What does living critically mean?

Well, if your my mother (or my mother-in-law), it means that nothing is ever good enough and you suck (unless they’re bragging about you to other people).

But I suspect that’s not you’re after here.

As I understand the concept, living critically means to examine and evaluate why you do the things you do, to see if they add meaning or value to your life. This is contrasted against people who just follow their daily routines mindlessly, and don’t examine or try to understand why the act the way to do.

It’s related to the concepts of The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living (Socrates, ancient Greece), who was motivated by the pursuit of wisdom and understanding.

Probably the same as living defensively.

I never heard the phrase. Can you give some context?

@janbb I suppose its the opposite of living positively? http://www.dialogon.fr/articles/to-live-an-intense-life-dont-think-positive-think-critically

@elbanditoroso In that sense it seems to be a positive, clearly, right? But it may come off standoffish to many today who are just happy go lucky and positive.

I don’t think it’s either positive or negative. It would be more of an outlook or an attitude, or an approach to life.

I would love context, like did some say ‘why are you living life so critically, is nothing good enough?’
Or
‘Do you live critically?’ in a textbook scenario for psych class.

It means don’t be led by the nose.