I don't actually experience that many people asking for a compliment, do you?

At the moment not that much. Most of the people with whom a have longer social interactions don't operate at that level. Few masks but direct talk about psychological needs. Lots of physical contact regardless of the gender of the person I'm interacting with.

On the other hand I know that those interactions are not representative of "normal culture".

I think I'm basically doing exactly that.

Good. I was not asserting that you aren't. I don't know yourself well enough for that.