Is phony fatso flattery a thing?

Whenever I'm around friends, at least two or three females (hardbodies) start in with "why are you single, you should get out there, your such a catch." I used to say I was flattered that at 280 lbs, they thought I was anything but invisible to women. So the other day, two of them were carrying on, and I asked one of them out later that day. Got a weird kinda generalized response followed by silence for 2 days. Was this all fat-flattery? Does it happened to you? Just curious.
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Replies

  • arrrrjt
    arrrrjt Posts: 245 Member
    Well there is a lot more to you than your weight. Also, you will never meet anyone if you don't get out there. Likely what they were trying to say =) I also find some bigger people, including myself, have a very negative picture of themselves, and only see the negatives (ie. a large weight).
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,931 Member
    edited November 2014
    Um. Just because a girl thinks you're a catch, doesn't mean she thinks you should be her catch. That doesn't make it untrue.

    ETA: I tell one of my boyfriend's friends he is a catch. Because its true - he's one of the best people I've met - but clearly, my own boyfriend is the guy I want. If I could introduce his friend to someone good enough, I would!
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
    Based on your profile picture, I'd say it's not phony. You're a good looking guy, even with the extra weight. You've got a great smile and nice eyes.

    And that's just appearance. I don't know anything about you as a person. Your friends are right to encourage you to date.

    Internet dating sites are fantastic for getting to know people in a low-stakes environment.
  • arrrrjt
    arrrrjt Posts: 245 Member
    Oh - I've also never heard of "phony fatso flattery" before...
  • Wondertje
    Wondertje Posts: 63 Member
    edited November 2014
    I'd say, based on your profile picture that you look like you could be quite the catch. Even with the extra weight, you don't look bad at all! But with that said, I've heard from plenty of friends that I'd be a catch, but they were still my friends and not interested in me in that way. Those two are not mutually exclusive, you can be a catch in someone's opinion AND they don't want to date you - very possible.

    But I agree with the girls, go get out there Tiger! You look, in my opinion, very cute and I'm sure you'd manage just fine :smile:


    As for your original question, yeah - I'd say it can be very real. Though, I don't think it's meant as a bad thing. But when you see a friend feeling bad, you want to say something to cheer them up - you don't want to tell them that they're fat and will never get a girlfriend/boyfriend, that's not very cheering nor nice. So it's probably very easy to say that you think someone is a catch, that their hair looks nice or that their clothes are awesome - even if it isn't 100% true, because you just don't want to be mean.
  • EricJonrosh
    EricJonrosh Posts: 823 Member
    Wondertje wrote: »
    I'd say, based on your profile picture that you look like you could be quite the catch. Even with the extra weight, you don't look bad at all! But with that said, I've heard from plenty of friends that I'd be a catch, but they were still my friends and not interested in me in that way. Those two are not mutually exclusive, you can be a catch in someone's opinion AND they don't want to date you - very possible.

    But I agree with the girls, go get out there Tiger! You look, in my opinion, very cute and I'm sure you'd manage just fine :smile:


    As for your original question, yeah - I'd say it can be very real. Though, I don't think it's meant as a bad thing. But when you see a friend feeling bad, you want to say something to cheer them up - you don't want to tell them that they're fat and will never get a girlfriend/boyfriend, that's not very cheering nor nice. So it's probably very easy to say that you think someone is a catch, that their hair looks nice or that their clothes are awesome - even if it isn't 100% true, because you just don't want to be mean.

    I never said I was feeling bad, this "flattery" is usually unprompted by anything. Also, that pic is ooooold, it's my TBT pic from yesterday. And the one I asked out was the most vocal, flattery-cheerleader and someone I've liked for a while, and when I asked her if she'd seen a certain movie she was like "I have no one to take me!" C'mon, I had enough to go on right there.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Who knows. The fact that she doesn't want to go out with you doesn't mean she doesn't think you're a great guy.

    So, she's not the girl you're destined to marry. Someone else is. You'll find her. :)
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    Sure it's real, but this isn't such a great place to try and talk about it.
  • theblondetrick
    theblondetrick Posts: 192 Member
    You actually look cute, based on the profile picture. But as someone already said here, friends want to cheer you up, they don't want you to be unhappy and they really do want you to get out there. And when your friends say you're a catch ( even if they mean it or not), it doesn't mean they want to date you, cause you're friends and they don't look at you in a romantic or sexual way.

    So to sum up, get out there, get a girlfriend who's not a friend already.
  • people lie to make other people feel better.
  • EricJonrosh
    EricJonrosh Posts: 823 Member
    herrspoons wrote: »
    people lie to make other people feel better.

    This. If they found you attractive they would date you.

    I have to ask if their flattery was in response to you talking about not having anyone though.

    Nope it just comes up. I'm not in need of cheering up. One friend goes from 3 year boyfriend to 3 year boyfriend, never without, so me being single must seem like a travesty, idk.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
    Lots of people on this thread are blowing smoke right up your *kitten*.

    Yes "fatso flattery" is real. Folks like to make people they care about feel better, so they start pouring on the compliments to counter whatever obstacle might be standing in their way.

    But all of the flattery is often baseless. They theoretically think you'd be fine with someone else, but themselves? Hell no.

    Plenty are the former fatsos who lost weight and then suddenly had friends try and hit on them. These stories are a dime a dozen.

