--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People ask for criticism, but they only…" description: "\"People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.\" — W. Somerset Maugham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/w-somerset-maugham-237_criticism_people-ask-for-criticism-but-they-only-w_133059.jpg" --- # People ask for criticism, but they only want praise. ![“People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/w-somerset-maugham-237_criticism_people-ask-for-criticism-but-they-only-w_133059.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/w-somerset-maugham-237_criticism_people-ask-for-criticism-but-they-only-w_133059.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/w-somerset-maugham-237_criticism_people-ask-for-criticism-but-they-only-w_133059.jpg) > “People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People claim to want critique but actually crave affirmation, revealing a fear of negative feedback. **In simple terms:** They want praise more than criticism. Key Takeaway Provide honest feedback while acknowledging strengths. Themes criticism affirmation selfesteem communication Mood thoughtful balanced Type motivational insightful When to use this quote - performance reviews - creative writing - team meetings Key Concepts psychology feedback loops Questions to Reflect On - Why do we avoid criticism? - How can we balance praise with constructive input? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on praise can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) ## Related quotes > [People ask you for criticism, but they only want praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-ask-you-for-criticism-but-they-only-want-praise/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who ask for your criticism want only praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/people-who-ask-for-your-criticism-want-only-praise/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I suspect that most authors don't really want criticism, not even constructive criticism. They want straight-out, unabashed, unashamed, fulsome, informed, naked praise, arriving by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-suspect-that-most-authors-don-t-really-want-criticism-not-even/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I don't want you to praise me...Some praise me because I am a colored girl, and I don't want that kind of praise. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmonia-lewis/i-don-t-want-you-to-praise-me-some-praise-me-because-i-am-a-colored/) [Edmonia Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmonia-lewis/) > [Actors are greedy. They can never be satisfied. I want praise as well as box office returns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actors-are-greedy-they-can-never-be-satisfied-i-want-praise-as-well/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Successful people ask for the criticism of others and consider its merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/successful-people-ask-for-the-criticism-of-others-and-consider-its/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“The way you ask for criticism and react when you get it goes a long way toward building trust—or destroying it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-malone-scott/the-way-you-ask-for-criticism-and-react-when-you-get-it-goes-a-long/) [Kim Malone Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-malone-scott/) > [There's always loose points that people bring up, which is great, and I think that's why you read criticism is because you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-russo/there-s-always-loose-points-that-people-bring-up-which-is-great-and-i/) [Joe Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-russo/) > [Social media criticism: you only see it how much you want see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mctominay/social-media-criticism-you-only-see-it-how-much-you-want-see-it/) [Scott McTominay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mctominay/) > [There are some movies that deserve criticism. They want people to know that it's a great dramatic accomplishment and has some great performances in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/there-are-some-movies-that-deserve-criticism-they-want-people-to-know/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [You gotta be able to take criticism if you want to be anything close to great. Even if it's not true. You use that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demar-derozan/you-gotta-be-able-to-take-criticism-if-you-want-to-be-anything-close/) [DeMar DeRozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demar-derozan/) > [“Whenever we have to praise God, what do we do? We simply say what He is! ‘You are this and You are that.’ There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spurgeon-1834-1892-charles/whenever-we-have-to-praise-god-what-do-we-do-we-simply-say-what-he-is/) Spurgeon (1834-1892), Charles > [“Feels good, doesn’t it? I’ve got you trussed up, and I’m holding all the power. You’ve got my full attention, and you’re getting told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-riley/feels-good-doesn-t-it-i-ve-got-you-trussed-up-and-i-m-holding-all-the/) [Alexa Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-riley/) > [“If you’re sure something is what you want, then praise God like you’ve already got it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-hinze/if-you-re-sure-something-is-what-you-want-then-praise-god-like-you-ve/) [Vicki Hinze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-hinze/) > [“I don’t want to praise myself. Rather, I want to praise the thing that saves me from myself. Hence there is God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-don-t-want-to-praise-myself-rather-i-want-to-praise-the-thing-that/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## 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": "People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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