It’s that tickle you just can’t seem to scratch…unless you want to pick your nose in public.
Growing up, you learn that when you hear someone sneeze you must respond with “Bless you,” but why? I maintain my my lack of religious views, so I ask society why I am blessing the sneezer?
I learned years ago that the reason we have been socialized into saying “Bless you” is because centuries ago people believed that each time you sneezed, the devil was possessing you as you lost a bit of your soul through your sneeze. By blessing the person, you are saving his/her soul.
For my own knowledge, I Wikipedia’d “[God] Bless You.” Instead of citing each origin, check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_bless_you
Regardless, I still question why it bothers me so much when people do not say “Bless you” after someone sneezes. Socially, we are obligated to proclaim this statement, for it is a custom we have been socialized into, now a common courtesy. Some, however, are less courteous than others.
One of my greatest pet peeves is when someone, friend, acquaintance, or stranger, fails to respond to someone’s sneeze. I will almost always say “Bless/Blesh you,” regardless of who the sneezer may be, and I am sure that I am not the most courteous person in the world, just the most awesome. When I do not respond, I feel guilty, like I’ve done something wrong.
I know these two words make an impact on other people aside from myself, for one day I was standing on the corner of Spring and Varick as a woman walked out of the Starbucks. She sneezed and instictually, I responded “Bless you.” This complete stranger turned to me and thanked me. She said that it was so rare that people say “Bless you” anymore. I told her that I felt bad when I didn’t say it and she agreed.
I can not quite grasp, however, why I think it is so rude when people do not respond to sneezes with a simple “Bless you;” why I feel compelled to ‘bless’ every person who sneezes, and why I feel bad when I don’t say it.
Religion turned socialization turned courtesy turn complex.
Have you noticed that people in CT tend to not say bless you more than people at home? Even my closest friends at UConn rarely say bless you. Obviously growing up together has impacted us in similar ways, since I can’t STAND when people don’t say it, let alone say it to me. It’s just…common courtesy. It is a small, desperate, yet meaningful attempt to keep some niceness in the country where everyone more often than not hates eachother. But I think the more east/northeast you go, the less you will hear it. Just being in Colorado in summers past I’ve met strangers on sidewalks as we pass one another (them with a dog, and me with 4 kids under the age of 10)who will take 20 seconds out of their busy lives to say Hi, how are you, enjoying this weather? There’s a park over there if you want to take the kids there, have a great day.”
…and asking for a bless you in CT is like asking someone to lick the bottom of your foot after walking through Hartford… odd.
I absolutely agree. The Northeast is a wonderful place if you like fast-paced everything and assholes (which I do). The rest of the nation…the continent…has a tendency to be more kind and courteous. Bless you has become a social phenomenon that is as easy as “hello” or as repelling as, you said, licking the bottom of your foot after walking through Hartford. People (especially in Connecticut) are too concerned with themselves to take an extra breath to say “bless you.” What’s worse is that they do not even notice this flaw.
I agree. I always say “bless you”. I remember, when I was a teen, I stopped my presentation at school just to say “Bless You”, without even meaning it. xD
Too bad I moved to a city where people generally don’t say it.
i feel almost like you – i lack religious convictions, but i’ve always felt that saying ‘bless you’ is NOT saying ‘god bless you’ – it’s me saying ‘hope you’re awright’, there may not be a god – not to mention keep those germs to yourself.
Brilliant!
thats for sure, bro