health
March 15, 2026
The world needs more compliments. Just try not to be weird about it
I’m inspired by Barbara from Stroud, who went viral for her way with a kind word. What we don’t need is the corporate nonsense from the likes of M&S and ‘chief compliments officer’ Gillian Anderson
TL;DR
- Barbara from Stroud's viral vox pop highlighted the impact of simple, sincere compliments.
- Corporate attempts at spreading compliments, like M&S's campaign with Gillian Anderson, are criticized for lacking authenticity.
- Effective compliments are sincere, specific, and often have an element of surprise or uniqueness.
- Giving compliments involves vulnerability and the risk of being perceived negatively.
- While appearance-based compliments can be rewarding, research suggests they may also have cognitive drawbacks and perpetuate inequality.
- The article encourages readers to be more like Barbara and offer genuine compliments.
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