One of my very favorite things about being southern is saying a nice “bless your heart” that’s 50/50 patronizing and sympathetic.
… OK I call shenanigans, because every Southerner I know uses it 100/0 patronizing and sympathetic.
You are correct. Nobody who uses “bless your heart” ever actually means it, unless they’re over eighty. And even then, the sincerity level’s a crapshoot.
i only say it about insufferable assholes. it’s like saying ‘not to be mean, but..,’ before talking about how wretched i find you to be.
actually, I say “bless your heart” or “bless” kind of a lot, and mean it. hahaha, I swear I’m not over eighty yet! maybe I just don’t know enough insufferable assholes. <3 xoxoxo
The last job I worked was really stressful and full of negativity, so one year my New Year’s Resolution was to follow up anything bad I said about someone with, “Bless his/her heart.” “Mr X has missed his last three check in’s and he’s totally speedballin again. Bless his heart.” “I really wish our director thought her employees deserved the same rights our clients do. Bless her heart.” “If Miss Y comes in smelling like meth again, I’m banning her. Bless her heart.”
I still do it, even though I haven’t worked there in a long time. C is so used to it, now I can say nothing but “Bless his heart” to him in public and he knows I’m thinking, “That person is a major seeping douche canal.”
