You may have a very skewed perspective if you think that anyone who is giving criticism is trying to make themselves happy at others' expense.
There's a difference between constructive criticism, and people for whom criticism is the dominant mode of conversation.
>In subtractive, a person tries to add happiness to their life by taking it away from other people around them - putting people down, criticizing, picking on people, name calling, etc.
>a person tries to add happiness to their life by taking it away from other people around them
Read it however you want, but taken in context I disagree that that's their intended claim. I think that poster meant that malicious criticism is something that can make unhappy people feel a little better about themselves.
Also, "criticize" as a verb tends to be more negative and imply a more direct attack than "criticism of" or, even better, "critique" which both shade towards implying giving the person more useful feedback.
To me, thinking about others is not criticism. Criticism requires communication with the other party whom is the object of your thought.
Criticism was opposed to compliments in the lists, as if not agreeing (and actively making it known) with someone was a "negative" thing to be avoided (with the seeming implication that compliments should be given, regardless).