I Commend You, Sincerely

"Many men know how to flatter, few men know how to praise."-Greek proverb

I don't throw out compliments indiscriminately. Do you? Some people seem to think it's a great idea, either to get ahead themselves (ladder-climbing at work by kissing boss ass-oh, it smells so bad!) or to offer encouragement to some poor loser who doesn't deserve it, just to make them feel good about themselves.

But there is so much of that kind of insincerity out there (go to any store or call any customer service number and you'll be awash in the phony happy-talk that the wage slaves have been programed to ejaculate on cue) already. The latest thing at my job, presented by our manager at a recent meeting, was that we should say "It's my pleasure" to the customers. Well, it's not my pleasure at all, it's my damn job and I hate it, but my only other choice is to die on the street, so I keep going into work.

I don't know about you, but to me, having someone say anything nice to me is meaningless unless they really mean it. I'm also not interested in trying to advance myself by spewing compliments to people I can't stand. Selfish gain is not my goal, though it is probably yours, you sick, obsequious game-player.

I'm impressed only by the sincere compliment. To be commended by someone who truly sees real merit in you or something you've done, well, that's the kind of commendation you can take to the bank.