Being able to read critically is a skill you have to develop. It's not something that comes naturally to anyone. But it is fun! You get more out of all the art you consume when you learn how to do it. Yes even bad media! And sometimes, yes, when you ask the question "what meaning is the author trying to get across with this shot/edit/composition/imagery/phrasing/plot development/etc.?" sometimes the answer is in fact "nothing in particular." but thinking about it critically, and coming to that conclusion, is a worthwhile and fun process in and of itself.
And if you're not used to consuming your media critically, here are some questions to ask yourself while watching/reading/playing to get you in the right mindset:
- what meaning or emotion is the work trying to convey? Is it successful? Can I figure out why or why not?
- what does this make me feel? Why does it make me feel that way? Do I think that may be intentional on the part of the creator?
- how does X element add to or detract from the work's intended experience or message? If it doesn't seem to add or detract anything, could there be a reason for that?
- what overall themes or ideas does the work seem to want to get across or play with? What conclusions does the work seem to come to based on what it shows me? Is that good or bad?
- am I enjoying this? Why, or why not? Does that seem to be intentional on the part of the creator? (not all art is supposed to be particularly enjoyable after all)
Final tip: consume a lot of art from all over the world. Good or bad, honestly, it doesn't really matter, just experience as many things and perspectives as you can. The more art you consume and think about, the better you'll get at consuming and thinking about art in general
Think critically!
