Just because we are flattered by a proposal doesn’t mean that we are going to accept that proposal; nor does it mean that we are going to reject that proposal. The word “flattered” can be a negative word when someone is doing the flattering. But when somebody says, “I am flattered by what you said about me”, can mean they are feeling complimented. However, that doesn’t necessarily tell whether they are seeing the words they have received positively or negatively. The saying needs to be evaluated in the light of what they do thereafter. “Flattered” can be an elegant way of saying “no” to the person’s request while accepting their words.

Watch this content at: An unflattering truth about feeling flattered

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17.15 Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.