Compliments

[anotheranon]

Borrowed/stolen from curiousangel's Friends list:

What makes for a nice compliment? What's the difference between creepy and cool?

I agree with the folks who pointed out that compliments "without strings" - i.e., no expectation of a compliment or anything else in return - can be really nice, providing a nifty "wow" feeling that can add a perk to an otherwise ordinary day.

However, I also agree that such compliments are extremely rare. People DO have agendas, and some people will say all sorts of things just to GET something in return.

Unfortunately, I have never had the ability to confidently read the behaviors of others, so with rare exceptions I always think that anyone who compliments me is, as one commenter put it, "either lying, on crack, or trying to get in my pants". Well, maybe not outright lying, maybe just being polite.

Not that it would matter. I find it hard to take compliments even from the few people who I know are sincere, simply because I don't see what they see when I look in the mirror. Beautiful? Not me. I have embraced my inner warthog a little too closely, me thinks. Hopefully with age and grace I'll learn to say thank you and shut up about it.

(No, this post is not fishing for compliments. I wouldn't believe you anyway).

Comments

I am so there...

[mindlessmiss.livejournal.com]

I try so hard not to be so jaded about such compliments, but I totally am right there with you. Sometimes the things people compliment you with make you want to just scream.. or at least I feel that way..

Anyhow.. yeah.. -lol- I'm off..