Final answer:
Self-criticism is considered necessary as it motivates self-improvement through personal accountability and continuous learning. It entails a conscious effort to reflect, critique, and improve one's behaviors and thoughts, sustaining self-awareness and development.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some people believe self-criticism is necessary because it motivates self-improvement. The concept of self-criticism, as proposed by Mao Tse-Tung, was oriented toward personal and societal improvement, with the belief that openly addressing and critiquing one's own actions and thoughts could lead to better outcomes. This notion is rooted in the idea that by recognizing and owning up to one's shortcomings or mistakes, a person could work toward correcting them and thus continue to develop and grow.
Self-criticism also serves to maintain a level of self-awareness that prevents complacency and stagnation, which might otherwise result from a lack of reflection on one's own performance and behavior. It includes metacognitive behaviors such as checking, planning, and self-interrogating, which are essential for engaging in rational and abstract thought.
Although the practice of self-criticism has, at times, been associated with negative outcomes such as repression or brutality, its theoretical basis is in the promotion of communication, self-examination, and liberation. It is a tool intended to uphold values of transparency, accountability, and continuous learning.