--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Take heed of critics even when they are…" description: "\"Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist them even when they are.\" — Jean Rostand" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/jean-rostand-7588_criticism_take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are_2379370.jpg" --- # Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist… ![“Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist them even when they are.” quote by Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/jean-rostand-7588_criticism_take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are_2379370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/jean-rostand-7588_criticism_take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are_2379370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/jean-rostand-7588_criticism_take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are_2379370.jpg) > “Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist them even when they are.” [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even unfair criticism deserves attention; confronting it strengthens resolve and improves ideas. **In simple terms:** Listen to critics, even unfair ones, and stand firm. Key Takeaway Consider criticism thoughtfully, but stay true to your path. Themes criticism resilience integrity Mood reflective determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - creative work - leadership - public speaking - personal growth Key Concepts cognitive bias self‑validation Questions to Reflect On - When is criticism constructive? - How do you balance openness with self‑confidence? A Different Perspective Unfair criticism can be demoralizing and may distract from core goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Critics Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics-fair-5888051/) [Fair Resist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair-resist-5888050/) [Heed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heed/) [Heed Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heed-critics-5888049/) [Not fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-fair/) [Resist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resist/) ## Related quotes > [I would never do 'Dancing With The Stars,' because it's just not fair. I am too good of a dancer. It would be like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/i-would-never-do-dancing-with-the-stars-because-it-s-just-not-fair-i/) [Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/) > [I prefer not to compare teams because it's not fair at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xabi-alonso/i-prefer-not-to-compare-teams-because-it-s-not-fair-at-all/) [Xabi Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xabi-alonso/) > [It's not fair that women look in the mirror and feel disgust because of what society has made them believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-simpson/it-s-not-fair-that-women-look-in-the-mirror-and-feel-disgust-because/) [Jessica Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-simpson/) > [I think social justice is important. I think it's not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-think-social-justice-is-important-i-think-it-s-not-fair/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Life is not fair, so why should I make a course that is fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-dye/life-is-not-fair-so-why-should-i-make-a-course-that-is-fair/) [Pete Dye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-dye/) > [Rich bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/rich-bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Life is not fair get used to used to it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/life-is-not-fair-get-used-to-used-to-it/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [It's not fair that people ignore AIDS in Africa because it's Africa. It's not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/it-s-not-fair-that-people-ignore-aids-in-africa-because-it-s-africa/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [Now, there are so many movies, so many festivals, and so many awards going on, each judged with each other, like your work is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-bardem/now-there-are-so-many-movies-so-many-festivals-and-so-many-awards/) [Javier Bardem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-bardem/) > [“I keep everything hidden because there's nothing about my true self that anyone likes. I'm not difficult, Sebastian. I'm the easiest person around. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-milan/i-keep-everything-hidden-because-there-s-nothing-about-my-true-self/) [Courtney Milan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-milan/) > [I might be able to find out what happened 6,000 years ago but I will never know what happens 6,000 years in the future!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-french/i-might-be-able-to-find-out-what-happened-6-000-years-ago-but-i-will/) [Jackie French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-french/) > [You can't expect the world to be fair just because you're fair. It's like expecting the lion not to eat you because you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenz-jeffrey/you-can-t-expect-the-world-to-be-fair-just-because-you-re-fair-it-s/) [Frenz Jeffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenz-jeffrey/) > [If a bunch of activists want to create the concept of "gay infertility" and then tax all the rest of us to compensate them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-a-bunch-of-activists-want-to-create-the-concept-of-gay-infertility/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If DreamWorks and Disney need that name to sell the cartoon and get people in the seats, that's what they need. It's not fair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-alazraqui/if-dreamworks-and-disney-need-that-name-to-sell-the-cartoon-and-get/) [Carlos Alazraqui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-alazraqui/) > [Is Christianity fair? It is certainly not fair to God. Christians believe that God sent His Son to die for your sins and mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/is-christianity-fair-it-is-certainly-not-fair-to-god-christians/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) ## More by Jean Rostand > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [Le biologiste passe, la grenouille reste. The biologist passes, the frog remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/le-biologiste-passe-la-grenouille-reste-the-biologist-passes-the-frog/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [In politics, yesterday's lie is attacked only to flatter today's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/in-politics-yesterday-s-lie-is-attacked-only-to-flatter-today-s/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [There are certain moments when we might wish the future were built by men of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/there-are-certain-moments-when-we-might-wish-the-future-were-built-by/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [It may offend us to hear our own thoughts expressed by others: we are not sure enough of their souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/it-may-offend-us-to-hear-our-own-thoughts-expressed-by-others-we-are/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [The books one has written in the past have two surprises in store: one couldn't write them again, and wouldn't want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/the-books-one-has-written-in-the-past-have-two-surprises-in-store-one/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [Never feel remorse for what you have thought about your wife; she has thought much worse things about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/never-feel-remorse-for-what-you-have-thought-about-your-wife-she-has/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [Certain brief sentences are peerless in their ability to give one the feeling that nothing remains to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/certain-brief-sentences-are-peerless-in-their-ability-to-give-one-the/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [The divine is perhaps that quality in man which permits him to endure the lack of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/the-divine-is-perhaps-that-quality-in-man-which-permits-him-to-endure/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [Kill one man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill them all, and you are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/kill-one-man-and-you-are-a-murderer-kill-millions-of-men-and-you-are/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [Falsity cannot keep an idea from being beautiful; there are certain errors of such ingenuity that one could regret their not ranking among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/falsity-cannot-keep-an-idea-from-being-beautiful-there-are-certain/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [To be adult is to be alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/to-be-adult-is-to-be-alone/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [Quotations--always inexact. I don't trust people who cannot even copy out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/quotations-always-inexact-i-don-t-trust-people-who-cannot-even-copy/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [Kill one man and you're a murderer, kill a million and you're a conqueror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/kill-one-man-and-you-re-a-murderer-kill-a-million-and-you-re-a/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [There are moments when very little truth would be enough to shape opinion. One might be hated at extremely low cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/there-are-moments-when-very-little-truth-would-be-enough-to-shape/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) [Explore all 87 Jean Rostand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) ## 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": "Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist them even when they are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean Rostand" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are-not-fair-resist-them-even/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are-not-fair-resist-them-even/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/jean-rostand-7588_criticism_take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are_2379370.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/jean-rostand-7588_criticism_take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are_2379370.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5b/jean-rostand-7588_criticism_take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are_2379370.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist them even when they are.” — Jean Rostand", "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": "Jean Rostand", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Take heed of critics even when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are-not-fair-resist-them-even/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/take-heed-of-critics-even-when-they-are-not-fair-resist-them-even/#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 } } ] } ```