There are no exceptions to the rule that everybody likes to be an exception to the rule.
—Charles Osgood (1933–2024) American Radio, Television Journalist, Writer
You do ill if you praise, but worse if you censure what you do not rightly understand.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Polymath, Painter, Sculptor, Architect
Doubtless criticism was originally benignant, pointing out the beauties of a work rather than its defects.—The passions of men have made it malignant, as the bad heart of Procrustes turned the bed, the symbol of repose, into an instrument of torture.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
The pleasure of criticism takes from us that of being deeply moved by very beautiful things.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Nothing is as peevish and pedantic as men’s judgments of one another.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
A critic is a reader who ruminates. Thus, he should have more than one stomach.
—Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel (1772–1829) German Man of Letters, Critic
A critic is a man who prefers the indolence of opinion to the trials of action.
—John Mason Brown (1900–69) American Author, Drama Critic
Writing prejudicial, off-putting reviews is a precise exercise in applied black magic. The reviewer can draw free-floating disagreeable associations to a book by implying that the book is completely unimportant without saying exactly why, and carefully avoiding any clear images that could capture the reader’s full attention.
—William S. Burroughs (1914–97) American Novelist, Poet, Short Story Writer, Painter
Criticism is a privilege that you earn—it shouldn’t be your opening move in an interaction.
—Malcolm Gladwell (b.1963) Canadian Journalist, Author
Every human being is entitled to courtesy and consideration. Constructive criticism is not only to be expected but sought.
—Margaret Chase Smith (1897–1995) American Politician
A friend is a lot of things, but a critic he isn’t.
—Bert Williams (1876–1922) American Entertainer, Actor
There’s a fine line between participation and mockery.
—Scott Adams (b.1957) American Cartoonist
Men over forty are no judges of a book written in a new spirit.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The artist doesn’t have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews. The ones who want to write don’t have the time to read reviews.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
I love criticism just so long as it’s unqualified praise.
—Noel Coward (1899–1973) English Dramatist, Actor, Composer
We are suffering from too much sarcasm.
—Marianne Moore (1887–1972) American Poet
Critics! Those cut-throat bandits in the paths of fame.
—Robert Burns (1759–96) Scottish Poet, Songwriter
Never criticize a man until you’ve walked a mile in his moccasins.
—American Indian Proverb
The avocation of assessing the failures of better men can be turned into a comfortable livelihood, providing you back it up with a Ph.D.
—Nelson Algren (1909–81) American Writer, Novelist
Do not remove a fly from your friend’s forehead with a hatchet.
—Chinese Proverb
Every job looks easy when you’re not the one doing it.
—Jeffrey Immelt (b.1956) American Businessperson
Appreciate the constructive; ignore the destructive.
—John Douglas (b.1945) American FBI Agent, Criminal Profiler, Author
What we ask of him is, that he should find out for us more than we can find out for ourselves. He must have the passion of a lover.
—Arthur Symons (1865–1945) English Literary Scholar, Author
Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (1940–2021) American Author of “Life’s Little Instruction Book”
What distinguishes modern art from the art of other ages is criticism.
—Octavio Paz (1914–98) Mexican Poet, Diplomat
To be just, that is to say, to justify its existence, criticism should be partial, passionate and political, that is to say, written from an exclusive point of view, but a point of view that opens up the widest horizons.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
Most of us are umpires at heart; we like to call balls and strikes on somebody else.
—Leo Aikman (1908–78) American Columnist
Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
A good drama critic is one who perceives what is happening in the theatre of his time. A great drama critic also perceives what is not happening.
—Kenneth Tynan (1927–80) English Theatre Critic, Writer
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