To Tell or Not To Tell...That Is The Question

"Like anyone would be, I am flattered by your fascination with me."
-Alanis Morissette

Hmmm...I'm not quite sure Alanis got it right with that lyric.
Are we REALLY flattered when someone is fascinated with us or does it freak us out?

I've always thought it would be fun to have a stalker or someone that had a crush on me. I thought it would be a self esteem booster. But never having been in that situation it is hard to gauge exactly how I would react.

When people have crushes on their friends or are attracted to their friends is it better to just let that go unspoken or should you tell them? It doesn't seem like it would hurt to tell your friend you are attracted to them, but most people don't know how to take a compliment like that. Because in the end that is really all that it is, it is a compliment. Nothing needs to be read into it but something always does get read into it.
On the other hand...I do see where it could get awkward.
I have a male friend who has a female friend and one day this female friend confessed a crush on this male friend. The male friend politely said that he didn't return affection but would enjoy still being friends.
No harm done right?
But in most situations I don't think the "crushee" can keep their cool like my male friend did.
It seems to me that if you tell your friend you've kind of got a thing for them they start pushing you away so you won't get even more attached to someone that doesn't return "crush" feelings. And that seems considerate to an extent but then that means you are losing a friend.
Which is why most people just keep their mouth shut. Because there is no need to lose a friend just because no one knows how to properly take a compliment.