Most of us have at least read if not written a testimonial (as orkut calls it or "describe me" or "lines about me" or "words about me" ... you get the picture right?) on at least one person. It is usually eulogic which is understandable, no one likes to be criticized in public. It is witty at times or about good moments you had with the person blah blah. So far so good, but wait, what I fail to understand is how most of them sounds exactly the same. Here is how a typical testimonial would go,
"He/She is a very sweet (sweeeeet , if a girl is writing it) person. Very understanding, smart, independent, has a good sense of humor, kind hearted. You would always see a smile on his/her face, makes the people around him feel comfortable" and other such cliched adjectives/adjective phrases. These adjectives seem to find their way in to the testimonials specially if one is writing about someone of the opposite sex, with the adjectives chosen depending on the sex. So you will have "She is a very sweet girl" changed to "He is a very simple guy" or something to that effect. Its like a prof. writing a recommendation where he has to say that such and such has excellent communication skills, out of the world analytical abilities (like all of Einstein's brain was transferred to him) etc etc.
I don't know about when you write it, but when some one reads it, the whole thing sounds so bloody made up. So cloyingly sweet that its repulsive. I hate it, I am sure you could write something better that does not sound made up. But then its just my opinion, may be others like it that way.
"He/She is a very sweet (sweeeeet , if a girl is writing it) person. Very understanding, smart, independent, has a good sense of humor, kind hearted. You would always see a smile on his/her face, makes the people around him feel comfortable" and other such cliched adjectives/adjective phrases. These adjectives seem to find their way in to the testimonials specially if one is writing about someone of the opposite sex, with the adjectives chosen depending on the sex. So you will have "She is a very sweet girl" changed to "He is a very simple guy" or something to that effect. Its like a prof. writing a recommendation where he has to say that such and such has excellent communication skills, out of the world analytical abilities (like all of Einstein's brain was transferred to him) etc etc.
I don't know about when you write it, but when some one reads it, the whole thing sounds so bloody made up. So cloyingly sweet that its repulsive. I hate it, I am sure you could write something better that does not sound made up. But then its just my opinion, may be others like it that way.
2 comments:
Totally agree. And if you check it out, the number of testimonials are heavily skewed in favor of girls. Atleast 5:1 I'd say. Does that mean that guys are not good enough??
nikhil> it's because guys are more desperate to get laid. ;)
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