Flattery 鈥 the new online trend
In an Internet world known for its intense trolling, a new trend 鈥 flattery 鈥 is gaining ground and making netizens 鈥渇eel better.鈥
On China鈥檚 online trade platform Taobao, searching for Kuakuaqun (flattery group) leads you to dozens of results.
A Shanghai Daily reporter tried a 35-yuan (US$5) service from an online shop, which claimed to offer five minutes of adulation.
After the 35 yuan was paid, the shop owner asked the reporter to add a contact on WeChat, identified as 鈥淚.鈥
鈥淚鈥 sent a voice message, asking for some personal information 鈥 sex, hobbies and characteristics 鈥 then he said the service would run from 4:49pm to 4:54pm.
At 4:49pm sharp, the reporter was dragged into a group, which was immediately flooded with all kinds of flattering messages.
鈥淥MG, you are so good-looking!鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 already fascinated by your look!鈥
鈥淒oes such a good-looking person really exist in the world?鈥
鈥淭his is my definition of idol!鈥
鈥淲e all love you!鈥
Such messages continued for 5 minutes. At 4:54pm sharp, 鈥淚鈥 kicked the reporter out of the group. The ordeal was over.
On Taobao, the price for such service ranges from 5 yuan to more than 200 yuan. The more you pay, the more mush you can enjoy, from more people.
Many Chinese universities have also set up chat groups for group members to compliment each other for free.
In a chat group set up by students in Tongji University in Shanghai, the number of participants rocketed from 200 to 500 in less than 10 hours, according to Xinhua news agency.
The conversation kept going for a whole day. One says 鈥淚 cannot handle computer science!鈥 And the kind response is 鈥淵our heart is too pure to hold any complex algorithms.鈥
鈥楴ot busy enough鈥
All this empty eulogizing has split the Internet.
鈥淚 think flattery groups are good for one鈥檚 mental health to some extent, helping others build confidence,鈥 one netizen identified as 鈥渕鈥 commented.
鈥淭hey are not busy enough if they have time to spend on such a meaningless thing,鈥 read another comment by 鈥渉uaanxiaosheng.鈥
鈥淎s long as it doesn鈥檛 violate the law, it鈥檚 okay to buy 鈥榟appiness鈥 with money,鈥 commented 鈥渮hangyue.鈥
Yang Haiqi, a freshman in China鈥檚 top school Tsinghua University, said the chats reflected people鈥檚 anxiety and provided a sort of psychological support.
Others are just happy that people are positive online.
鈥淚t is a strong contrast with online trolling, which is rampant in these days,鈥 Zhang Hehe, a sophomore in Renmin University of China, told Xinhua.
On March 9, Zhang set up first such group after seeing a trending Weibo post with screenshots of eye-catching compliments on an online social network.
In less than 24 hours, Zhang鈥檚 first group reached its 500-people limit, and he set up another one. In less than 72 hours, he had established four.
鈥淚 think this (the rapid growth of members) really shows there鈥檚 a demand for living positively,鈥 Zhang said. 鈥淏ut it is often left unfulfilled.鈥
Though the compliments given in the group can sometimes be exaggerated and insincere, Zhang thinks they are generally aimed at being 鈥渇un,鈥 which is why they have attracted so many young people.
But only few days after joining some groups, Yang, the Tsinghua student, left all the groups.
鈥淭oo much exaggeration,鈥 she said, adding that several of her friends had also quit.
In those groups that Zhang created, people now talk less. However, as people leave, new members join.
Zhang thinks the high churn is normal as many people join the groups out of curiosity and when the novelty wanes they leave.
鈥淪ome haven鈥檛 even sent a message since they joined,鈥 he said.
However, Zhang is still optimistic about the groups.
鈥淧eople need praise,鈥 Zhang said, adding that he sees a cycle where someone good at giving compliments gets more praise from others and then wants to praise others more.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 want to see that disappear,鈥 Zhang said.
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