Having been in the industry for some time now, I've observed significant generational differences between how criticism is given and accepted.
When I worked with developers raised in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, they generally wouldn't hold back when it came to criticism. If something was done wrong, or if something was a stupid idea, they'd say so very bluntly and to-the-point. They'd also be more open to receiving such criticism, and would re-evaluate their own work or ideas without a second thought. They surely wouldn't let it hurt their feelings, or anything of that sort.
Developers raised in the 1950s, 1960s and the first part of the 1970s tend to be willing to give out some harsh criticism, but I've found they're often less willing to accept it from others. They won't necessarily re-consider their ideas or work when questioned.
The trend is more pronounced with developers raised in the late 1970s and 1980s. I've generally observed them to be far less critical of the work of others, but also even less willing to accept criticism directed at their work or ideas. Some even consider criticism to be unacceptable.
Now I've started working with some developers raised during the 1990s, and their attitude is generally one of criticism being completely unacceptable. They don't necessarily think that praise is necessary all of the time, but they can often take any sort of criticism very personally.
While it may just be tied to age, experience and maturity, I'm thinking it goes beyond such things. For example, I've seen several different professional developers raised in the 1990s actually cry in the workplace when faced with valid, and actually quite muted, criticism of their work. These people were adults, over 20 years old. I'd never seen anything like it with the thousands of other developers I've worked with over the years, even ones who were of a similar age at the time, but born earlier.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's what we're seeing here, too. Old developers, who have a more accepting attitude toward criticism, are more than willing to dish it out and receive it back. But the youngest generation has a very different attitude toward it, seeing criticism as extremely offensive, and even pseudo-criminal in nature. While many of them do just try to avoid giving and receiving criticism altogether, I do find it kind of funny and hypocritical when the more outspoken ones openly criticize those who are critical of others.