It does, right?

... Up Front: Why Criticism Matters. (Hat tip, Dave Lull, who also sent along the links below.)

(Of course, if you have to explain why something matters, there's a real possibility that it no longer does.)

Six accomplished critics explain the importance of their work.

Stephen Burn | Katie Roiphe
Pankaj Mishra | Adam Kirsch
Sam Anderson | Elif Batuman

Editors’ Introduction

More Critics on Criticism