[ml1954]

criticism <> mockery

Since we're parsing and splitting rhetorical/definitional hairs, mockery is certainly a subset of criticism.

[starbase]

[criticism <> mockery

Since we're parsing and splitting rhetorical/definitional hairs, mockery is certainly a subset of criticism.]

I disagree entirely. I could criticize someone's performance, which they could then alter, and that would be an improvement for them. But if I just laugh and make faces I'm not offering anything beneficial. I would say constructive criticism is unrelated to mockery, while destructive criticism could be interpreted as being similar to mockery, when one is only taking a swipe at something.
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Actually, after typing up the above argument, on second thought I think you're right. But then mockery is certainly a very juvenile form of criticism, there are much more effective methods I think. Maybe I should have said:

constructive criticism <> mockery
pointless vicious criticism = mockery