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I can't imagine someone responding to a critique with an angry email to the critiquer. People post material for critiques with full knowledge that their work will be reviewed and of course they may not like what they hear. As has been mentioned in the past, however, the recipient of the critique has to decide for him or herself whether the advice is consistent with what he or she is trying to accomplish, and whether the area singled out is a chronic problem for them or only an artifact of the particular stage of the work which is under critique. It can also be confusing when several excellent artists focus on different aspects of a work and one indicates that the primary issue is X, while another suggests that the problem is with Y and X isn't an issue. The recipient can attempt to deal with X's concern and possibly offend Y.
Additionally, sometimes at the point at which people are weighing in with their ideas, the recipient of the critique is no longer in a position to act on the suggestions with that particular work, but will incorporate those ideas with the next painting. However, as Steve points out, critiquers don't have to "go back to that dip" if they feel that their good advice has been ignored.
On the other hand, sometimes people with excellent skills and credentials can legitimately disagree about the validity of a specific approach. I'm thinking of the Romancing the Stone thread which seemed to call forth such strong opinions, both pro and con, among extremely talented and experienced artists. People need to remember that there is the utmost respect for the many wonderful artists on the forum and on SOG, and declining to take a specific individual's advice on a particular issue is by no means a put-down of their ability.
When I offer a critique (both here and, earlier, on Wet Canvas) I try to focus on the specific issue that the artist is asking about, unless I can see that the person has had problems with another area in the past and I can mention it as an issue in the current work. Conversely, if the person can normally produce a good result, based on a look at his or her other paintings, I'd mention potential problems but also acknowledge that they've handled the material properly in the past. As Beth commented, positive reinforcement is an excellent teacher.
I have learned a lot from critiques - of my work and that of others - and it's one of my favorite areas of the forum. I certainly hope no one gives up on critiques, but we all have to decide where best to spend our time.
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