The Value of a Compliment

I was recently thinking of the value of a compliment. Do we enjoy compliments because we are all narcissistic people with an immense compulsion to make everything all about number one? Maybe. Or is it that we are so insecure about our own abilities and self-worth that we must hear constant validation through the people around us? Sometimes. Or is it a means of creating connections through the realization that we share a similar taste for shoes or sports with someone else? Perhaps. The enjoyement we gain from a simple compliment may be for none of these reasons or it may be all of these reasons. Regardless of which reason in particular we enjoy hearing a bit of praise now and then, flattery has the incredible power to transform. It can whisk a frown into a beaming smile, ease the tension out of a knotted neck, or revolutionize a grumpy mood into a cheery disposition. Moreover, praise has the amazing tendency to mulitiply. One compliment can spur on hundreds through the snowball effect--once a person has been altered by a little flattery, it is more likely he or she will pass it on than to simply forget the gesture--or the repetition technique--once they speak a bit of praise, it becomes easier and easier to repeat the process. Thus, one tiny acclaim can effect a whole sphere of people. Besides, wouldn't it be nicer to live on a planet where people were positive and appreciative amid all the insanity of this world? I think so.