> Or maybe you know enough people are just generally mean and jerk enough that you don't want to listen to their silly criticism and over-the-topness.

Yea, that’s lacking the bravery. Thickening your skin and sharpening your tools is 100% beneficial to you, at least for your personal development. It’s good for culture and society, too, to have more fledgling and amateur artists and creators put themselves out there.