David Bevan of Pitchfork praised the album in a positive review, stating, "We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves is the most vibrant and toothsome expression of Maus' pursuits yet.
Jordan Redmond of Tiny Mix Tapes gave the album a very positive review, stating, "Being an academic, John Maus understands the imperative to only release bodies of work that are conceptually sound and completely actualized.