--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Criticism shouldn't be a performance that…" description: "\"Criticism shouldn't be a performance that upstages the work it's talking about.\" — Darryl Pinckney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/darryl-pinckney-19796_criticism_criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-tha_2342395.png" --- # Criticism shouldn't be a performance that upstages the… ![“Criticism shouldn't be a performance that upstages the work it's talking about.” quote by Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/darryl-pinckney-19796_criticism_criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-tha_2342395.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/darryl-pinckney-19796_criticism_criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-tha_2342395.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/darryl-pinckney-19796_criticism_criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-tha_2342395.png) > “Criticism shouldn't be a performance that upstages the work it's talking about.” [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critique should serve the work, not dominate it; analysis must support rather than eclipse the art. **In simple terms:** Criticism should enhance, not outshine. Key Takeaway Focus criticism on the work itself. Themes art criticism humility creative integrity Mood thoughtful analytical Type critical educational When to use this quote - book reviews - art exhibitions - academic papers - creative workshops Key Concepts critical theory authorial intent balance Questions to Reflect On - How can criticism be constructive? - When does critique become distraction? A Different Perspective Risk of stifling artistic freedom if overly harsh. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Criticism Shouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism-shouldn-2664564/) [Performance Upstages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-upstages-5672683/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Shouldn Performance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shouldn-performance-5672685/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Upstages Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upstages-work-5672684/) [Working it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-it/) ## Related quotes > [“Art is personal, criticism shouldn't be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dapre/art-is-personal-criticism-shouldn-t-be/) [Alan Dapre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dapre/) > [If you want to avoid criticism, then you shouldn't be a historian, because historians are trying to understand and explain. If you're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/if-you-want-to-avoid-criticism-then-you-shouldn-t-be-a-historian/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [Criticism is part of being in the marketplace. If you can't take a bit of criticism, you shouldn't bother publishing a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tibor-fischer/criticism-is-part-of-being-in-the-marketplace-if-you-can-t-take-a-bit/) [Tibor Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tibor-fischer/) > [It doesn't bother me what people are saying. Social media is there for people to voice their criticism, so you shouldn't take that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jofra-archer/it-doesn-t-bother-me-what-people-are-saying-social-media-is-there-for/) [Jofra Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jofra-archer/) > [Put in an honest day's work. It is the building block of a spiritual life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-toshio-sudo/put-in-an-honest-day-s-work-it-is-the-building-block-of-a-spiritual/) [Philip Toshio Sudo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-toshio-sudo/) > [When I am working it is up early and coffee and 15 hours of being on the set. When I am not working, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-astin/when-i-am-working-it-is-up-early-and-coffee-and-15-hours-of-being-on/) [Mackenzie Astin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-astin/) > [I can't cultivate a relationship with my child if it's between takes. I tried that on a movie and realized, 'This is not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-heigl/i-can-t-cultivate-a-relationship-with-my-child-if-it-s-between-takes/) [Katherine Heigl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-heigl/) > [I have a theory about marriage, Monsieur Boustouler. And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it, which I loved in Sunday school and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-love-the-idea-of-the-teachings-of-jesus-christ-and-the-beautiful/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [As I work day after day, inspirations from different places go into the work. It's combination, but it's also comparative. I'll be reading two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-banisadr/as-i-work-day-after-day-inspirations-from-different-places-go-into/) [Ali Banisadr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-banisadr/) > [Being on a successful television show is a good thing. It’s steady work. It’s a chance to work with a group of people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-rowan/being-on-a-successful-television-show-is-a-good-thing-it-s-steady/) [Kelly Rowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-rowan/) > [I look at Starbucks, Howard Schultz has made many brilliant decisions, and one of the things that they did was they invented the third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-look-at-starbucks-howard-schultz-has-made-many-brilliant-decisions/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [I drink maple syrup. Then I'm hyper so I just run around like crazy and work it all off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-drink-maple-syrup-then-i-m-hyper-so-i-just-run-around-like-crazy/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) ## More by Darryl Pinckney > [You can get away with anything as long as it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/you-can-get-away-with-anything-as-long-as-it-works/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [As for the not-black black president issue - white people can imagine blacks worse off than them, no problem. And now they can imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/as-for-the-not-black-black-president-issue-white-people-can-imagine/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [It's not nothing when you're abroad and you don't have a washing machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/it-s-not-nothing-when-you-re-abroad-and-you-don-t-have-a-washing/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [What happened after World War I was disgraceful. Most veterans, like my great-uncle, were squashed back into place. Congress couldn't pass an anti-lynching bill.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/what-happened-after-world-war-i-was-disgraceful-most-veterans-like-my/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [I think that the Vietnam War era is important because we tend not to want to revisit it. For black people, there was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/i-think-that-the-vietnam-war-era-is-important-because-we-tend-not-to/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [“Some books you never get over, like a first love. Some books that made an enormous impression on you when you were young you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/some-books-you-never-get-over-like-a-first-love-some-books-that-made/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [It's not true that voting doesn't make a difference. To check out is political suicide. This is especially true for our young black artists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/it-s-not-true-that-voting-doesn-t-make-a-difference-to-check-out-is/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [Obama can't be everything to everyone. He changed. He did. I never thought I'd hear Obama say, "Let's go back to nuclear arms," but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/obama-can-t-be-everything-to-everyone-he-changed-he-did-i-never/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [Hillary certainly needs the black vote, and Democrats need it. She's not doing anything too soon; she's raising her money and not wanting any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/hillary-certainly-needs-the-black-vote-and-democrats-need-it-she-s/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [It's important for the progressive youth to remember that the agenda you set today is the agenda that will matter tomorrow. If you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/it-s-important-for-the-progressive-youth-to-remember-that-the-agenda/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [People from Europe and people from Africa encountered one another long before the invention of "Europe" and "Africa" and "white people" and "black people."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/people-from-europe-and-people-from-africa-encountered-one-another/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [Being a liberal progressive has been demonized as anti-white or overly on the side of blacks. There's nothing that can be done about that;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/being-a-liberal-progressive-has-been-demonized-as-anti-white-or/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [ In her excellent, entirely readable Richard Wright, Hazel Rowley accomplishes what \[previous biographer\] Michel Fabre would have liked to do with once-guarded letters, aging… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/in-her-excellent-entirely-readable-richard-wright-hazel-rowley/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [I think at the beginning of one's writing life, negative reviews are what one does to get attention and stake out your territory. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/i-think-at-the-beginning-of-one-s-writing-life-negative-reviews-are/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) > [Freedom is having real choice. This offers a limited amount of choices. This is participating in a very imperfect system that we're desperately hanging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/freedom-is-having-real-choice-this-offers-a-limited-amount-of-choices/) [Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) [Explore all 32 Darryl Pinckney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [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/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Criticism shouldn't be a performance that upstages the work it's talking about.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Darryl Pinckney" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-that-upstages-the-work-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-that-upstages-the-work-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/darryl-pinckney-19796_criticism_criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-tha_2342395.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/darryl-pinckney-19796_criticism_criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-tha_2342395.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/darryl-pinckney-19796_criticism_criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-tha_2342395.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Criticism shouldn't be a performance that upstages the work it's talking about.” — Darryl Pinckney", "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": "Darryl Pinckney", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Criticism shouldn't be a performance that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-that-upstages-the-work-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/criticism-shouldn-t-be-a-performance-that-upstages-the-work-it-s/#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 } } ] } ```