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Discussion » Questions » Life and Society » What are some things that people say about life or living that are meant to sound nice, but in reality are not?

What are some things that people say about life or living that are meant to sound nice, but in reality are not?

Inspired by this question that was posted by another member: https://answermug.com/forums/topic/139233/what-are-things-people-say-about-the-dead-or-death-that-are-mean/view/post_id/974708


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Posted - November 29, 2022

Responses


  • 845
    Apparently, I was ignorant of southern culture and manners. One day, in a effort to compliment someone who done something nice (she wasn't present, I was conversing with my daughter), I said, "Well bless her heart!". My daughter told me that the expression is used sarcastically and is not a compliment. I don't have first hand knowledge of that because I've never been to one of those southern states.

    Is anyone from one of those states that uses this expression? Is a compliment or an insult? I really don't know.

    PS. I can hear a character saying it in "Steel Magnolias" but I can't remember the context.
      November 30, 2022 12:20 PM MST
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  • 52905

     

    (One day, in a an effort to compliment someone who __ done something nice)

      November 30, 2022 4:45 PM MST
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  • 52905

     

      There are certainly some instances in which the expression is regionally applied throughout the South, or it’s used differently among various people of the South, because, as I was growing up, it was used by my mother and grandmother, who were both born and raised in the South, yet moved further North by the time I was born. My experience was that it did not always apply in a sarcastic manner when they said it. It would be within the context of the conversation, or within the context of how the words in the expression or the words in the broader sentence were stressed or emphasized that determined whether or not it was sarcasm. Of course, that does not mean that there are some parts of the South or among some people or within certain uses where it is 100% and completely an always sarcastic, even today.
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    This post was edited by Randy D at November 30, 2022 6:00 PM MST
      November 30, 2022 4:53 PM MST
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  • 845
    Tennessee Ernie Ford used to sing "Bless Your Pea Pickin' Heart".
     
    I guess that I'll just have to watch Steel Magnolias again. This post was edited by NYAD at November 30, 2022 5:58 PM MST
      November 30, 2022 5:33 PM MST
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  • 44175
    That the 'golden years' are wonderful.
      November 30, 2022 1:57 PM MST
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  • 52905

     

      Good point.  I have that same perspective concerning how glowingly some people speak about impending retirement as if it’s the most wonderful thing in the world. To them, perhaps, but not to me. As a die-hard workaholic and as a person who absolutely loved his job, loved doing his job, loved going in every day, I had no desire (or plan) to retire. For two years prior to my expected retirement date, I made my intentions known to management that I wanted to apply for the three-year extension that was available to me. Regulations required that the extension paperwork could not be submitted that far in advance, so I bided my time but at least the supervisory staff was aware that I wanted to keep working. Had it not been for Covid-19, with its shutdowns and work-from-home provisions, I believe that I would have been allowed to continue, instead of being put out to pasture like elderly livestock. Grrrrrrr.


    :[

      November 30, 2022 4:40 PM MST
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  • 44175
    I feel ya. I loved teaching...until they told me not only what I was going to teach, but how to teach it. I retired because of the massive amount of paperwork (useless) and physical reasons. These are more lead years than golden.
      November 30, 2022 7:50 PM MST
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