    Looks matter to most people. Even the sweethearts who encourage you to "get out there", many of them would never even see you as a potential mate while you're still massively overweight.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    herrspoons wrote: »
    people lie to make other people feel better.

    This. If they found you attractive they would date you.

    Ummmm no. Just because you find your friends attractive it doesn't mean you would date them. I have tons of guy friends that I find attractive that I wouldn't date even if I was single. Make out with? Maybe. Sex up? Possibly. But date? Nope. I may love them or just be super fond of them but that doesn't mean that I think WE would be romantically compatible. It doesn't mean you can't see how great they are and want the best for them.
    I mean heck, I was casually sleeping with my current bf for a year with NO plans on actually ever dating him it all. We were friends and that was it to me. Then somehow he roped me in and now it's 6 years later and we plan on getting married. But I actually tried to turn him down when he tried to actually "date" me *shrug*.

    People are complicated.
  • erinbear33
    erinbear33 Posts: 91 Member
    This most vocal flattery cheerleader...is she only this flattering and vocal with you? Or is this something she does with others in general? It may be her personality. It's hard to tell you for certain as I can only see part of the picture here.

    This being said, I have had this happen where I never get/got hit on much, then when I had originally lost all the weight, it was like these guys I didn't think liked me at all ...came out of the woodwork to hit on me. It does make you wonder.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    I had guy friends that I thought would make good boyfriends, just not for me. I am sorry it was awkward with your friend. I hope that is all okay now.

    I guess they just think you should put yourself out there.
  • NaeTeaspoon
    NaeTeaspoon Posts: 28 Member
    Wondertje wrote: »
    I never said I was feeling bad, this "flattery" is usually unprompted by anything. Also, that pic is ooooold, it's my TBT pic from yesterday. And the one I asked out was the most vocal, flattery-cheerleader and someone I've liked for a while, and when I asked her if she'd seen a certain movie she was like "I have no one to take me!" C'mon, I had enough to go on right there.

    Ermmm... Just because she complained about "having no one to take her" doesn't = you having "enough to go on" - she's a person and I assume your friend, just because someone thinks you're nice doesn't = they want to date you.
    I'm sure what the two girls have said is true, but it doesn't mean they want to, or should want to date you themselves.
  • sheepotato
    sheepotato Posts: 600 Member
    edited November 2014
    herrspoons wrote: »
    people lie to make other people feel better.

    This. If they found you attractive they would date you.

    No. I've been friends with many males during my life and I didn't want to date any of them, even the attractive ones. You just get to a point in your friendship where you see people as friends and not potential boyfriends. If she's your friend then she's saying things because she would like to see you happy. Wanting to see you find someone that is a good match for you is not the same as thinking she would be a good match for you. It's pretty easy to tell the difference between someone who is your friend and someone who is interested in dating you. If you can't easily spot the difference then use those female friends you have to help you notice when other girls are showing interest in you. I'm sure they would be willing to help you out.

    Don't get upset with her if she has been nothing but honest with you, but perhaps you haven't been totally honest with yourself. Was there an ulterior motive for becoming friends with her maybe?
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
    Whenever I'm around friends, at least two or three females (hardbodies) start in with "why are you single, you should get out there, your such a catch." I used to say I was flattered that at 280 lbs, they thought I was anything but invisible to women. So the other day, two of them were carrying on, and I asked one of them out later that day. Got a weird kinda generalized response followed by silence for 2 days. Was this all fat-flattery? Does it happened to you? Just curious.

    I would do the same thing if you were my platonic FRIEND. I don't ask my friends out on romantic dates, male/female...that's why they're my friends. It just makes it awkward. If I was in fact interested in that way, we would probably not be just friends.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
    herrspoons wrote: »
    herrspoons wrote: »
    people lie to make other people feel better.

    This. If they found you attractive they would date you.

    Ummmm no. Just because you find your friends attractive it doesn't mean you would date them. I have tons of guy friends that I find attractive that I wouldn't date even if I was single. Make out with? Maybe. Sex up? Possibly. But date? Nope. I may love them or just be super fond of them but that doesn't mean that I think WE would be romantically compatible. It doesn't mean you can't see how great they are and want the best for them.
    I mean heck, I was casually sleeping with my current bf for a year with NO plans on actually ever dating him it all. We were friends and that was it to me. Then somehow he roped me in and now it's 6 years later and we plan on getting married. But I actually tried to turn him down when he tried to actually "date" me *shrug*.

    People are complicated.

    Romance has nothing to do with it. This is a about physical attraction, and these girls do not find him physically attractive at the moment. They could at least be honest about this.

    You're mistaking physically attractive with SEXUALLY attractive. They may find him physically attractive without the urge to cross the platonic line. I saw the profile pic, the guy's a cutie, (seriously OP you've got a hot face) but it comes down to more than that when you decide to date someone. And hello they're FRIENDS. Females can EASILY subjectively evaluate a persons attractiveness and find them very attractive without the urge for it to ever go any farther than that.
    I mean, have you never noticed the way we can full on check out another females butt or boobs and completely appreciate them while being totally hetero?
  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    I don't blame you for being confused, some women can be funny like that. Telling someone they'd make a good boyfriend and then turning them down just feels like they're trying to get rid of you. I'd try and avoid people like that, their mixed messages are unhelpful. No one needs friends like that, or their fake compliments which quickly turn into silence. Unfortunately dating websites and life in general are full of people like that. So if you do stumble across that person who wants to be with you, you've done really well. Keep looking, at least you know who it won't be.