History Main / ComplimentFishing

This is a common tactic of the ShrinkingViolet - though in their case, the line between this trope and HeroicSelfDeprecation is often very thin indeed. Subtle {{Attention Whore}}s also love this trope, as it lets them bask in pity-praise without having to directly toot their own horn. It's also a good strategic move in PassiveAggressiveKombat and PolitenessJudo.

A SubTrope of SelfDeprecation, and the dishonest, manipulative [[SisterTrope little sister]] of [[HeroicSelfDeprecation the heroic form]], though both can result from the same base feeling of self-loathing and can be ''very'' hard to distinguish from each other. Compare and contrast SuspiciouslySpecificDenial. If two people try this at once, it can lead to OuthumblingEachOther.

* ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'':

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Diamante is constantly fishing for compliments from [[TheChessmaster Doflamingo]] to a ridiculous extent. Doflamingo goes along with it, possibly to [[ManipulativeBastard better motivate Diamante]].
* ''Anime/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool: Side Despair'': Gundham reassures everyone that his pet bear will only bite high-ranked demons. Sonia, who has a crush on Gundham, indignantly asks if he means that she's a demon of low rank. Of course, since both of them are perfectly human and just like to pretend otherwise, it's clear Gundham ''didn't'' mean that and she knows it.

-->'''Romeo:''' ''[warmly]'' Teria... [[BrutalHonesty If you can't swim, then don't do it!]]

* ''Webcomic/ScarletLady'': While practicing together for the [=UMS3=] tournament in "Gamer", Adrien compliments Marinette's skills while claiming that they only won thanks to her and that he's 'nothing compared to [her].' Rather than comforting him, Marinette responds that it honestly makes sense that he's not as good at co-op, as he's only ever played by himself and doesn't have any experience working with a partner.

* In ''Film/MeanGirls'', Regina mentions at the Plastics' lunch table that she needs to lose a few pounds. She then stares expectantly at Gretchen and Karen, who immediately start complimenting how skinny she is.

* In ''Literature/SquidsWillBeSquids'', one of the fables has a pigeon doing this.

-->'''Fiance:''' It just needs a little sauce! ''[Pours soy sauce all over the dish]''\\
'''Family:''' ''[Appalled silence]''
* In ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'', Mrs. Cratchit is terribly nervous that her Christmas pudding won't be good enough, but her family tells her it's wonderful.
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures novel ''Vanishing Point'' features a scene where a [[UglyCute deformed-but-still-attractive]] [[TheIngenue Ingenue]] has a heart-to-heart with Fitz, the Doctor's companion and a ChivalrousPervert. He accuses her of doing this, but she seems to genuinely mean what she's saying about herself:
-->'No one would wish to. I am deformed. I am ugly.'\\
'Are you fishing, here, by any chance?'\\
She laughed at him. 'Fishing?'\\
'For compliments, I mean,' Fitz said. 'Look, Vettul, if it helps, you're not ugly... I mean, you're...' He felt himself growing flustered.

* ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'':
** Miyuki asks Tatsuya if a particular hairpin looks good on her. Being rather socially blunt, Tatsuya obliviously replies that there's a mirror close by.
** Maya laments that she became too emotional during [[spoiler:her MotiveRant]], and Hayama comfortingly agrees that she ''was'', but getting a bit overwrought was unavoidable. Maya pouts, implying that this was not what she wanted him to say.

* In the ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas", the study group are debating why Abed has chosen to give them certain toy characters in his Christmas fantasy dreamworld. Annie, who has been made a clockwork ballerina, suggests that he's just given them random characters, coyly adding that "it's not like I'm ''that'' thin and graceful... right?" Much to her dismay, Britta caustically suggests that she's instead been given that role because she's "fragile and tightly wound."

[[folder:Real Life]]
* It's something of a RunningGag on the Internet for a person to post a sexy picture of themselves with a self-deprecating comment, only for everyone to [[ComplimentBackfire respond]] with lavish praise on [[NotDistractedByTheSexy some insignificant item in the background]]. Notably, that's how the [[MemeticMutation "Get Out" Frog meme]] got its start when people found it in [[http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/088/535/frog.jpg this picture]], never mind about the model!
[[/folder]]

This can [[ComplimentBackfire backfire]] very badly for the compliment fisher if people respond by ''[[GoneHorriblyRight agreeing]]'' with them. ("It's OK, we love you even though you're a bad writer.") If someone does that on purpose, it's probably a form of BackhandedCompliment. People with particularly bad cases of self-loathing may even ''prefer'' this type of response, confirming and mentally justifying their own negative perception of themself.

A SubTrope of SelfDeprecation, and the dishonest, manipulative [[SisterTrope little sister]] of [[HeroicSelfDeprecation the heroic form]], though both can result from the base feeling of self-loathing. Compare and contrast SuspiciouslySpecificDenial. If two people try this at once, it can lead to OuthumblingEachOther.

This is a common tactic of the ShrinkingViolet - or, at least, the writers who make her say these things. Presumably they think it's endearing. Subtle {{Attention Whore}}s also love this trope, as it lets them bask in pity-praise without having to directly toot their own horn. It's also a good strategic move in PassiveAggressiveKombat and PolitenessJudo.

A SubTrope of SelfDeprecation, and the dishonest, manipulative [[SisterTrope little sister]] of [[HeroicSelfDeprecation the heroic form]]. Compare and contrast SuspiciouslySpecificDenial. If two people try this at once, it can lead to OuthumblingEachOther.

