Panderer

Panderer is one of the word I found while playing scramble on facebook today. It meant "to cater to the lower tastes and desires of others" (American Heritage Dictionary). What kind of people pander? Politicians often pander to their constituency to get votes. Parents often pander to their children to get cooperation. Subordinates pander to the management to get the next promotion. Young adults pander to the wishes of a more controlling parents for extra spending money. Adults pander to their rich elderly relatives for bigger inheritance.

Pandering is such a negative term because it often involves sacrificing ones principles, ideals, and deviating from good practices. It also involves being insincere. A panderer personally benefits from the action, though may not always, but sometimes at the cost of others. Is it wrong to pander?

Is it wrong to play nice? Of course not. In fact it's rather smart, isn't it, to pander to the right person. But can you live with yourself after that? How about self respect?

Some people sometime take pride in sticking to their ideals and principles. Unfortunately, while doing so, they do it rather in disrespectful manner. It take someone very special to be able to play nice sincerely hoping make the other person happy even when at the cost sacrificing ones ideals.