Clean Quote by P. J. Plauger
“By long-standing tradition, I take this opportunity to savage other designers in the thin disguise of good, clean fun.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Game Developers Conference Keynote, 1998
The speaker humorously admits to criticizing peers under the guise of friendly competition, highlighting the thin line between fun and harsh critique.
In simple terms: Criticizing peers can be framed as playful but may be harsh.
Key Takeaway
Use humor wisely when critiquing.
Themes
creative industry
professional ethics
communication
Mood
light‑hearted
critical
Type
professional
reflective
When to use this quote
- team meetings
- design reviews
- public forums
- online communities
Key Concepts
peer review
creative criticism
industry culture
Questions to Reflect On
- When does playful critique become harmful?
- How can designers give honest feedback without alienating peers?
A Different Perspective
Such teasing can damage relationships if not clearly framed as constructive.
![“I walked all around it [the Guggenheim Bilbao] and couldn't find one clear, clean shot. To make things worse, the weather was lousy. Nothing about this rang commercial money shot. In a situation like this there's only one thing to do: forget about pleasing editors, please yourself.” quote by Robert Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/375/robert-polidori-55002_clean_i-walked-all-around-it-the-guggenheim-bi_9097.jpg)
