Critics Quote by John Kenneth Galbraith
“One of the little-celebrated powers of Presidents (and other high government officials) is to listen to their critics with just enough sympathy to ensure their silence.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Affluent Society, 1958
Leaders may feign empathy to critics to silence dissent while maintaining power.
In simple terms: Fake sympathy silences critics.
Key Takeaway
Beware of insincere listening.
Themes
politics
power
communication
Mood
cynical
analytical
Type
political
critical
When to use this quote
- government
- corporate leadership
- public relations
Key Concepts
psychology
media strategy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you spot insincere empathy?
- What are healthier ways to handle criticism?
A Different Perspective
Genuine dialogue can still be suppressed.
![“Nearly all the writing of our time is likely to disappear in a hundred years. Certainly most readers - and nearly all critics - feel that [Kurt] Vonnegut started to repeat himself, to grow increasingly self-indulgent and meandering, and to sometimes just blather in his later work. But his books up…” quote by Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed7/michael-dirda-3414_1960s_nearly-all-the-writing-of-our-time-is-li_13506.jpg)