this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2025
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I may need to say something that is (seemingly) nice about someone, but I’d prefer it be very subtly backhanded or nearly believable hyperbole.



Edit: I realized that I was imagining something like how the Colbert Report was done where it’s easy to believe I’m agreeing when really I’m spoofing.

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[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 86 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

You seem like management material.

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[–] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 79 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

You're at the top of the bell curve!

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 15 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

The best part is that it isn't really an insult.

Statistically speaking, any given person is most likely to be near the peak of the bell curve of a given thing.

Someone being offended by it means that they think they're above average, and you think they're average. There's nothing wrong with being average...most people are.

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[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net 58 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

"I've never heard anyone express an option like that out loud before."

"What a unique approach to the problem!"

"I bet you played football in highschool, right?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you'd look good in a uniform?"

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 2 weeks ago

It's a good thing you're pretty.

[–] Theprogressivist@lemmy.world 48 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

"I hope the rest of your day is as pleasant as you are"

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[–] themadcodger@kbin.earth 37 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Some I've collected over the years.

  • "At this point, you can only impress me."
  • "My opinion of you can only go up from here"
  • "The bar was on the ground and you brought a shovel."
  • "Would you think less of me if ____." "I could never think less of you."

    • Britta says "nobody respects me any less as a political activist, right?"

      Long pause...

      Jeff: "the level to which we respect you as a political activist has definitely not changed"

  • “You aren’t the biggest idiot in the world but you better hope they don’t die”
  • Unencumbered by the thought process.
  • "I'm guessing you weren't burdened with an overabundance of schooling." - Malcolm Reynolds
  • "My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." Malcolm Reynolds
  • "You're the reason we have warning labels."
  • "They only got two brain cells and both of them are fighting for third place."
  • "It's impossible to underestimate you."
    • "Don't underestimate me." "I couldn't possibly."

  • "If you were half as smart as you think you are, you’d be twice as smart as you really are."
  • "If you ever had a clever thought, it died alone and afraid."
  • "They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge."
  • "He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." - Abraham Lincoln
  • "May I ask what's on your mind, if you'll forgive the overstatement?"
  • "You could hide your own Easter eggs."
  • "I can explain it again, if you'd like, but I can't understand for you."
  • "He is a modest man with much to be modest about."
  • "I would agree with you but then we would both be wrong"
  • "Your secret is safe with my indifference."
[–] deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz 20 points 2 weeks ago

You could hide your own Easter eggs.

Actually lol'd at this one. After snorting that is.

[–] Siethron@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

How are any of these SUBTLE

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[–] Garbagio@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 weeks ago

Everything anyone said about you is too kind.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 31 points 2 weeks ago

The series Ted Lasso is chock full of these, but my favorite was after Jade meets Rupert and he leaves, she says, "Well, he seems rich."

Like it almost sounds like a compliment, but only if you lack the self-awareness and empathy of someone who isn't rich.

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 22 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] DasFaultier@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago

"You remind me of you when I was your age."

[–] bizarroland@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The only one I've ever pulled off on the spur of a moment unintentionally is when my asshole stepdad broke his foot and I ended up casually quipping to him, "you gotta work hard in order to get a leg up in the world".

[–] bizarroland@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

I also just remembered that I later told him he's got to put his foot down on some issue his job was complaining about.

[–] gramie@lemmy.ca 17 points 2 weeks ago

Well, not terribly subtle, but if you are fighting with your spouse and they complain that you never say anything nice about their family, you can respond with:

"Well, I have to say that your in-laws are better than my in-laws"

[–] fluxion@lemmy.world 16 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

"Wow you look good today."

[–] RBWells@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

I had someone tell a coworker "you look better" when he was trying to give a compliment, and it came out so uncomplimentary we were all laughing when he left.

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[–] Octavio@lemmy.world 16 points 2 weeks ago

"I love that you're not afraid to say just whatever comes to you."

[–] RaoulDuke85@lemmy.world 15 points 2 weeks ago

See you later!

Not if I see you first.

[–] IcedRaktajino@startrek.website 12 points 2 weeks ago

Oh, your hair is (pause) fine.

[–] TachyonTele@piefed.social 12 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

(i subtlety downvoted you)

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

And misspelled "subtly"? You're really typing with both fists today!

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[–] cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 2 weeks ago

I envy those who have never met you

Good go to

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago

"I never thought of it that way."

"That's a new perspective."

"I love your confidence!"

[–] Akasazh@feddit.nl 11 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

This works only in Dutch. I used to work in the service industry, where every now and then you'd have rude or ungrateful people.

In Dutch, the formal way of saying 'thank you' is 'Dank u', but that's very close in pronunciation to French 'dans cul', meaning 'in the ass'.

So with people I secretly loathed I would thank them with an ever so slight French twang.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

that’s great

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[–] fruitycoder@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

The ol uncle Iroh

"Wisdom has been chasing you all your life but you have always been faster"

Bad sarcasm me and my friends do

Any response to "ive been thinking" that is shocked. Like "Wow. And?" Or "good for you"

or any form of "yeah, youre getting there"

Basically rember that perfection is impossible and that comparison is the thief of joy but be a dick lol

[–] TheDoozer@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

Any response to "ive been thinking"

I usually quickly respond "you okay?" in a concerned tone.

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[–] bender223@lemmy.today 9 points 2 weeks ago

"I love how you can just wear whatever."

[–] Almacca@aussie.zone 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

"I don't care what anyone says, I think you're alright."

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

this is one fits what I had in mind the closest

especially since alright can mean good or mediocre

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[–] MrsDoyle@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 weeks ago

One I came across in a novel I'm reading just now: "I wanted to tell her how happy she must be as a married woman now that she no longer have to bother with looking attractive".

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 7 points 2 weeks ago

You're excused

[–] Perspectivist@feddit.uk 5 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

Why do you need to? Arent there enough assholes already?

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I have befriended someone who has high opinions of some people I regard as selfish toxic idiots. I don’t feel the need to launch a frontal assault on this person’s beliefs, but I also don’t want to simply agree with them.

Admittedly, it’s passive aggressive. I may not follow through.

[–] Perspectivist@feddit.uk 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

You can express your views about these people in a dispassionate manner as well. It’s not a choice between being a dick about it or agreeing with them. Nothing good comes from passive aggression. You’d probably consider that toxic too if it were directed at you or your opinions.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

fair point

currently, I just don’t reply

edit: My other thought was to really lean into agreeing with them. For example: The friend doesn’t explicitly embrace these people’s racism, but maybe it would make an impact if the friend witnessed me celebrating these people’s racism when the friend praises them for something else.

[–] moondoggie@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I use the blank stare with “what do you mean?” Then I continue to be clueless as they explain whatever shitty viewpoint they’re backing.

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[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 7 points 2 weeks ago

thanks. honestly reading the question really brought up questions.

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[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

My dog would like you.

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