Not thanking somebody for saying 'bless you' after you sneeze -- rude?

[Krynj]

I think blessing somebody after they sneeze is stupid. And I think thanking a blesser is even more stupid. There are tons of reasons why somebody issues a blessing after a fresh sneeze, but they're all such old conventions, and don't even really make sense these days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bless_you

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responses_to_sneezing

So what say you, ATOT. Rude to not say thank you? Rude to not bless somebody after a sneeze?

 

[TheNinja]

Pretty soon you'll have to carry on a whole convo in order to not be rude

1 - Sneeze
2 - Bless You
1 - Thank you
2 - Your Welcome
1 - No Problem
2 - Have a nice rest of your day
1 - Thank you, you too
2 - Your Welcome, thanks

 

[lxskllr]

Yea, it's rude. I prefer to use gesundheit though. It has no religious connotation. Just like saying please, thank you, or anything else. There's easy social conventions that make flow though society easier. "blessing" someone after a sneeze is one of them.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Zeus bless you!

 

[Numenorean]

No I don't think it's rude at all.

If you're going to respond to the "Bless You" thing, respond with something like "And may Satan have your soul".

 

[LumbergTech]

I hate it when people say that because it makes you feel obligated to reply even though you know they really don't care(sometimes)

 

[rcpratt]

"Bless you" irks me, but I try to avoid getting into random religious arguments, so I usually thank them. So yeah, I guess it would be slightly rude to ignore someone after they said "bless you."

I do like Numenorean's retort, though. Hahah.

 

[LookBehindYou]

I voted #3!

 

[LumbergTech]

Pretty soon you'll have to carry on a whole convo in order to not be rude

1 - Sneeze
2 - Bless You
1 - Thank you
2 - Your Welcome
1 - No Problem
2 - Have a nice rest of your day
1 - Thank you, you too
2 - Your Welcome, thanks

this

 

[Krynj]

How about holding doors open for people?

If I notice that somebody is right behind me (2 or 3 steps), I'll hold it. But if they're out by about 6+ steps, I don't hold it. At that point, they're within that range where they could catch it before it shuts if they wanted to. 6+ steps is also the distance at which one does the little trot to the door when somebody is holding it for them. They can do that if they want -- I'm not sticking around. I'm not at all inconvenienced by opened a door, and in fact, plan on several door-opening encounters throughout my day. Holding a door open for me doesn't yield a thanks. Maybe a quick smile and a nod...maybe

Of course, the rules change when somebody has their arms full. That's always an automatic door hold. Unless they're carrying automatic weapons.

 

[lxskllr]

Door holding is highly variable. I generally err on the side of courtesy, but I'm not a doorman either. It depends on the situation.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to get into a massive religious argument with those around you if they use a deity. If you are atheist, complain about them pushing religion on you, if you are a theist, complain about them using the name of said deity in the context of a bodily function.

 

[foghorn67]

Just nod.

 

[Krynj]

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to get into a massive religious argument with those around you if they use a deity. If you are atheist, complain about them pushing religion on you, if you are a theist, complain about them using the name of said deity in the context of a bodily function.

It does, I agree. However, listening to, and participating in a religious debate is an extremely large waste of time.

 

[SlitheryDee]

The whole sneeze "ceremony" is a big waste of time IMO. Sneezing isn't something that warrants any comment at all unless someone sneezed on you. So really goes sneeze -> irrelevant and meaningless comment -> thank you for your irrelevant and meaningless comment.

How about we only comment on something when its necessary, and only thank someone when they do something meaningful?

 

[AstroManLuca]

I used to feel uncomfortable saying "bless you" because I'm not religious, but then I realized it really doesn't have a religious connotation and it's just polite. Now people say "thank you" and I feel better.

 

[Krynj]

Also, sneezing is awesome, and feels very refreshing. Perhaps I'll start congratulating people on their sneezes from now on.

 

[Schadenfroh]

sneezing isn't something that warrants any comment at all unless someone sneezed on you.

If only passing gas was as social acceptable.

 

[moshquerade]

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to get into a massive religious argument with those around you if they use a deity. If you are atheist, complain about them pushing religion on you, if you are a theist, complain about them using the name of said deity in the context of a bodily function.

yep, seems like people are always looking for something to complain about.

having courtesy and manners are too much to ask of some people.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Who gives a shit.

 

[SparkyJJO]

<shrug> doesn't bother me either way.

 

[RPD]

Also, sneezing is awesome, and feels very refreshing. Perhaps I'll start congratulating people on their sneezes from now on.

Apparently you haven't heard someone sneeze as loud as I do. I startle kids and grown women.

 

[Jeff7]

The whole sneeze "ceremony" is a big waste of time IMO. Sneezing isn't something that warrants any comment at all unless someone sneezed on you. So really goes sneeze -> irrelevant and meaningless comment -> thank you for your irrelevant and meaningless comment.

How about we only comment on something when its necessary, and only thank someone when they do something meaningful?

Second.

Also, sneezing is awesome, and feels very refreshing. Perhaps I'll start congratulating people on their sneezes from now on.

Or go for the Captain Obvious route, and state, "You just sneezed."
That's really all that someone's doing when saying "Bless you." I see it as little more than a verbal acknowledgment of a sneeze - ignoring the ancient superstitions associated with the whole "blessing" practice. (And there's also the fact that you're requesting a divine blessing for something incredibly trivial.)

And what happens if I sneeze while I'm alone? Can I request a blessing for myself? Do I have to phone a friend?

One explanation holds that the custom originally began as an actual blessing. Gregory I became Pope in AD 590 as an outbreak of the bubonic plague was reaching Rome. In hopes of fighting off the disease, he ordered unending prayer and parades of chanters through the streets. At the time, sneezing was thought to be an early symptom of the plague. The blessing ("God bless you!") became a common effort to halt the disease.

A whole fat lot of good that did.

 

[TheVrolok]

Who gives a shit.

This.

 

[pontifex]

I don't say bless you or thank someone when they say it to me. it's pointless and dumb.