Would you tell your friend he is stink ?
By ronnyb
@ronnyb (6113)
Jamaica
April 16, 2009 12:02pm CST
By stink I mean stink like his breath or odor is stiflingly stink or maybe it is bearable but obvious .If you did how would you do it ,what would be your approach ? What if you knew your friend was a particularly sensitive person who is known to fly off the short end every now and then ,would you risk his anger or would you just let it slip and pray that on his “stink days “ he doesn’t come around you.
Maybe there are extenuating circumstances like for this particular day he was in a hurry and couldn’t bath , would you let it slip one day or are you the type of friend that has to point it out ? Would you consider yourself a hypocrite if you didn’t point it out so that the problem may be corrected ?
In summary tell what you would do if you were in such a situation ,what are the extenuating circumstances and how you would want to be treated if the tables were turned
3 people like this
17 responses
@gbeny007 (14)
• Jamaica
17 Apr 09
A good friendship is base on trust and worthiness. If I have a high odor of any kind I would like the person who I consider to be my friend to tell me. Not to go and tell others and don't tell me in a joking way either. Friends should always be open with each other. I always say that if I had a friend and he/she cannot tell me bad things about myself in order to improve my character then I don't want that friendship.
This is the view of both myself and K.winky
1 person likes this
@trixyteddy (1070)
• India
17 Apr 09
If it were once, I might ignore it, but again that depends where the person is going. If he or she is a friend, then I think we should go all out and tell the person so as to avoid other people thinking bad about him or her. I would not mind anyone telling me things for my betterment. Its upto each one how to take it.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
17 Apr 09
i have never understood how people stand themselves if they don't bathe. i always heard if you smell yourself u have already been stinking 3 days. lol. yes, i would tell them because i can't stand that smell. i think u would be a hypocrite if u didn't. i'd be nice about it, as nice as you could be. there is no excuse for not taking a bath.
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
17 Apr 09
Yes Antique it has always amazed me too because I would feel self consciuos if i can smell myslef and would never feel good until I am able to bathe.Thank for that bit of information ,I have never heard it before but I understand teh sentiment.Tahnks for your response and have a good day
1 person likes this
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
18 Apr 09
Hello my friend ronnyb Ji,
Well, it all depends upon strength between two friends. I am of the opinion to follow
diplomatic ways, where friend does not feel bad. Like offering new tooth paste, if friend's
teeth are smelling. Presenting some health tips covering various aspects . Lastly, if
comes I would not hesitate to tell on face.
May God bless you and have a great time.
1 person likes this
@vivianchen (2646)
• China
17 Apr 09
Hi Ronnyb,
I think you raise a good question there. I think if that friends is my close friend, i will tell she. If not, i won't. Because i am kinda afraid to tell people their bad things, it's just not my style of things that i will do. Even i think they are stink and they really are, what i will do is try to avoid them. It's really embarrass if my frined told me that i am stink, i think everyone should keep themselves clean and smile good or no smile at least.
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
19 Apr 09
I'll be honest and say yes i would but people who tend to be sensitive and fly off the handle at little things tend to not be my friends because they get mad or offended when i tell them what i think honestly...i dont beat around the bush.
I've been known to say to friends dude brush your teeth you have bad breath or...dude you look greasy have u showered recently? Not in a mean way and not if its a once in a while thing but if its a regular thing i will say something.
@cream97 (29086)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Hi, ronnyb! If I know that they will fly off the handle, I will not tell him/her. I will just play it off and take out a mint or a strong minty gum and give it to them. I will do it like it is nothing wrong. But, if that dosen't help, I will hold my nose everytime that they talk or is around me. I won't say anything. But, I know that I will do some avoiding towards them.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
17 Apr 09
If this is a close friend I think you owe it to him to tactfully tell him yourself before someone else does, who may not be as tactful! It certainly isn't an easy thing to do but if you explain that you want to help him in any way you can he may understand. I think he needs to be told because he is probably not aware of his bad odour and if he has that knowledge he can hopefully do something about it.
I think it's cruel not to say anything.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
17 Apr 09
If I stink at all, i want someone to tell me so I can fix the problem right away. That said, if a close friend of mine has a stinky problem, I will gently tell them that they need a mint, or some deodorant. I don't think I would come out and say. "You really stink" to anyone, but I would be sure to get the message across ina subtle way. Now, if it is my husband or my kids, I will tell them out-right, just as I would expect them to tell me.
If I know that someone has a proble, I would rather say aomething in a nice manner than allow themnselves to become embarrassed by keeping my mouth shut and letting a complete strangfer say something rude.
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
17 Apr 09
I understand the sentiment I would want to know but I would hope some amount of tact should be exhibitted and be mindful of my feelings.The hard part is to tell my friend that he or she stinks ,so much so that i might just avoid doing it .I would eventually do it if it went too far though .Thanks so much for your response
@suzzy3 (8341)
•
22 Apr 09
Normally if someone starts to smell bad breath,body odour might be a sign they are ill or are going down with something.Iwould have to judge how big he was but on the whole yes I would.That is what friends are for it is not all good you know.You would only be telling them for their own good after all.I would want someone to tell me if I started smelling.xx
@anniefannie (1737)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I would not know how to tell my friend that he or she smelled so I would ignore it and maybe they would relise it on their on.It would be very embrassing to me if some one told me I smelled and hurt my feelings.Hopefully they won't ever have to.I have worked with people that smelled and in the summer time in a hot factory it gets BAD!!Have a good day.
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
16 Apr 09
I must admit I am like you I dont think I could have told someone that ,I would have knowingly hurt their feelings unless I know they were not that sensitive.On the flipside though I would hope that my friends tell me if I stink ,although I would hope they would do it with a certain amount of tact .Thank youfor responsing and have a good day as well.
@savagesjun (17)
• China
17 Apr 09
it is very hard to me to tell him his breath is stink.Because if you tell him ,it may be make him very embarrass and uncomfortable.What's more,he is my friend,i can't make him lose his face.always,i will put up with him instead of telling him.
@angiemer_25 (2)
• Philippines
17 Apr 09
I will tell him thru text message so that he/she so i will lessen the tendency that he/she will get offended. And I will choose the greatest and nicest word to say how stink he/she is.lol. It's funny when I said that I'm gonna use nice word while I'm really trying to say are the bad things about him.. lol
@mistyday23 (49)
• United States
16 Apr 09
It would depend on how good of a friend they were. I would probably have to tell them they stink if it was a close friend. They may not even know they stink.
@sanuanu (11235)
• India
17 Apr 09
I would tell him openly because if I am not going to tell him, someone else would do it and he would feel probably bad for the fact that his friend didn't tell him about it. Yes, there should be a way in which you can tell him but you must.
Because if a friend will not help out then who would!
@prinzcy (32305)
• Malaysia
16 Apr 09
I used to have a friend that his breath stink so much! I want to tell him but I have no idea how. Then I watch a tv show about the issue. They said why don't we ask him about ourselves first. Usually they'll ask about themselves after replying about us. For example, I said "I am wondering, is my breath smell?" Then he might answer, "No, do my breath smell?" (if he said yes, then we can find out that our breath is stink too) We can explain that his breath smell a little and start the conversation more. I try that way and it work.