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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 3/7/2009
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Location: Inside Farlex computers
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 Flattery is the worst and falsest way of showing our esteem. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 4/3/2009
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Location: Michigan, United States
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Oh, Jonathan, you are surly right. You must be a genius.
I am carrying my heart~I am carrying my rhythm~I am carrying my prayers~But you can't kill my spirit~It's soaring and strong (Paula Cole's Me Lyrics)***We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We ARE spirtual beings having a human experience.(T.deChardin)***There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. (Albert Einstein)
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Location: Japan
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Flattery means kiss-ass, brown nose in English.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 4/3/2009
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Location: Michigan, United States
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almostfreebird wrote:
Flattery means kiss-ass, brown nose in English.
 really
I am carrying my heart~I am carrying my rhythm~I am carrying my prayers~But you can't kill my spirit~It's soaring and strong (Paula Cole's Me Lyrics)***We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We ARE spirtual beings having a human experience.(T.deChardin)***There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. (Albert Einstein)
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Because flattery is by definition "insincere praise," Swift's remark is little more than a tautology, nicely packaged. It also misses the point of flattery which is not to praise, but to gain by insincere praise. Modern science has somewhat distressingly shown that flattery is many times quite effective, despite our conscious repugnance.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Location: Argentina
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Sometimes the most effective one.
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Rank: Member
Joined: 1/26/2011
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Location: New Zealand
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hi everyone :) Flattery again! I'm sure that there was something similar recently. So according to the O/D Flattery : exaggerated praise or insincere praise. personally I don't really agree with Swift's definition especially when you think of it as like a exaggerated compliment, and usually the person receiving the flattery is not so gullible to take it at face value anyway. Therefore they may just think ok what's he or she after lol. Sort of like 'Oh Ken you flatter me so'. Almost in a romantic setting. Of course there is a fine line between exaggeration and bullsh*t. Possibly perceptions change over time considering Swift lived between 1667-1745.
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