--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I prefer to praise people and the world…" description: "\"I prefer to praise people and the world rather than criticize them and it.\" — Alice Walker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/alice-walker-347_criticize_i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world_1132154.png" --- # I prefer to praise people and the world rather than… ![“I prefer to praise people and the world rather than criticize them and it.” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/alice-walker-347_criticize_i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world_1132154.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/alice-walker-347_criticize_i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world_1132154.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/alice-walker-347_criticize_i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world_1132154.png) > “I prefer to praise people and the world rather than criticize them and it.” [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages focusing on positive aspects of people and the world rather than highlighting negatives. **In simple terms:** Praise over criticism. Key Takeaway Choose to uplift others. Themes positivity appreciation relationships Mood optimistic encouraging Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - team meetings - social media - personal relationships - leadership coaching Key Concepts human nature psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance praise with constructive feedback? - When does criticism become necessary? A Different Perspective May overlook genuine issues needing critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I don't focus on criticism. I prefer to praise people and the world, rather than criticize them and it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-don-t-focus-on-criticism-i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The world can criticize me, but l can always criticize it back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bad-bunny/the-world-can-criticize-me-but-l-can-always-criticize-it-back/) [Bad Bunny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bad-bunny/) > [Especially when you're at a high level in an organization, criticism can be devastating to an employee. I prefer to praise employees for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/especially-when-you-re-at-a-high-level-in-an-organization-criticism/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Lavish praise on people and people will flourish; criticize people and they'll shrivel up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/lavish-praise-on-people-and-people-will-flourish-criticize-people-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“In front of All the People I will thank you, Lord, in front of all the people. I will sing your praises among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheri-fuller/in-front-of-all-the-people-i-will-thank-you-lord-in-front-of-all-the/) [Cheri Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheri-fuller/) > [“I’ve watched my dad move our family from extreme poverty to extreme wealth and then everywhere in between. Never once did I see or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/i-ve-watched-my-dad-move-our-family-from-extreme-poverty-to-extreme/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [I don't praise my people. I am their greatest critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-don-t-praise-my-people-i-am-their-greatest-critic/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I believe that you should praise people whenever you can; it causes them to respond as a thirsty plant responds to water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/i-believe-that-you-should-praise-people-whenever-you-can-it-causes/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [Let's cease thinking of our accomplishments, our wants. Let's try to figure out the other man's good points. Then forget flattery. Give honest, sincere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/let-s-cease-thinking-of-our-accomplishments-our-wants-let-s-try-to/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [People treat the people that's there for them like shit and flush them. But praise the people that use them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daquann-bowers/people-treat-the-people-that-s-there-for-them-like-shit-and-flush/) [DaQuann Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daquann-bowers/) > [We praise people when goes beyond but hate while with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-aakrosh/we-praise-people-when-goes-beyond-but-hate-while-with-us/) Suman Aakrosh > [A company is simply a group of people. And as a leader of people, you have to be a great listener, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/a-company-is-simply-a-group-of-people-and-as-a-leader-of-people-you/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [We are here to bring to consciousness the beauty and power that are around us and to praise the people who are here with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/we-are-here-to-bring-to-consciousness-the-beauty-and-power-that-are/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Those who really deserve praise are the people who, while human enough to enjoy power, nevertheless pay more attention to justice than they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/those-who-really-deserve-praise-are-the-people-who-while-human-enough/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [When I was young I had an elderly friend who used often to ask me to stay with him in the country. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-i-was-young-i-had-an-elderly-friend-who-used-often-to-ask-me-to/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## More by Alice Walker > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Remember this-- say it & know it is true: Alice loves me Alice loves me and I am not blamed for this. ... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/remember-this-say-it-know-it-is-true-alice-loves-me-alice-loves-me/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Why aren't you happy in America, if everyone there drives motorcars?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-aren-t-you-happy-in-america-if-everyone-there-drives-motorcars/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“She saw poetry where other writers merely saw failure to cope with English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-saw-poetry-where-other-writers-merely-saw-failure-to-cope-with/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother had handed down respect for the possibilities...and the will to grasp them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-had-handed-down-respect-for-the-possibilities-and-the-will/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“As others might prepare for an exam whose subject matter is unknown to them, so I must study, cram, for every conversation with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/as-others-might-prepare-for-an-exam-whose-subject-matter-is-unknown/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) [Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More Criticize quotes > [When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. I think the writers showed bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-passed-the-chancellor-he-arose-waved-his-hand-at-me-and-i/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [Lavish praise on people and people will flourish; criticize people and they'll shrivel up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/lavish-praise-on-people-and-people-will-flourish-criticize-people-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [You can criticize Trump and his wealth all day long, but you can't say he hasn't worked. You can say that about the Clintons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-criticize-trump-and-his-wealth-all-day-long-but-you-can-t-say/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Those who lack the confidence and esteem to make the decisions that they need to make for themselves, are usually the same ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-lack-the-confidence-and-esteem-to-make-the-decisions-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginningmay feel betrayed and criticize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-iwata/we-are-all-too-keenly-aware-that-those-of-you-who-supported-us-by/) [Satoru Iwata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-iwata/) > [Woody Allen is a genius. His films are wonderful. He's poetic, but he's also a critic. He artfully steps back from a social setting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/woody-allen-is-a-genius-his-films-are-wonderful-he-s-poetic-but-he-s/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [When we criticize in Iran the actions of the government, the fundamentalists say that we and the Bush Administration are in the same camp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/when-we-criticize-in-iran-the-actions-of-the-government-the/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [When I first prepared this particular talk... I realized that my usual approach is usually critical. That is, a lot of the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/when-i-first-prepared-this-particular-talk-i-realized-that-my-usual/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) Browse all 1,182 Criticize quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I prefer to praise people and the world rather than criticize them and it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Walker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world-rather-than-criticize-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticize" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world-rather-than-criticize-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/alice-walker-347_criticize_i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world_1132154.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/alice-walker-347_criticize_i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world_1132154.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/alice-walker-347_criticize_i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world_1132154.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I prefer to praise people and the world rather than criticize them and it.” — Alice Walker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alice Walker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I prefer to praise people and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world-rather-than-criticize-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-prefer-to-praise-people-and-the-world-rather-than-criticize-them/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```