--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Criticize me if you can, but that won't…" description: "\"“Criticize me if you can, but that won't stop me from saying what i like, my mouth is mine, and not yours.”\" — Michael Bassey Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/michael-bassey-johnson-311_criticism_criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-s_2930521.jpg" --- # Criticize me if you can, but that won't stop me from… ![“Criticize me if you can, but that won't stop me from saying what i like, my mouth is mine, and not yours.” quote by Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/michael-bassey-johnson-311_criticism_criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-s_2930521.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/michael-bassey-johnson-311_criticism_criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-s_2930521.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/michael-bassey-johnson-311_criticism_criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-s_2930521.jpg) > ““Criticize me if you can, but that won't stop me from saying what i like, my mouth is mine, and not yours.”” [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expresses personal autonomy over speech, refusing external control over one's words. **In simple terms:** I control my own words. Key Takeaway Speak your truth despite criticism. Themes freedom self‑expression resilience Mood defiant empowered Type personal political When to use this quote - public speaking - social media posts - creative writing - debates Key Concepts individual rights censorship authenticity Questions to Reflect On - Do you fear others' judgments? - How does owning your voice affect confidence? A Different Perspective May provoke conflict or alienate listeners. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Spoken words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoken-words/) ## Related quotes > [“Don't call anyone a devil, because within you, you can experience hell and the devil, and the devil is nothing, but you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-call-anyone-a-devil-because-within-you-you-can-experience-hell/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Everyone is always busy, not until it is something that benefits them, or that which concerns whom they love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/everyone-is-always-busy-not-until-it-is-something-that-benefits-them/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“The rich eat life, the poor eat death; so what is the problem they ask?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/the-rich-eat-life-the-poor-eat-death-so-what-is-the-problem-they-ask/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Is not a patron one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/is-not-a-patron-one-who-looks-with-unconcern-on-a-man-struggling-for/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“When you are unemployed, weekends are seven days long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/when-you-are-unemployed-weekends-are-seven-days-long/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [She couldn't survey the wreck of the world with an air of casual unconcern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-couldn-t-survey-the-wreck-of-the-world-with-an-air-of-casual/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Compassion only plagues those with hearts, much like a field of thorns only troubles those who bleed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/compassion-only-plagues-those-with-hearts-much-like-a-field-of-thorns/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Is not a patron, my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and when he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/is-not-a-patron-my-lord-one-who-looks-with-unconcern-on-a-man/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“To others, I am as they perceive me, and they address me based on their preferences. I have no objection to people's perception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-pokhrel/to-others-i-am-as-they-perceive-me-and-they-address-me-based-on-their/) [Suman Pokhrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-pokhrel/) > [How chronic is the unconcern of men and women of the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-braddon/how-chronic-is-the-unconcern-of-men-and-women-of-the-world/) [Mary Elizabeth Braddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-braddon/) > [“As it so happens, I like your mouth." "It doesn't -- " "Challenge me?" He set the bottle down and moved to the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dannika-dark/as-it-so-happens-i-like-your-mouth-it-doesn-t-challenge-me-he-set-the/) [Dannika Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dannika-dark/) > [“I like my mouth, especially when it's attached to Violet's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/i-like-my-mouth-especially-when-it-s-attached-to-violet-s/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“Words could be like food - they felt like something in your mouth. They tasted like something. Words were not things you could control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/words-could-be-like-food-they-felt-like-something-in-your-mouth-they/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [Sometimes a mind is like a mouth: you just got to shut it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/sometimes-a-mind-is-like-a-mouth-you-just-got-to-shut-it/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [“When he puts his mouth against her shoulder she is uncertain whether her shoulder has given or received the kiss. All her flesh is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/when-he-puts-his-mouth-against-her-shoulder-she-is-uncertain-whether/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More by Michael Bassey Johnson > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Anything you fear is a shackle to ur soul. It is a phobia that tethers and blinds ur ability to see and comprehend your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/anything-you-fear-is-a-shackle-to-ur-soul-it-is-a-phobia-that-tethers/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“The human eye is restricted to see the useen, because there’s a price to be paid to the rulers of this image and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-human-eye-is-restricted-to-see-the-useen-because-there-s-a-price/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“-We need more love, to supersede hatred, -We need more strength, to resist our weaknesses, -We need more inspiration, to lighten up our innermind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/we-need-more-love-to-supersede-hatred-we-need-more-strength-to-resist/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Don't pretend to be what you're not, instead, pretend to what you want to be, it is not pretence, it is a journey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-pretend-to-be-what-you-re-not-instead-pretend-to-what-you-want/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“A lot can be done with courage, than with years wasted on the search for perfection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/a-lot-can-be-done-with-courage-than-with-years-wasted-on-the-search/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Any fool that had once helped you will someday make known to everyone that you were once a needy. No matter how broke you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/any-fool-that-had-once-helped-you-will-someday-make-known-to-everyone/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Sex doesn't satisfy for a lifetime, the more you have it, the more you want it. And the more you have it, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/sex-doesn-t-satisfy-for-a-lifetime-the-more-you-have-it-the-more-you/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“It is easy to criticize the antisocial, but hard to get close to know what keeps them at bay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/it-is-easy-to-criticize-the-antisocial-but-hard-to-get-close-to-know/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“There's no difference between a madman and a professor...it should be clear to you in the way they dress, act and think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-s-no-difference-between-a-madman-and-a-professor-it-should-be/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“People run away from the love game because they know they won't win the race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/people-run-away-from-the-love-game-because-they-know-they-won-t-win/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“When you favour a woman, she will want to return the favour in so many means, but its better to rupidiate such offerings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-favour-a-woman-she-will-want-to-return-the-favour-in-so-many/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“When pain inspires you, your thoughts scream its lungs out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-pain-inspires-you-your-thoughts-scream-its-lungs-out/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Petrichor is the earth unearthing itself on a rainy day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/petrichor-is-the-earth-unearthing-itself-on-a-rainy-day/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Laugh now, and laugh hard. For laughter is the bell. And when it rings, it cleanses the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/laugh-now-and-laugh-hard-for-laughter-is-the-bell-and-when-it-rings/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) [Explore all 703 Michael Bassey Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) ## 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": "“Criticize me if you can, but that won't stop me from saying what i like, my mouth is mine, and not yours.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Bassey Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-stop-me-from-saying-what-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-stop-me-from-saying-what-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/michael-bassey-johnson-311_criticism_criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-s_2930521.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/michael-bassey-johnson-311_criticism_criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-s_2930521.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/michael-bassey-johnson-311_criticism_criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-s_2930521.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Criticize me if you can, but that won't stop me from saying what i like, my mouth is mine, and not yours.” — Michael Bassey Johnson", "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": "Michael Bassey Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Criticize me if you can, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-stop-me-from-saying-what-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/criticize-me-if-you-can-but-that-won-t-stop-me-from-saying-what-i/#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 } } ] } ```