: A bizarre but predictable response I get frequently online and IRL from people who dislike and disagree with my analysis and opinions on any number of films and tv shows is, after they ask my how I'm qualified to make whatever statements I made and I tell them I've been working on stage and in tv and film for over thirty-five years, to say, "Well, *I've* never heard of you. So you must not be any good!" So I ask them their professional showbiz credentials, and they get quiet, at first.

: Then they usually, though not always, respond with "Well, I've watched lots of movies and tv shows." I generally reply, "But I've never heard of you. So you must not be any good at it."

Eventually, usually in short order, we get to the point, and the point invariably is that they just like, love, dislike, or hate certain movies, and for whatever reason(s) it's important enough to their senses of identity and worth that they defend or attack what they perceive as threats to it/them.

: That behavior used to be completely alien to me, until I encountered it enough over the years. It's still alien to me, but I began to understand it in my, say, late twenties. (I'm 52 now.) I, on the other hand, approach storytelling of every kind, from a more technical perspective. That doesn't in any way mean I don't like, love, dislike, hate, or feel neutral to any number of stories. I get into lots of stories and get involved in many, *and* I recognize them natively for what they are.

: Some friends and acquaintances in the field have described me in the following ways over the decades:

"the East German judge"
"Marius the Merciless"
"cruel but fair"
"Dr. Lecter"
"Story Yoda"
"Obi Wan"

I also recognize that my style of writing and storycraft is exactly that and that others have (or will have) their own. Nether my opinion or advice are gospel even though they do work very well and have done for me and for others over the decades. I also understand what criticism is.