Social Engineering - the use of deception, manipulation, or persuasion to obtain information by illicit means.

Now, I know some of us use this as a way of hacking, or at least one of the ways, take me for instance,
but I was curious about how many of us use it in real life.

Example. When you first meet someone and you want them to like you so you find out their favorite music,
style, their point of view on life so you can bring it up in a conversation to gain their respect and friendship,
isn't that a type of social engineering?

I consider it one and I'm guilty of it. ^^"
I did it because it's so much easier to start a real friendship when their guard is down.
Maybe it's wrong, but It works.
I don't do it all the time, just occasionally.
In any case my point is:

Have any of you Social Engineered in real life to gain someone's approval?
Why?