Linkedin recommendations - MAS

You get a linkedin message saying foo has requested for your recommendation.You hit the link with mechanical compulsion, land on the page, see the profile of the person and ponder - hmm what should i write ? Now being objective and candid is the obvious (and ideal) way to go about it.But, then you get this thought, if I write a complete +/- report on the person, how would that be reciprocated if (when) i seek her/his recommendation ?So you just go for hyperbole +ve attributes.

If you look at the recommendations in your network(Indian graph), most of them tend towards flattery.And the flattery would be working both ways ! So, essentially it is a sort of mutual admiration society. I scratch my back, you scratch mine.