gullibility and sweetness, do they go together?

[Cimarron]

"Innocent" is much more closely correlated with "gullible," I'd agree. People can be "sweet" in their words or actions, but have underlying schemes or motives, and therefore not innocent. ("Sweet" usually does imply "innocence," but not always.) "Sweet" is somewhere between "nice," which is general, and "innocent," which is more specific.

 

[kiddykat]

You know, out of all of this, I think I found the best translation for the word I had in mind: innocent.

Also, I think Gandhi was a very good example where kindness and naivete did not go together. He had a better understanding of human nature than most in his time, and what's even more great was his ability bring out and make use of the better natures in human beings.

Gandhi believed and executed Satyagraha where


He was able to convert his enemies, just as Martin Luther King did during the struggle for civil rights in the U.S.

In a world full of gray areas and compromise, a person who sees things as black and white, is either incredibly naive, or posses a conscience of the highest order.

I hope to develop such a conscience some day.

I guess the word sweet is a bit ambiguous to me. Cimarron, that is a good point. ESL student here, so I wasn't so technical with the word sweet, but that is true. I think it boils down to intentions- bc people can be sweet, kind, caring w/the best of intentions.

I would define a person's act of using sweetness as a way to get what they want as conniving. And perhaps, those who are like this, are a product of their environment of what they choose to do/be? It's a whole messy other grey area.

Overall, I think that a person can appear/be innocent/naiive, but bc they have wisdom, they're not as easily deceived? Bc they see the grand-scheme of things, they can decipher what appears to be ill-intent vs. pure?

 

[whimsical]

you can be sweet, but know when you are being lied to

 

[Grayscale]

the reason these two often go hand in hand is because people rarely take the path of selflessness by choice

 

[Trefle]

I think gullibility and sweetness are somewhat connected in one way (gullibility to sweetness, not necessarily vice versa)

the factor, as been said before, is naivety and innocence, I think. And by that, childlike features. Pretty scary context? Dunno. Hence why most skeptics HATE gulllibility with passion; they didn't put naivety high on their values.

I can extend those into purity and imagined higher moral and/or spiritual ground, but that's a somewhat far deduction..

 

[Saslou]

In a world full of gray areas and compromise, a person who sees things as black and white, is either incredibly naive, or posses a conscience of the highest order.

I hope to develop such a conscience some day.

Interesting .. Thank you Google, for helping me out on this one.

I do view relationships as 'black and white' and yes in that department i am gullible .. All you need is love. Pfft.

I am aware however that in society these days you can not be naive. Each to their own. Everyone is playing the game, me included so i am able to rationalise that and see the shades of gray.

Hmmm. I was going to say that you can be one without the other. If however i am gullible in a relationship then i must be naive.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

I don't think in reality sweetness and gullibility need necessarily be related. But I do think there is a stereotype that those two things go together.

They go together in appearance. Because I am pleasant and polite I appear way more gullible than I am. Sometimes it is good to take an understated approach with people. It can be the least gullible thing to do. In this way you can observe and buy a lot of time to analyze the situation before acting. It makes it harder for someone to set you up.

 

[wildcat]

They go together in appearance. Because I am pleasant and polite I appear way more gullible than I am. Sometimes it is good to take an understated approach with people. It can be the least gullible thing to do. In this way you can observe and buy a lot of time to analyze the situation before acting. It makes it harder for someone to set you up.

The virtue of the middle classes.
Very British.

My father said the French are the most civilised people on earth.
What nonsense.

The British know how to be pleasant and polite.
Someone takes advantage of them?
I do not think so.

It is not enough to be pleasant and polite.
You need to know how to do it.

 

[matmos]

How to take advantage of a man?

Ask him a polite favour.

Who is gullible? You decide.

The British are a cunning bunch.

 

[EJCC]

I'm the most gullible person I know (discounting children), and no one would describe me as "sweet" except my closest friends, and they're being charitable when they say that. I mean, I have sweet MOMENTS, but I am NOT sweet overall.

And I disagree with everything that Victor said previously. I do not want to trick anyone, nor do I want to be tricked. At all. Ever. Not even on April Fools Day. (I HATE APRIL FOOLS DAY. )

 

[Saslou]

The British are a cunning bunch.

Compliment or insult darling? .. Next you will be saying all British people are drunks as they only drink lager. .. lol

 

[matmos]

Both.

Insults and compliments: same coin, different sides.

 

[kiddykat]

They go together in appearance. Because I am pleasant and polite I appear way more gullible than I am. Sometimes it is good to take an understated approach with people. It can be the least gullible thing to do. In this way you can observe and buy a lot of time to analyze the situation before acting. It makes it harder for someone to set you up.

Totally agreed.

 

[NewEra]

They don't go together. I am very gullible, and have never been called sweet, nor do I consider myself sweet, they don't go together.