--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The right to criticize must be earned…" description: "\"The right to criticize must be earned, even if the advice is constructive in nature.\" — James Dobson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/james-dobson-4773_advice_the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-ev_1276381.png" --- # The right to criticize must be earned, even if the advice… ![“The right to criticize must be earned, even if the advice is constructive in nature.” quote by James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/james-dobson-4773_advice_the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-ev_1276381.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/james-dobson-4773_advice_the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-ev_1276381.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/james-dobson-4773_advice_the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-ev_1276381.png) > “The right to criticize must be earned, even if the advice is constructive in nature.” [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticism should be granted only after trust and respect are established. **In simple terms:** Earn the right to critique. Key Takeaway Build trust before offering critique. Themes trust criticism relationships Mood thoughtful serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team management - parenting - ment mentorship - public discourse Key Concepts ethics communication leadership Questions to Reflect On - How do you earn trust? - When is it appropriate to critique? A Different Perspective Even earned criticism can be harmful if not delivered kindly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Advice Constructive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice-constructive-4108949/) [Constructive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constructive/) [Constructive Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constructive-nature-4108950/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize/) [Earned Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earned-advice-4108951/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Right Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-criticize-258588/) ## Related quotes > [“People have the right to criticize you. You do not have the right to criticize anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/people-have-the-right-to-criticize-you-you-do-not-have-the-right-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [People have a right to criticize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/people-have-a-right-to-criticize/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [I’m a Muslim, we come from a Muslim community and we are very critical of western or American foreign policy. So if I’ve got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maajid-nawaz/i-m-a-muslim-we-come-from-a-muslim-community-and-we-are-very-critical/) [Maajid Nawaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maajid-nawaz/) > [I can imagine no greater disservice to the country than to establish a system of censorship that would deny to the people of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/i-can-imagine-no-greater-disservice-to-the-country-than-to-establish/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-america-more-than-any-other-country-in-the-world-and-exactly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No one has the right to criticize you for how your body looks, but they will. One thing I've learned from experiencing this exact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/no-one-has-the-right-to-criticize-you-for-how-your-body-looks-but/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [The opinion of the great body of the reading public is very materially influenced even by the unsupported assertions of those who assume a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/the-opinion-of-the-great-body-of-the-reading-public-is-very/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-have-no-will-to-change-it-you-have-no-right-to-criticize-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's strange how men feel they have the right to criticize a woman's appearance to her face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/it-s-strange-how-men-feel-they-have-the-right-to-criticize-a-woman-s/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [One does not have the right to criticize until he can do the same work without being criticized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-does-not-have-the-right-to-criticize-until-he-can-do-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/i-love-america-more-than-any-other-country-in-the-world-and-exactly-2/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [The right to criticize: the right to hold unpopular beliefs; the right to protest; the right of independent thought. The exercise of these rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/the-right-to-criticize-the-right-to-hold-unpopular-beliefs-the-right/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [“One of the prerogatives of American citizenship is the right to criticize public men and measures, and that means not only informed and responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/1944-felix-frankfurter-of-the-u-s-supreme-court/one-of-the-prerogatives-of-american-citizenship-is-the-right-to/) [1944 Felix Frankfurter of the U.S. Supreme Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/1944-felix-frankfurter-of-the-u-s-supreme-court/) > [“They have a Right to censure, that have a Heart to help: The rest is Cruelty, not Justice. (Frequently misquoted as "He has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/they-have-a-right-to-censure-that-have-a-heart-to-help-the-rest-is/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-heart-to-help/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More by James Dobson > [Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and halfway closed there after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/keep-your-eyes-wide-open-before-marriage-and-halfway-closed-there/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Respect is intended to operate on a two-way street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/respect-is-intended-to-operate-on-a-two-way-street/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Conceit is a weird disease - it makes everybody sick except the guy who has it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/conceit-is-a-weird-disease-it-makes-everybody-sick-except-the-guy-who/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Since 1775, when the first Continental Congress called for a national day of prayer, there have been such events called for by almost every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/since-1775-when-the-first-continental-congress-called-for-a-national/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/i-would-not-vote-for-john-mccain-under-any-circumstances/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [A good marriage is not one where perfection reigns: it is a relationship where a healthy perspective overlooks a multitude of "unresolvables."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/a-good-marriage-is-not-one-where-perfection-reigns-it-is-a/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/homosexuals-are-not-monogamous-they-want-to-destroy-the-institution/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [It will always hurt to be laughed at, snubbed, ignored or attacked by others. But I would remind you that the human personality grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/it-will-always-hurt-to-be-laughed-at-snubbed-ignored-or-attacked-by/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [The Lord doesn't always remove the sources of stress in our lives...but He's always there and cares for us. We can feel His arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/the-lord-doesn-t-always-remove-the-sources-of-stress-in-our-lives-but/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [There is only one cure for the cancer of bitterness, that is to forgive the perceived offender. Once and for all, with God's help,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/there-is-only-one-cure-for-the-cancer-of-bitterness-that-is-to/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Marriage succeeds only as lifetime commitment with no escape clauses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/marriage-succeeds-only-as-lifetime-commitment-with-no-escape-clauses/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [You have to work to keep love alive; you have to protect it and maintain it, just like you would a delicate flower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/you-have-to-work-to-keep-love-alive-you-have-to-protect-it-and/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [To those who say Ted Bundy should burn forever in eternity I would only say, so should I, so should all of us...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/to-those-who-say-ted-bundy-should-burn-forever-in-eternity-i-would/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Although individual temperaments vary, boys are designed to be more assertive, audacious, and excitable than girls are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/although-individual-temperaments-vary-boys-are-designed-to-be-more/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [The institution of the family has very few friends in Washington. There are lobbyists in Washington for every possible entity, from the possum-growers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/the-institution-of-the-family-has-very-few-friends-in-washington/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) [Explore all 106 James Dobson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The right to criticize must be earned, even if the advice is constructive in nature.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Dobson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-even-if-the-advice-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-even-if-the-advice-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/james-dobson-4773_advice_the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-ev_1276381.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/james-dobson-4773_advice_the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-ev_1276381.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/james-dobson-4773_advice_the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-ev_1276381.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The right to criticize must be earned, even if the advice is constructive in nature.” — James Dobson", "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": "James Dobson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The right to criticize must be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-even-if-the-advice-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/the-right-to-criticize-must-be-earned-even-if-the-advice-is/#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 } } ] } ```