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submitted 4 months ago by prettykat@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

Like how we all face the door in an elevator or feel the need to say 'ope' when we almost bump into someone. What’s a silent rule of society that you find hilarious or totally unnecessary?

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[-] zeppo@lemmy.world 28 points 4 months ago

I like the tradition of "bless you!" when someone sneezes, but it is surely not necessary. And why do we say that for sneezing but not coughing?

[-] credo@lemmy.world 24 points 4 months ago

I was at the urinal the other day and sneezed; someone said bless you from a stall.

It was awkward. Breaking one social norm to uphold another.

[-] FosterMolasses@leminal.space 2 points 4 months ago

Sneezing at a urinal must be terrible lmaoooo

[-] hitmyspot@aussie.zone 14 points 4 months ago

I say gesundheit as I'm not religious and don't like to propagate religious sentiment, but I like the idea, too. I'm not German.

[-] backalleycoyote@lemmy.today 14 points 4 months ago

I say “pineapple”, because unlike God, pineapples are real. Also it confuses people.

[-] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 12 points 4 months ago

Pineapples want to digest me though

[-] backalleycoyote@lemmy.today 9 points 4 months ago

On the scale of malignancy, I’d say the pineapple’s desire to digest us is pretty tame compared to the attitude of most gods. At least it’s tasty while it does so.

[-] popekingjoe@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

And honestly? Pineapples are pretty delicious.

[-] Lighttrails@sh.itjust.works 5 points 4 months ago

Salud is good too

[-] Allero@lemmy.today 3 points 4 months ago

In Russian, it is "be healthy!" (будь здоров!), much to the same tune

[-] FosterMolasses@leminal.space 2 points 4 months ago

My favorite thing about Russian is that most things translated to English sound so rude out of context, haha

Most of the speech sounds like aggressive dictation "Come over", "Sit down", which is such a stark contrast to the English manner of speech: "Do you think it might be possible if it doesn't terribly trouble you to pass the salt?"

I also learned a little while ago that apparently this manner of speech is also seen as somewhat offensive in parts of Scandinavia because it's seen as passive aggressive lol

[-] Allero@lemmy.today 1 points 4 months ago

It depends regionally and contextually, quite some Russians are quite hyper-polite in their own right, which in turn is a laughing matter for the others.

I mean, if you would be so kind to accept another possibility, that is. I don't insist!

[-] hcf@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 months ago

I say gelassenheit as I'm not superstitious and don't like to propagate superstitious sentiment. I'm also not German.

[-] Lumidaub@feddit.org 2 points 4 months ago

Say Schönheit instead and be as witty as a real German.

[-] blarghly@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Religious idioms are everywhere in language, and it is seriously not a problem. We can talk about a storm of "biblical" proportions, or say hubris is inviting god's wrath, or whatever, and none of it is condoning any actual religious belief. Plenty of people celebrate Christmas because they like family and togetherness and indulgent consumerism, even if they don't consider themselves Christian. And like, one of my favorite explitives is Jesus Fucking Christ.

Just saying gesundheit is, like, fine. But your explaination reminds me of the people who tried to make latinx a thing. Heavy eyeroll

[-] Triasha@lemmy.world 0 points 4 months ago

Hispanic non binary people around me have referred to themselves as Latin (la-teen)

Is that also cringe?

[-] blarghly@lemmy.world 3 points 4 months ago

No, that makes sense since it is actually pronounceable, and has been created organically by people who are actually experiencing a problem, instead of 14 year olds on Tumblr

[-] Triasha@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I think it's appropriate to use the phrasing people use for themselves.

[-] Multiplexer@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Funnily enough, it is not universally agreed on in German to say "Gesundheit".
Many don't do it any more (me included), because it is a comment on an uncontrolled body function and thus pretty intrusive.

Exception to this may be people who are really close to you.

[-] kindnesskills@literature.cafe 2 points 4 months ago

Regardless of which phrase is being said, I think it's nice that we have a little rituals here and there.

A sneeze is often loud, sudden, startling and disruptive, so having a standard word or short phrase can ease us back into normal conversation mode without derailing the preceeding conversation (like actually asking if someone is okay could take us too far from the original topic). A quiet sneeze recuires no easing out of.

If I do a loud sneeze and no one says any variant of gesuntheit, I feel compelled to mildly apologise (pardon/excuse me) before carrying on, so one party does the little ritual to bridge between violent sound and normal speaking either way. Can be nice to "bless" the sneezer so they dont have to apologise for disrupting.

[-] SpikesOtherDog@ani.social 1 points 4 months ago

You could bless directly, like a self-signed certificate.

[-] mech@feddit.org 11 points 4 months ago

In the team I work with, we've established saying "Shut up!" if someone sneezes instead.
The proper response for coughing is "Die quietly".

[-] FosterMolasses@leminal.space 5 points 4 months ago
[-] SelfHigh5@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago

I hate this tradition fiercely and I’m glad to have moved to a place where sneezes are generally ignored. As they should be.

[-] FosterMolasses@leminal.space 3 points 4 months ago

UK tends to ignore them more, but they're slowly adopting the North American culture.

[-] HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

I have a friend who says 'coughs you' lol

[-] TheGiantKorean@lemmy.today 3 points 4 months ago

I also say it when someone farts.

[-] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 months ago

A sneeze was a demon leaving your body - apparently. Way back in the day.

[-] FosterMolasses@leminal.space 2 points 4 months ago

It's so weird how you can sneeze a million times and people will treat you like the panda meme, but a few coughs in the row and suddenly this quiet blanket of dread falls over the room like "Are they dying? Should we call the CDC?" 😂

[-] saltesc@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I'm not religious and just ignore people that say bless you. It's entirely disingenuous anyway. No one is aware of what they're saying, let alone means it. It's just a thing for them to feel good and nothing to do with the sneezer.

[-] FosterMolasses@leminal.space 1 points 4 months ago
[-] saltesc@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

I think when you haven't grown up in a culture that says it, it's weird. If you've grown up in a Christian-based country/society and are quite the traditionalist, you probably think it's normal.

[-] stray@pawb.social 1 points 4 months ago

I think it's really fucking weird that you're expected to thank them for it. Otherwise I wouldn't care.

this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2026
122 points (96.9% liked)

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