@jennamagius This is probably not a direct answer to your question and I don't know enough about the topic to make a confident claim, but I think this is somehow related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problematization

@varx Huh! That's a term I wasn't familiar with. Thanks for the link.

I will call out that the first sentence of the second paragraph is "Problematization is a CRITICAL thinking" :p

@varx Also that sentence doesn't seem like it's even gramatical? But that's neither here nor there.

To be a bit more precise/honest about my feelings, I'm watching a Pathfinder: Kingmaker alpha LP and the LPer keeps saying "I'm not going to criticize this because this is an alpha and it's probably going to change."

WE CRITICIZE THINGS TO UNDERSTAND THEM DEEPLY. THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR. NOT TO DECIDE IF THEY'RE GOOD OR NOT.

@jennamagius "critique" is a pretty overloaded term, ranging from "throwing shade on" to "giving feedback on" (as in constructive criticism) to... I guess "deconstructing something and discussing what you find".

@varx You got me past my roadblock in understanding my feelings about this.

I'm not worried about a deficiency in engaging critically with works. I just hate the concept of declaring media "good" or "bad" as if that's some kind of context-free truth.