http://www.taibros.net/archives/2008/06/30/to-comment-or-not-to-comment A Perspective that's Taller than Yours Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:03:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 http://www.taibros.net/archives/2008/06/30/to-comment-or-not-to-comment#comment-28742 maggie Sat, 12 Jul 2008 18:20:45 +0000 http://www.taibros.net/?p=827#comment-28742 Commenting is a delicate art. At times, commenting will reward you with a very grateful, better-off-because-of-your-comment person; other times, you may wish you had held your tongue. I've got a big mouth and I don't always think before I speak. For an indecisive person, I've got a lot of opinions. I also like to help people because I know I would be grateful if someone helped me! For the situations you mention above, I would almost always comment to the customer if the sales person had given bad advice (usually after the sales person steps away). "Actually, those jeans don't look that great on you, but that shirt does!" (Yeah, I've got a lot of gall.) "No, I have some of those _____ at home and I don't like them because of 1, 2, and 3." For the restaurant comment... that depends. If advice is given by their friend, I would be less inclined to offer my two cents unless it is positive. Why would they listen to a stranger more than their friend, whom they trust. If I hear bad advice from the one friend, I would never negate that advice. (Especially if I'll be sitting at the next table for the next hour.) I might offer another suggestion that I know is great. Also at a restaurant, it is hard to tell since the comment receiver may not be picky about food... or may be very picky about food, which only the friend would know about. Of course, if it is food definitions that you're talking about, I would interject and correct the definition so both of them would learn something. It also depends on the weight of the comment you want to make. If there's big consequence, like wasted money or sickness, etc... I would always make the comment. Why let them go through something if they don't have to? If there's little consequence "That's not spicy, you can eat it." she may just have to withstand a spicy meal... ick. As for comments in the vein of compliments, you should ALWAYS offer them. =) I am constantly telling strangers "That's a nice tie." or "That shirt looks good on you." Compliments are always appreciated and brighten people's days. Commenting is a delicate art. At times, commenting will reward you with a very grateful, better-off-because-of-your-comment person; other times, you may wish you had held your tongue.
I’ve got a big mouth and I don’t always think before I speak. For an indecisive person, I’ve got a lot of opinions. I also like to help people because I know I would be grateful if someone helped me!
For the situations you mention above, I would almost always comment to the customer if the sales person had given bad advice (usually after the sales person steps away). “Actually, those jeans don’t look that great on you, but that shirt does!” (Yeah, I’ve got a lot of gall.) “No, I have some of those _____ at home and I don’t like them because of 1, 2, and 3.”
For the restaurant comment… that depends. If advice is given by their friend, I would be less inclined to offer my two cents unless it is positive. Why would they listen to a stranger more than their friend, whom they trust. If I hear bad advice from the one friend, I would never negate that advice. (Especially if I’ll be sitting at the next table for the next hour.) I might offer another suggestion that I know is great. Also at a restaurant, it is hard to tell since the comment receiver may not be picky about food… or may be very picky about food, which only the friend would know about. Of course, if it is food definitions that you’re talking about, I would interject and correct the definition so both of them would learn something.
It also depends on the weight of the comment you want to make. If there’s big consequence, like wasted money or sickness, etc… I would always make the comment. Why let them go through something if they don’t have to? If there’s little consequence “That’s not spicy, you can eat it.” she may just have to withstand a spicy meal… ick.
As for comments in the vein of compliments, you should ALWAYS offer them. =) I am constantly telling strangers “That’s a nice tie.” or “That shirt looks good on you.” Compliments are always appreciated and brighten people’s days.

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