Could you tell us which courses you've published so we can get an idea what you view as a fair course?
Your Honor, members of opposing counsel, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, thank you for allowing me this moment to express my thoughts regarding this matter. Your patience can never be given enough appreciation.
My client, Mr.
BillySastard976 , has put forth an opinion regarding a particular artwork, the Pilansburg Golf Club design. His opinion was somewhat negative, obviously. His opinion, if you would allow me to reiterate, questioned on whether to design of the golf course was "interesting". Was the Pilansburg Golf Club an "enjoyable challenge"? Mr.
BillySastard976 did not think so, and said as such. Again, this much is obvious.
What is also obvious is that his opinion did not judge the aesthetics of the course, or whether the course was "fair".
Now, is the Pilansburg Golf Club an interesting golf course? Is it an "enjoyable challenge"? Is it boring to play? Well, jeez, I don't know. Never played it. Never knew it existed. Maybe my client is right? Maybe he's not? I don't know. What I do know, though, is that his opinion is valid, which is why I respectfully deliberate against opposing counsel's statement.
Opposing counsel rhetorically asks my client how many golf courses has he designed. Was it ten? A hundred? Maybe zero? Who knows. Who cares. How does this invalidate my client's opinion? It doesn't.
Under opposing counsel's theorem, none of you could complain your dinner at a upscale restaurant simply because you are not a professional chef. Well, you could complain, but your critique would be ignored by the rhetorical question "How many plates of food have you cooked professionally?".
How many of you turned off a television show, or walked out of a movie, simply because you did not like it for one reason or another? All of you, am I correct? Of course I am. Well, the majority of you were completely wrong for doing so, because the majority of you have not made a movie. The majority of you have no idea about what goes into making a television show, or a feature film. Now, in the mode of critical thinking, it is obvious that this concept does not seem reasonable at all. You all have a general understanding of what is good and what is bad, at least what it means to you.
Anyone ever hear of the saying, "I don't know much about art, but I do know what I like"? Kind of seems appropriate here, don't you think?
The foundation of opposing counsel's counter-point does have some merit, as to say experience gives way to an more informed opinion. However, should an opinion, a critique, be ignored simply because it comes from someone who has a lack of experience, or who has not done this sort of work or task? Does an informed opinion mean it is the right answer?
The answers are NO and NO.
Now, I haven't played a video game since Space Invaders. I'm what you call "all thumbs". However, ladies and gentlemen, I could right now go out and buy this golf game, and by the morning's dew, create thirty golf courses. The game would create the general layout, and I would add my personal touches. Now, is my opinion just as valid as any other golf course designer on this game? Is my opinion more valid than my client's? Is it more valid than yours?
Certainly not.
I will speculate regarding this....I wonder if my client's experience in designing golf courses would have been questioned if he had given a favorable review of the Pilansburg Golf Club. If my client would have said, "The Pilansburg Golf Club is the greatest course ever designed on the Golf Club game", would his golf course publishing record been called into question? I think you already have your answer, because I know you are all reasonable individuals.
All reasonable opinions matter. All reasonable feedback is welcomed. Billion dollar corporations reach out to people like you and me, asking for our opinion. Why? Because it matters. It always matters, regardless of your experience.
In closing, allow me to tell you how I interact with my students. At one time or another, every one of my students have come to me and asked me to look at their work. They ask me to judge their work. They do so because I have years more experience than they do. They know that I have testified at trials, given classes, held seminars. I know more than they do, right?
"What do you think?" the student will ask.
"Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?" I will ask the student.
They usually say, "Yeah".
"Then you did a good job," I tell them.
I want them to realize that their opinion, even when regarding their own work, is just as important as mine is.
Let us never ignore a reasonable critique, which is what my client has regarding Pilansburg Golf Club, simply because the person giving the critique does not have all the experience others think he should have.
Gerry Spence once said, "“I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief”.
Yes, let us always keep an open mind.
Your Honor, opposing counsel, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you all for your time and patience regarding this matter.
A goddamn hero