Dale Carnegie: Criticism Is Useless. True or Not?

[jankren]

Im reading a book by Dale Carnegie which is pretty interesting. In it he says that criticism is useless and counterproductive. There is nothing can be gained from it. All it does is hurting the pride of others and spark their resentment. He explains that men are not creatures of logic but creatures of emotion and vanity so no matter how you criticize them they will always come up with justification for their action in their own defense. Therefore it is a useless thing to criticize.

Do you think this is true or not? If yes then how can we correct other peoples behaviors when we find fault in them?

[Mithie]

I predict the next two posts will criticize Dale Carnegie for his stupid thesis.

[Da Skinna]

Dale Carnegie has had more interviews with more rich industrialists, factory managers, and regular workers than ANYONE else in history.

He has a clue of what he's talking about. What he means by criticism is the simple "oh you aren't doing it right, THIS is the way to do it... GOD! [throws arms up dramatically]"

It does cause resentment, and nothing is really learned. Just that this way pisses off an . It's how you approach people to do their job that will indicate just how well they will do it.

If you keep reading, I'm sure Carnegie will say something about feedback.

"try to catch people doing something right." that kinda crap.

[gambit]

It's true but it's not useless. If people are never made known to their mistakes, nothing would ever come of it. They may resent you even further but if you are obviously right, no matter how vain and angry he gets, he will eventually realize this. There are some thick-headed people who will just completely deny you and wont listen, and we call them fanatics.

[Mithie]

It's not useless if you reinforce the criticisms with a good truncheon blow to the face.

[Ummon]

The usefulness of criticism depends on the intelligence and intellectual honesty of the criticized person/part/organization.

[Georgy Zhukov]

The usefulness of criticism depends on the intelligence and intellectual honesty of the criticized person/part/organization.

However, you could have an extremely intelligent and credible person, who may also be a narcissist who like to keep his ego nice and inflated. Criticism wouldn't necessarily help him overcome his problem.

[Ummon]

However, you could have an extremely intelligent and credible person, who may also be a narcissist who like to keep his ego nice and inflated. Criticism wouldn't necessarily help him overcome his problem.

I know from experience (and studies), that there is positive and negative narcissism (white and black narcissism, some would say).

For example, if someone says that I am wrong and I know I am wrong, my misplaced pride doesn't allow me to be so dishonest as not to acknowledge it.

[finsternis]

That is ridiculous. He just doesn't like to be criticize.

He explains that men are not creatures of logic but creatures of emotion and vanity so no matter how you criticize them they will always come up with justification for their action in their own defense.

That's stupid. Yes people use their passions more than their logic, but that is not a good thing. People need to learn to use logic. That guy just wants to send us back to the rock ages.

And How can he call criticism useless? Does he not see that Democracy is all about criticism? Doe she not see that dictatorships and monarchies are all about not criticizing the government?

There are some thick-headed people who will just completely deny you and wont listen, and we call them fanatics.

Or dogmatic, or mentally ill people (or both, it is not like those things exclude one another).

[MaximiIian]

Or dogmatic, or mentally ill people.

Or just simply reactive to how you approach them. If someone criticizes me and does it logically without being offensive, then I'll listen; fine, sure, whatever.
But if someone is critical and acts like a ****ing ass**** to me, then they can go **** themselves and I'll just ignore every single thing that they say.

It's all a matter of approach.

[dwringer]

criticism is useless if you are trying to "win friends and influence people", except if you don't give a damn about what they think about you then you can definitely influence people with it in a certain way . . . just don't expect positive results for yourself from it, or a positive change in the behaviour you are criticizing

[Last Roman]

of course criticism is useful, it helps us learn. It just depends on how it is done/handled by the critic.

[Thanatos]

If you don't criticize, you have status quo. If you always have status quo, you have stagnation. If you have stagnation, might as well not live.

[roy34543]

of course criticism can be useful on personal levels ( beyond that not very much. Trying to criticize an organization , Peoples, Country etc does pretty much nothing but make other people dislike you (or like you if they hate that object too)) But dont overrate it either, Dont think your some kind of awesome good-deed guy for handing out liberal criticism like it seems that thanatos is suggesting (please correct me if i am wrong) because more often then not its not neccsary or helpful. it just is sometimes.

[bspiken]

It very much depends, I know that Ive accepted gracefully a lot of constructive criticism (even when it stings). However I also know (rationaly more than emotionally) when the criticism comes out of ignorance or when is just plain destructive (or insulting).

So I say its wrong, there are people mature enough to take constructive criticism, and there are also people tactful enough to give it (even to thin skinned people).

[Da Skinna]

How many have actually read Carnegie?

[Panzerbear]

criticism is VERY useful if (and only if) the target of this criticism is willing to admit mistakes and learn from them.

eat that, Carnegie !

[Cluny the Scourge]

It may not move the person being criticised, but it will at least influence other people who might otherwise have foolishly imitated the errors you are pointing out. And hatred is the natural state for mankind anyway - by every act that we ever commit we are taking something that other people might have had, however slightly so.

[Da Skinna]

Can you quote him saying criticism is useless?

It can be useless. It can also be useful. But remember Carnegie emphasizes positive feedback, constructive feedback. Criticism sounds too harsh. Feedback is more proper and invokes less resentment.

Who here has actually READ Carnegie???