Regrets

Creative fields such as ours thrive on critique. For many of us, being part of a network of cartographic professionals means exchanging advice and feedback with colleagues, including suggestions for improvement. It can also mean silently observing the maps of others and pondering, consciously or otherwise, how we might do things differently. This process of thinking critically about other people’s maps, by and large, helps us all grow our skills. But, the reality of human nature means that the urge to critique can sometimes lead to toxic outcomes that harm our community. This I know from personal experience, for I was once a source of such negativity.