RE: Liberating or Limiting? The Dichotomy of Free Compliments

Thanks for such a thought-provoking post, and for a reference list full of interesting sources to pursue. I've read similar articles on complimenting in different cultures, but not the one you've included here, so will be glad to read another perspective.

I tend to agree with what you've written here - that an ill-intended compliment can sometimes cause more harm than good, and that motivation plays a large role in determining whether a compliment should be given at all. I've often wondered, in a similar vein, about the word love. As a teacher, I've had plenty of opportunity to view the intricacies of teenage friendship, and one aspects I've noted many times, is the abundant use of, 'Love you,' as a departing salutation. I've seen, numerous times in a schoolyard, a group of friends standing around talking, and then, when they depart, a flurry of 'love you' ensues - almost like a throwaway statement. It feels as if they've minimised it from its original sentiment to that of a trendy catchphrase. As in the case with your post, and understanding the intention of a compliment, how then does one know to use the term 'love you' in its correct context as opposed to a farewell, and further to that, when it is used, how does the recipient know that they're actually loved? When it gets trivialised meaning is lost.