Everyone, when was the last time you gave an acquaintance of the opposite gender or one you're not attracted to a compliment?

[Shiprex]

I saw a rather sad post the other day that said that women are given so much positive reinforcement gets so much positive attention that the slightest bit of criticism will destroy their self esteem and that men are so starved of positive affirmation that the slightest compliment will make their day, week, month or decade.

This is back to front given men are the ones actually building and creating a society that is functional, provided for and running safely on the whole that continues to make improvements and women are not infallible but bring the human part of humanity into existence through their nurturing and caring at the foundation of life.

Compliment someone, don't fight or bicker. We're all paddling in the same seas

I, a man, gave affirmation to a woman I am not interested in romantically or related to directly or indirectly within the past month

I, a woman, gave affirmation to a man I am not interested in romantically or related to directly or indirectly within the past month

I, a man, gave affirmation to a woman I am not interested in romantically or related to directly or indirectly within the past year

I, a woman, gave affirmation to a man I am not interested in romantically or related to directly or indirectly within the past year

I, a person, gave affirmation to someone I could, but don't, have romantic attachment with and I am not interested in romantically or related to directly or indirectly within the past month

[MannMitAntworten]

Probably 2000. The same year I discovered that benign complements in a corporate environment can even earn you a talking to by HR. Example: “I like the scent of your perfume. What is it? I would like to get some for my fiancé.” Those exact words landed me in HR. After that, never again. Both ugly and attractive no longer receive so much as acknowledged existence from me in a large corporate environment ever since. Same went with the men too because even they can be overly sensitive cry babies. Example of sensitive men: “Hey (my name) what are doing tonight?” Me replying, “I am going to dive into something tall and frosty.” Meaning an effing tall frost mug of beer. That landed me in HR for a second time through a sensitive guy. Corporate types with all their innocuous sensitivity can kiss my ass.

[Shiprex]

Wow, that's a sad reflection on innocent queries in modern times.
The second example of the beer, puzzles me why someone would get offended by such a statement.

[MannMitAntworten]

It puzzled my brain too. A lot of things in a large corporate environment puzzles my gray matter. Which is why I removed myself from that bizarre environment for a significantly more colorful one. The XX chromosome types fuck with men’s creativity, innovation, and sociability amongst ourselves by XX-braining the lessor effeminate sorts of men in our ranks. Beer boy was one such effeminate man. Apparently he felt it was, “inappropriate” to say in “mixed company”. The XX staffed HR agreed with him and a second note in my employee file was added. I don’t trust men that give a hit of being sensitive and rightly exclude them ever since.

[Shiprex]

I agree that men's freedom of expression has not been accepted by evolving society that historically it would have been just an opinion and no one would have bothered but nowadays workplaces have had to adapt to be feminised which has meant anything freely spoken of by men would be termed toxic.
I had an experience in a job I was in where I was the only guy in a department of 6 and was also the most experienced/oldest by at least a decade and only one with my specialism. In moving to the space we all had to share I placed my stuff onto a desk by a window then went about doing the grunt work of moving drawers cabinets and tables as men are expected the heavy lifting FOR everyone while they moved chairs and books. Once settled my gear is found on a corner desk no window and the "pregnant" lady had selected that desk as hers and another had scalped the one next to it. So I got relegated to the most cramped and distant from the entrance space. Within a few days I found a space in a storage area that was closer to where I worked and allowed me more space (less natural light) and away from the chatter and perfumes these colleagues wore. So I get a message to "spend more time in the office" which was a snipe at me avoiding them and being in my own place. It turned out another colleague who was on IVF would come to that room I was in and lay down after her treatment and we had some great laughs there. She got pregnant and afterwards "blamed me" lol which I felt was kind sweet and all but the difference between individual and group dynamics when women are in the majority is fuking mad.
I didn't move back to the office and in the end THEY all moved down where I was (eyeroll)

[MannMitAntworten]

That sounds like hell. I took the route of going into fields that the XX tend to avoid. Thing is I am also a decently attractive guy and would get far too much attention in the large corporate environment by the ‘hens’ which was a different problem … especially when rejecting them. Which there meant rejecting them all just to play it safe. Then there was the sticky moments when the married ones would try and hit on you then when you turn their advances down would spread some sort of rumor about you in the work place. All very juvenile behavior but common place for the XX to get what they want out of you even if that meant leveraging your career to get what they want from you … they will. Eff that (to be candid it is a form of rape but HR complaints from a man upon an XX falls on deaf ears and is pointless to do)! Never trust an XX in your work space or a sensitive man either. Both are equally dangerous. Hide cameras in your space and wear one on you if you are forced to work with them. They will eff you the moment they have a chance.

[MannMitAntworten]

@fdhugh45 None of your options suit my response. Your options only allow for within a month or within a year. My response took place 25 years ago. Provide that as a vote option (over a year ago or something along those lines) on your poll and i will gladly oblige you.

[Godihateyou]

Every fucking day. I told a security gaurd. Thank you for working night shift to keep us safe even though you have to get up early for your real job as a super model hardly 5 hours later. She blushed which is hard to do as a black woman. Her smile makes my travel to work worth it.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Yesterday, I told my buddy that he was a really smart guy that I was happy to have in my life

[Shiprex]

How did he react?

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

He was very smiley and said thank you

[Shiprex]

That's wonderful
Good on you @cupcakethedestroyer
Do you think he will remember that for some time?

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

We’re good friends, I tell him that fairly often

[Shiprex]

I see that's kind of you. I know as a woman you'd probably not do this to someone you don't know but have you ever in passing said something like, nice shoes, I like your hair cut or something to a guy who wasn't someone you fancied or knew? Like @Sun_Kim-Ai did to an old lady in church. A stranger just for the joy of it?

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Not a strange man, no. I don’t need them getting the wrong idea just to try to follow me home

[Shiprex]

@cupcakethedestroyer
I get that but things like service workers, postman, police, first responders or even pensioners could be something. I get that there could be that reaction BECAUSE men aren't used to getting any affirmation in public from anyone.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

I’m not following your logic here and I don’t care to anymore

[Shiprex]

Showing people around you that you see them and appreciate their presence.

[Nikki1989]

I do it almost every day with my coworkers.

[Shiprex]

It's people you don't know really but what kind of example did you give?

[Sevenpointfive]

what in the hell is answer B?

how does she give me affirmation though? do i need to pay a bill and confirm?

[Shiprex]

She acknowledges your presence, sees you without needing to get to know you instead of ignore you

[Sevenpointfive]

i knew a girl like that. i felt so used.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

I complimented an old lady for her new hairstyle at Mass. Does that count?

[Shiprex]

Absolutely @Sun_Kim-Ai
How did she take it?
I think older folk really appreciate younger ones noticing them and making it known that they are noticed

[WonderingManII]

I kinda done it a few times on yt. But I am kinda attracted to them, just not as much as someone else.

[Sammygirl9287]

I do it all the time if I feel they are deserving