Flattery , from the Latin adulatĭo , is the action and effect of flattering (doing or saying what one believes will please another). Flattery is usually self-serving, with the intention of obtaining some type of benefit or recognition. For example: "Mariano remains firm with the adulation so that the boss appoints him supervisor" , "The awards are distributed based on merit: I am not interested in adulation" , "The adulation paid off and the woman ended up hiring the young man" .
It is important to establish, in addition to everything stated so far, that flattery is an action that has existed since ancient times. So much so that we can find endless ways to represent it, although two are the most common and well-known:
• Like a person who finds himself kissing another's feet because this action has a positive impact on the person doing it.
• Like a very elegant woman who is playing a flute while a significant number of bees fly around her, showing their stingers.
The kings of History around the world are some of the characters that have been seen and are seen most adulated by a multitude of citizens, either out of mere inertia or as a way to obtain some type of benefit from them.
Flattery, also known as flattery , is affected praise that is not linked to respect or congratulation for real merit. If a person passes a soccer player on the street and tells him that he admires him for his talent, it is not flattery, but rather a sincere phrase and an affectionate greeting. On the other hand, if a subject tells a friend that he considers him a great person who is characterized by his solidarity because he is waiting for this friend to invite him to eat at his house, we are facing flattery since the supposed praise is a trick to raise awareness among others.
Likewise, you must know that there are different types of flattery, although they all share their essence. Specifically, among the most significant are the following:
• Malicious or harmful. It is what is done not only by an individual for his own benefit but also hiding an evil and perverse purpose.
• Harmless. It is what is carried out without any type of bad intention, quite the opposite, with the clear objective that the flattered person can be the beneficiary themselves. A clear example of this is when the teacher flatters a specific student so that they improve their motivation and thus study more and be able to perform much better in class.
Typically, the crudest examples of flattery occur in the upper echelons of power. Monarchs, presidents and leaders usually have sycophants who go around listing their virtues, with the aim of gaining the favor of those in power. The flatterer believes that, by having the sympathy of the powerful, he will take it into account when distributing gifts or, at least, to avoid possible punishments.