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"I like you... because you're nothing like that guy."

By Rose Stricker ( Contact )   October 21, 2011

An odd practice has turned up in the last year:
When people give me a compliment, they include an insult to someone else.

Why is that?

It completely discredits the nice thing they are trying to say to me.
It makes me dislike the very people who are clearly attempting to say they like me.
Frankly, it makes me wonder if they just made up something nice, and all they really wanted to say to me was the insult.

And what do they expect me to do with this mean-spirited information? Share their feelings with the person they've insulted?

This happens so much more often that you'd think it should. How should I respond to people who do this?

reader COMMENTS
bwheelock
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:49 p.m.
Suggest removal

Rose, I really like your hair. It looks so much better than the way you used to wear it. :-P

rstricker
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:32 p.m.
Suggest removal

Thank you for the suggestion, amdiscjockey. I will keep that in mind next time it happens.

amdiscjockey
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:11 p.m.
Suggest removal

I bet your co-workers love this post... "Hmm...wonder if that's me most people are talking about...?"

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