Me too. Sadly, spears rarely get much love in RPGs. I’ve always wanted a) spears to qualify as finesse weapons and b) to make a dexterity build that dances about with a spear and takes advantage of distance. Just recently I started replaying neverwinter nights, with PRC (like every DND race/class combo) to experiment with builds.
This is true in my experience. People are extremely mimetic and validation driven. If someone respects you, they listen and imitate. It can actually be frustrating to me as an adult, because I don’t find the aphorism “imitation is the finest form of flattery” to be flattering in many cases. It can start to look manipulative or lazy when it’s middle-aged adults floundering for approval.
But your point stands: respect is an effective platform from which to share ideas. So many folks close off their minds, because they are lonely or otherwise insecure. If you can positively move either of those needles, they listen. From there, the only question is whether they truly internalize the idea, or whether they are chasing the feels of socialization.