It’s not flattery if you mean it
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This week I reached out to someone I respect and rate highly. I wanted to see if there was a chance he might want to come work with me at some point.
I told him straight up I think he is brilliant. He half-jokingly replied that I must be desperate if I’m resorting to flattery.
I knew where he was coming from but I also knew he was wrong. I’m not desperate at all, but more importantly, that is not what the word flattery means.
I’ve been driving my wife a little nuts over the last few weeks. Apparently I’ve developed a new habit of spotting incorrect uses of English words.
That alone would be an acceptable habit. Unfortunately I also correct whichever family member dared to use the wrong word. Or use the right word in the wrong way.
Back to flattery and why this person was wrong. Flattery is excessive and insincere praise, given especially to further one's own interests.
If I think you’re good and I tell you, it’s a compliment not flattery. Even well known and widely used sayings get it wrong:
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
So imitation is the sincerest form of excessive and insincere praise? Is a square the roundest form of rectangle? I suppose so. But what’s the point? As my 13 year old daughter would say: “Oxymoron much?”
I knew where he was coming from but I also knew he was wrong. I’m not desperate at all, but more importantly, that is not what the word flattery means.
I’ve been driving my wife a little nuts over the last few weeks. Apparently I’ve developed a new habit of spotting incorrect uses of English words.
That alone would be an acceptable habit. Unfortunately I also correct whichever family member dared to use the wrong word. Or use the right word in the wrong way.
Back to flattery and why this person was wrong. Flattery is excessive and insincere praise, given especially to further one's own interests.
If I think you’re good and I tell you, it’s a compliment not flattery. Even well known and widely used sayings get it wrong:
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
So imitation is the sincerest form of excessive and insincere praise? Is a square the roundest form of rectangle? I suppose so. But what’s the point? As my 13 year old daughter would say: “Oxymoron much?”