These people are annoying, aren't they?

I'm talking about butt kissers. Brown nosers. People who use flattery to curry favor.

Sadly, it tends to be the primary weapon in the arsenal of people who want:

A promotion at work
To get laid
Someone to do him or her a favor

And, oddly enough, this strategy tends to work! But that doesn't mean I am going to use it -- not today, not any day.

There's a saying that says, "I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not."

If not complimenting a person's hair or dress every day makes me a bad guy, then so be it. I am nice and friendly, yes, but kissing ass is not in my repertoire -- nor will it ever be.

This seems to be most rampant in the workplace, where people kiss up to the big wigs like there's no tomorrow.

If you're going to give someone a compliment, don't do it unless it's entirely genuine. And if you sense someone's compliments toward you are disingenuous, your gut is probably on point.

There's nothing like a nice remark that's well deserved. When people go around throwing flattery just to get something out it, though, it really devalues the meaning of a compliment.

What's your stance on this topic?

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Comments

Priscilla King said…

What I can't stand are some men who think they have to express all the anger they feel, with insults in plenty, but don't want to say anything nice. "It wouldn't sound sincere!" "So when you called me X and them Y and someone else Z, that was sincere?" "Oh, no..." I always think it's "Oh, yes." Men should only worry as much about sounding like haters as they do about sounding like flatterers.

September 4, 2015 at 11:09 PM

Jeff Martinez, Writer & Proud Introvert said…

Great point, Priscilla. Thanks for sharing :)

September 6, 2015 at 1:03 PM

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