The Experiment: Strangers are scary. We ignore them. But what if we were aggressively nice? I must give 50 genuine compliments to 50 random people. No cat-calling. Real, specific compliments.
> THE STRATEGY
Complement choices only (Shoes, Shirt, Style). Never physical bodies (too creepy). Keep it short ("Cool jacket!") and keep walking. Do not demand a conversation.
> THE LOG: HIGHLIGHTS
| Target | The Compliment | The Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| Guy in Coffee Shop | "That is a really cool laptop sticker." | Smiled. Said "Thanks! It's from a band." (Success) |
| Woman on Bus | "I love your boots." | Lit up instantly. "I got them on sale!" |
| Teenager | "Nice skateboard." | Stared at me. Nodded. Put headphones back on. |
| Man in Suit | "Sharp tie." | Looked confused. Checked his wallet. thought I was scamming him. |
> THE ANXIETY CURVE
The first 5 were terrifying. I felt like I was breaking a law. "The Law of Ignoring People."
By number 20, I was on a roll. It became a game. My brain started scanning crowds for nice things.
(Red: Start of day | Green: End of day)
> THE REJECTION RATE
Out of 50 people:
- 42 Smiled and said Thanks.
- 5 Ignored me (Headphones).
- 3 Looked creeped out.
Insight: People are starving for validation. A 2-second comment can genuinely change someone's demeanor. The woman on the bus was frowning before I spoke; she was smiling when I left.
> THE GENDER DYNAMIC
As a man, complimenting other men was surprisingly easy ("Nice watch, bro").
Complimenting women required extreme caution to not sound flirtatious. I had to make sure to keep walking immediately to signal "I want nothing from you."
> CONCLUSION
The world is not as cold as we think. We make it cold by keeping our heads down.
I finished the day exhausted but happy. It is actually draining to be that nice.