After a lot of travel to places where salesmen and conmen are pretty bold (like Turkey and India) I've gotten to where I'm fairly comfortable saying "no" to people asking me to do things I don't want to do (including "loan me a few bucks" or "come look at what I have to sell; it's not far", and so my fear of interaction and cynicism has gone way down. I can get out of it (and still be smiling), if I fall into a conversation I don't want.
If I look friendly and safe (i.e., playing w/ my 3-year-old on a NYC street) strangers talk to me, and it's pretty clear they aren't after anything.
So from the POV of the complimenter -- agreed, some people will be suspicious, and that's fine. Give your compliment, and keep walking so they know quickly that's all you were doing, and maybe they'll be a little less fearful next time.
Comments
After a lot of travel to places where salesmen and conmen are pretty bold (like Turkey and India) I've gotten to where I'm fairly comfortable saying "no" to people asking me to do things I don't want to do (including "loan me a few bucks" or "come look at what I have to sell; it's not far", and so my fear of interaction and cynicism has gone way down. I can get out of it (and still be smiling), if I fall into a conversation I don't want.
If I look friendly and safe (i.e., playing w/ my 3-year-old on a NYC street) strangers talk to me, and it's pretty clear they aren't after anything.
So from the POV of the complimenter -- agreed, some people will be suspicious, and that's fine. Give your compliment, and keep walking so they know quickly that's all you were doing, and maybe they'll be a little less fearful next time.