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The Good Boy Trap

False praise can be chains. The ‘good boy’ compliment trains compliance, not truth.

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Praise Compliance Agency

Metaphorical Narrative

“You’re such a good boy. You get along with everyone.”

It sounds sweet, like a pat on the head. But the collar hides in the compliment. The leash tightens with every smile.

Core Insight

False praise is one of the cruelest chains. On the surface it sounds like recognition. Underneath it says: “Don’t disrupt. Don’t resist. Your value is in compliance.”

That’s why it feels disgusting. It’s not affirmation, it’s domestication. Real respect honors truth. False praise demands obedience.

Saturday Experiment

  1. When you hear flattering words, test the subtext: is this freedom or leash?
  2. If it’s leash, don’t take the collar. Say nothing—or laugh it off.
  3. Anchor your worth in agency, not approval.

Sunday Reflection

  • What compliments in your past now feel like chains?
  • How does it feel to call them out as obedience training?
  • What does genuine recognition sound like to you today?