"Return critique" sounds like a swarmy way of putting "If you dare to say anything less than 'Best image in galleries ever!!!!' about my latest posting, then I will retaliate in the threads, and I will visit your gallery and flame everything there."

I'm not above issuing the occasional critique myself.

But I don't whine about it when others respond to my initial critique with criticisms of their own.

No one is ever issued carte blanche to express an opinion (whether positive or negative) without consequence. There's always the off chance that someone else might take exception to what's been said.

The best response is to show them where they are wrong. Not to attack them for daring to respond to someone else's criticism.

I know you didn't intend it to be seen that way.

That's true.

Further, a great many people do not wish critiques at all. Since we have no mechanism of identifying these....

My suggestion would be that such individuals should avoid posting anything.

Make a noise, and you might attract attention. Sometimes unfavorable attention.

I have suggested in the past we have a "critiques permitted" button. I find this discussion annoying, because of the attitudes so neatly described in your near-couplet above; "People are too lazy to give critiqes/people who give critiques should be flamed."

Interesting. I have re-read my posts, and I can't seem to find that quotation contained anywhere therein.

Must be an argument which has been put in my mouth -- an argument that I don't recognize.

Something To Do At 3:00AM