Lol if you don't like the critique then don't take it, simple as that. No one is twisting your arm about how to improve, Zyephen was just going by the thread rules. Telling you what they see wrong with the drawing, then following up with advise.
Realism can help a lot with lighting, shadows, colours, form, etc, but approach and patience are important. Being a base (a.k.a not a style), realism takes a lot of time, and effort to do correctly, it isn't for everyone. But referencing real life is extremely valuable regardless of what you draw, even Disney artists were/are required to do life studies regularly.
Oh god, I had a similar problem in high school when trying to cleanse myself of weeaboo brain. I couldn't comprehend how to draw anything without lines (photos, stuff in real life), so I had to look up realism done in linework, or hatchwork for the first year or so. That initial change was the hardest stage of my drawing life.