what is harmless flirting?

I feel harmless flirting can be taken in a positive way. It can be giving attention to a person,entertaining a person,acknowledging a person,listening to a person,helping a person... Many such deeds can be harmless flirting... It is upto the receiver,to see as harmless or harmful flirting or humanity.

 

Harmless flirting is that term that is most often abused and only rarely used in right context

 

When it's between husband and wife.

 

If any of the two parties in "flirting" already have a partner, it is extremely dis-respectful to him/her. Helping/acknowledging/appreciating are not "flirting". Flirting indicates a sort of longing to be in the company of the other party.

Harmless flirting does not exist.

 

.....................Fiction.

 

Agreed. I think we need to settle on a definition of flirting here. This is the Wikipedia introduction to "Flirting":

"Flirting or coquetry is a social and sometimes sexual activity involving verbal or written communication as well as body language by one person to another, suggesting an interest in a deeper relationship with the other person. In most cultures, it is socially disapproved for a person to make explicitly sexual advances, but indirect or suggestive advances (i.e., flirting) may at times be considered acceptable. On the other hand, some people flirt playfully, for amusement."

What some posters are describing here, as SM also says, is not flirting. I am friendly, open, playful sometimes, with many people of both sexes, at work, home, the supermarket, wherever. I enjoy camaraderie and a convivial working relationship in a team or group.

But flirting is something else entirely. By its very nature, it has some sexual component to it, even if this is not meant seriously. Only single people should be flirting, as far as I'm concerned, according to the definition above. Unless you're in some sort of open relationship where anything goes.

 

Exactly. If a wife realizes that her husband is "bored" of her and is desperately waiting for that potluck next Sunday because "she" is coming, it is very likely that the wife will be heart/mind broken.

 

oxymoron :rotfl

 

Couldn't agree more and glad u confirmed it..for a moment there I was not sure if my opinion was English Matters approved.