This is a pretty common TruthInTelevision.

* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', Diamante is constantly fishing for compliments from [[TheChessmaster Doflamingo]] to a [[UpToEleven ridiculous extent]]. Doflamingo goes along with it, possibly to [[ManipulativeBastard better motivate Diamante]].
* In ''Anime/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool: Side Despair'', Gundham reassures everyone that his pet bear will only bite high-ranked demons. Sonia, who has a crush on Gundham, indignantly asks if he means that she's a demon of low rank. Of course, since both of them are perfectly human and just like to pretend otherwise, it's clear Gundham ''didn't'' mean that and she knows it.

* Creator/HPLovecraft was forever deprecating his own work, usually in letters to his friends, but also in the submission letter he wrote the first time he submitted his work to a paying magazine! One cannot help feeling he was hoping to be contradicted... after all, if he really thought his ability was so low, why did he hire himself out rewriting other authors' works?
** Perhaps he thought "I might be bad, but I'm better than these hacks"?

By the way... You don't have to bother editing this page. I know you don't really want to. It's OK, there are [[Administrivia/NeedsWikiMagicLove much better pages on the wiki]] for you to spend your time with, I understand if you think this one is a waste...

* ''[[LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'':

* In ''[[LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool The Honor Student At Magic High School]]'', Miyuki asks Tatsuya if a particular hairpin looks good on her. Being rather socially blunt, Tatsuya obliviously replies that there's a mirror close by.

* In ''Anime/Danganronpa3: Side Despair'', Gundham reassures everyone that his pet bear will only bite high-ranked demons. Sonia, who has a crush on Gundham, indignantly asks if he means that she's a demon of low rank. Of course, since both of them are perfectly human and just like to pretend otherwise, it's clear Gundham ''didn't'' mean that and she knows it.

This can [[ComplimentBackfire backfire]] very badly for the compliment fisher if people respond by ''[[GoneHorriblyRight agreeing]]'' with them. ("It's OK, we love you even though you're a bad writer.") If someone does that on purpose, it's probably a form of BackhandedCompliment.

Let's say you've written something. You know it's good[[note]]because you're such a better writer than ''me'', right?[[/note]] but you still want to attract more feedback and compliments than you'd normally get.[[note]]Although that's still more than '''I've''' ever gotten.[[/note]]
So, [[OurProductSucks you go out of your way to call attention to how bad it is]][[note]]Even though it's ''nowhere'' near as bad as ''this'' entry[[/note]], tell everyone why they'd never want to see it, and, in extreme cases, {{wangst}} at length about how you're a miserable failure of a writer who deserves to die alone.[[note]]I wonder what that makes ''me'', then?[[/note]]

This can [[ComplimentBackfire backfire]] very badly for the compliment fisher if people respond by ''[[GoneHorriblyRight agreeing]]'' with them. ("It's ok, we love you even though you're a bad writer.") If someone does that on purpose, it's probably a form of BackhandedCompliment.

By the way... You don't have to bother editing this page. I know you don't really want to. It's OK, there are [[NeedsWikiMagicLove much better pages on the wiki]] for you to spend your time with, I understand if you think this one is a waste...

* ''Series/InTheLoop'': Karen Clark jokes to Chad "you might be Secretary of State one day, young man!" Chad doesn't realise it's a joke and says "Don't say that if you don't mean it."

* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', Diamante is constantly fishing for compliments from [[TheChessmaster Doflamingo]] to a [[UpToEleven ridiculous extent.]] Doflamingo goes along with it, possibly to [[ManipulativeBastard better motivate Diamante.]]

-->'''Romeo:''' ''(warmly)'' Teria…[[BrutalHonesty If you can't swim, then don't do it!]]

-->'''Fiance:''' It just needs a little sauce! (''Pours soy sauce all over the dish'')
-->'''Family:''' [Appalled silence]

* Perhaps he thought "I might be bad, but I'm better than these hacks"?

* In ''Creator/JohnRingo'''s ''Literature/TroyRising'', two characters have a discussion about how their respective cultures handle praise. The character from the [[Main/Eagleland USA]] tells the character from [[Main/LatinLand South America]] that their culture goes too far in praising themselves, deliberately doing things specifically to gain praise. The [[Main/LatinLand South American]] replies that [[Main/Eagleland American]] culture engages in self-deprecation specifically to have their audience provide even more praise, in effect fishing for compliments. Note that these descriptions [[YMMV/HomePage may or may not]] apply to cultures in our world.

* In ''Anime/{{Danganronpa}} 3: Despair'', Gundham reassures everyone that his pet bear will only bite high-ranked demons. Sonia, who has a crush on Gundham, indignantly asks if he means that she's a demon of low rank. Of course, since both of them are perfectly human and just like to pretend otherwise, it's clear Gundham ''didn't'' mean that and she knows it.

* In ''Creator/JohnRingo'''s ''Literature/TroyRising'', two characters have a discussion about how their respective cultures handle praise. The character from the [[Main/Eagleland USA]] tells the character from [[Main/LatinLand South America]] that their culture goes too far in praising themselves, deliberately doing things specifically to gain praise. The [[Main/LatinLand South American]] replies that [[Main/Eagleland American]] culture engages in self-deprecation specifically to have their audience provide even more praise, in effect fishing for compliments. Note that these descriptions [[YMMV/HomePage may or may not]] apply to cultures in our world.