I left. What I don't respect about him is that he didn't even consider my thoughts, and blocked me so I can't even read the end of his PM.

Please, if you have fun writing your fics, continue with gusto. Criticisms should be understood, and I feel like many people would benefit from following them, but I want you to be happy with what you make. Stand your ground and defend your ideals. Don't be passive! Don't simply state "You're right!" state "This point is valid, but my thoughts on this are better." It encourages debate and allows both sides to be heard. Converse in order to gain a wider view and range of ideas.

And not everybody's ideas are the same, so if more people agree on one thing, don't listen to that one person who thinks differently. Don't ignore them--hear them out and think about it--but don't think they are automatically correct. Because that's what I'm seeing happen so much, and it's aggravating.

Ultimately, do what you consider the best. Nobody can tell you what to do. You are your own person, who likes their own style. And if you don't like your style, change it until you find a style you like. Just don't sit down and take everything thrown at you.

On Demographics Discriminated Against:

I always do research before I come to a conclusion. I try to be logical and understanding. It can be quite difficult, sometimes.

For fics revolving around homosexual relationships, I applaud you. I may not be gay, but I still read them because often I feel like they're the only good things on this site. Authors of this type of drama manage to frequently make their characters likable rather than a monotonous and annoying fluff. Though many of these fics also do this, also. Harem relationships are so unrealistic I think my brain is going to melt, and heterosexual relationships are so formulaic. The only real problem with slash fics are the fact that there is a HUGE homosexual demographic to the point that every guy is gay. And that does annoy me somewhat.

A message to bronies: stop being so aggressive against every person who doesn't agree with you. I have a friend who's a brony, and while he's somewhat odd, he's still a good friend who knows how to joke about it. Most of you don't seem to know how to do that. I have watched the first episode of My Little Pony, and I can see why so many guys like it. It's not for me, unfortunately, but I can respect your opinions. I just want you to respect everybody else's opinions, too, no matter how caustic they may seem--it's still their opinion and only they can change it. Insulting each other will only make people hate each other more and not give each other a chance. Instead, LISTEN to each other.

A message to anti-bronies: watch the first episode before you make a decision regarding whether the show is good or bad. Also, homosexuality does not determine what a person will like besides what gender they love. Most gay men, while somewhat flamboyant, still prefer to fit into male gender roles rather than female gender roles. Sexuality doesn't determine what gender role you will fill, or what show you like. That is entirely determined by a person's personality and upbringing. Please understand this simple fact.

To flamers: Please flame all you like. I try to take all opinions into account, so I will look at your comments/PMs with equal interest as other comments. Just be prepared for me to ask for the reasons behind your opinions.

To black guys: For some reason I get along with black guys moreso than my own white demographic. No idea why. Just thought I'd throw that out there.