Why does "Bless you" after sneezing persist?-

[digonswine]

I know this matters to no one-but I don't care. The origins are dubious. The modern purpose is useless. It appears to be courtesy only. I would think courtesy would instruct the sneezer to excuse him-or herself--like a belch, fart, or unintended verbal ejaculation.

Instead--I feel like a dink when I don't "bless" the unfortunate person.

Why is the onus on me to bless anyone? I hate being cornered into something for no reason.

Do you remember those old Hallmark commercials with Ray Charles, etc.? The idea was that, if it was not a Hallmark card-the recipient would look at the back of the card know, and consider the giver to be an unspeakable cad for giving such inferior pulpy correspondence.

I felt manipulated in the same way I feel manipulated by the "Bless-you" crowd.

[nolabear]

1. What a conflation. LOL! But I think Bless You just alleviates discomfort.

Sneezing is a kind of vulnerable thing to do. For a minute you're utterly out of control. We're automatically empathetic when someone sneezes and it's a way to bow to that. At least, that's what I think.

Hallmark is a whole nother story.

[targetpractice]

6. I like that insight...

I think the custom is meant to dispel embarrassment. When I say "bless you" I instinctively am trying to communicate... "Hey, no worries. We're all human."

That said... Maybe I should say "bless you" whenever I hear someone fart, too.

[Cid_B]

2. Sheesh.. run with gesundheit

Easy...

[WolverineDG]

14. or "Salud"

:eyes:

BTW, same sentiment applies to both expressions, so not sure if this helps the OP get over common courtesy the "manipulation." :eyes:

dg

[digonswine]

It's just one of life's little annoyances, is all.

[digonswine]

15. It's just one of life's little annoyances, is all.

[KamaAina]

18. Better still, "Kihe, a mauliola"

Hawaiian for "sneeze, and have a long life".

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Hey, come on! Do you want people's souls to be escaping out their noses

when they sneeze, and wandering around all over the place? When you say "Bless you!" you are reminding God to stuff their soul back inside before it gets loose.

Or something like that.

[NightWatcher]

4. But still we don't say shit when someone coughs

I only say Bless You to my wife and baby when they sneeze. I refuse to bless coworkers and strangers

[Arugula Latte]

5. I never say "God bless you" cuz I don't believe in a god

but I do say "geshundheit" because sometimes it's just awkward to not say anything after someone sneezes.

[provis99]

7. you could always say "Piss off!" instead.

Who wants to say Bless You after some clod sneezes all over them?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. I HATE it when people do it to me

I have allergies, and there are times during pollen season when my allergy meds haven't kicked in yet, and I have sneezing fits. Now it's bad enough to have a sneezing fit in public, but there's always some idiot who says "bless you" after EACH SNEEZE.

Gee, thanks for calling attention to my sneezing fit!

[WinkyDink]

12. And THIS is why that teacher got FED UP with his students!

[InvisibleTouch]

9. I feel silly saying it, or not saying it and being expected to.

And I feel even sillier when someone says it to me, and I'm expected to thank them.

Seems like the polite thing to do is ignore a sneeze.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. I always say nostrovia

That's what was said to me growing up, since my mother's family is Polish. No religious overtones, since it literally means "to your health," makes sense in case the sneezer is sick. It's also a toast. :)

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090310071139AALXDvM

[MiddleFingerMom]

11. I usually say "Gesundheit", which is German for "Health".

.
.
.
But only the first time if there are multiple sneezes -- and I really resent people
who make it obvious that I'm EXPECTED to say it.
.
.
.

[digonswine]

19. I can't tell if someone resents it or not--

usually I wait for someone else to say it. Otherwise--I buckle to pressure--I'm a pleaser. I guess many common courtesies have fallen by the wayside for the most part--hats off in a building, elbows on tables, not encouraging small children to be as loud as possible in public places for as long as they are there, etc. I don't like when people I don't know ask me how I am doing when we are simply passing on the street or hallway. I just say "good" and don't ask in return.

[kedrys]

13. I usually just say "Blast You!"

Since it kinda sounds like a small contained explosion anyway... :P

[OffWithTheirHeads]

16. I always say Godzilla.

[bikebloke]

17. Once upon a time people died from colds.

Or similar illnesses. So a sneeze was a dreaded portent. The call for superstitious support has carried on as a form of politeness.

[Swede]

20. Politeness?

[hifiguy]

21. It was ALWAYS "Gesundheit" in my family

which was overwhelmingly German on both mom's side and dad's.

[mainegreen]

22. Because saying 'snot rockets GO!' is still considered rude?

:P

[astral]

23. When someone sneezes you must buy them a Hallmark card.

... I sneeze unexpectedly one to three times a day, over what I don't know. People say "bless you," usually if they hear me, and I hadn't even thought about it, but I just realized whenever they say "bless you," I reply "thank you."

Because they blessed me, I guess. Why don't we bless people every time they hiccup too?

[jobycom]

24. I dunno, I just slap them and steal their wallet.

Whatever works for you, you know?

[Lasher]

25. I just punch them in the face if they don't cover their mouth.

But then I have to pour boiling water on my fist.

[Odin2005]

26. I grew up saying "gesundheit", which means "for your health".