When does appreciation turn to flattery? Wise men may differ...

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It's always worth taking the trouble to praise people.
-- My fortune cookie, today

Any flattering remark, if repeated too often, will always wear thin in the end and become as wounding as any insult.
-- Jose Saramago, born this day in 1922

Apprenez que tout flatteur vit aux de'pens de celui qui l'e'coute.
-- Jean de la Fontaine (1621-1695)

Between flattery and admiration there often flows a river of contempt.
--Minna Antrim (1861-1950)

Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.
--Dr Joyce Brothers

Most people are much more able to take criticism to heart than to hear words of support or appreciation. It's a good rule to offer ten instances of the latter for every one of the former that you utter. -- Harville Hendrix

Some of us are surrounded by destructive people who tell us we're worthless when we're endlessly valuable, that we're stupid when we're smart, that we're failing even when we succeed. But the opposite of people who drag you down isn't people who build you up and butter you up. It's equals who are generous but keep you accountable, true mirrors who reflect back who you are and what you are doing. - Rebecca Solnit

Authors Bio:

Josh Mitteldorf, de-platformed senior editor at OpEdNews, blogs on aging at http://JoshMitteldorf.ScienceBlog.com. Read how to stay young at http://AgingAdvice.org.

Educated to be an astrophysicist, he has branched out from there to mathematical modeling in a variety of areas, including evolutionary ecology and economics. He has taught mathematics, statistics, and physics at several universities. He is an avid amateur pianist, and father of two adopted Chinese girls, now grown. He travels to Beijing each year to work with a lab studying the biology of aging. His book on the subject is "Cracking the Aging Code", http://tinyurl.com/y7yovp87.