The Art Of Flattery

Previously it was said that “Women love to be flattered by men”. That may be true to some extent. But it can not be true in all the cases and certainly in the case of all women. In any case, it is now admitted that all love to be flattered. Even children and old men love to be flattered. To try to flatter and like to be flattered is a part of human nature. Actually, even animals are to be loved, patted and treated kindly. That is also a kind of flattery though it may be of a noble kind.

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About Julius Caesar, Shakespeare says in his drama “Julius Caesar” that the great emperor felt most flattered when he was told that he did not like flattery and this may be true of almost all men and women.

Flattery may be one human weakness but this weakness is greatly exploited by clever men and sycophants. In offices, we see clerks, the peons, and others among the lower staff cadres indulge in flattery to please their bosses and get some favor from them. Sometimes some promotion or release of an increment may not be possible unless the boss is flattered. Sometimes it may be the other way about. An officer may have to flatter some members of his staff to get the work done quickly without which his own promotion or credit building with the higher authorities may be in danger or his reputation or popularity among the public may be jeopardized.

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Some students know the good art of flattery to get good marks from the teachers in exams, though in the University or Board Examinations, they may face some difficulty in finding out some flattering way to get their work done .Moreover some teachers of integrity may not fall to fall prey to the cunningness of such clever students who not only try to make use of their glibs by singing praises of a particular teachers knowledge, caliber or way of teaching but also, try to please them with gifts and sweets.

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The most cunning people in the art of flattery are perhaps those who belong to the business community. Fortunately for them, most of bureaucrats and functionaries in the government are corrupt and they not only praise them high sky but also offer them a bribe and costly gifts and sweets and dry fruits with one excuse or the other like Diwali or some other function devised for the purpose.

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One may be flattered by himself when, after a nice shave and bath one looks into the mirror. Flattery may not be bad if it leads to self-confidence. Otherwise if done in excess it is a curse.