I’d be fine with that…I suppose I’m so used to it by now that I hardly notice, but I still don’t care for it.
I hear “I appreciate you” and my thoughts, when I choose to think about it, that’s great, but you don’t know me, pal!
Maybe not so cynical, but in that direction.
Sorry about the 2x post, but it just occurred to me this life-changing idea:
I’ll say similar things to, say, to cashiers or other public-facing employees with whom I’ve interacted dozens of times, but it’s more like, “I really appreciate you always putting in that little bit effort…it’s admirable! And thanks very much again!”
See, that’s sincere. Those people, we’re not always first-name, but they know my shopping habits, and I know the dude at the grocery store at midnight has heavy-lidded reddish eyes…you know…we’re kind of part of each other’s lives in a small and predictable way.
The short form is…cheap, nasty! Almost like a pick-up line at a bar or something. “You appreciate me? What about me? Let’s just stick to business, bud. I appreciate that you applied your pit-stick this morning, and that you didn’t spit in my direction or insult me! Good job!”
Yeah, I’ve noticed it a lot over the last few years. I don’t care for it, but it’s a minor irritation, and I do think that it’s meant as a direct equivalent to appreciate it, or thank you.
It annoys me because it seems like manufactured validation, in a participation trophy sort of way. Plus, I’ve noticed that people invariably use it when I say yes to whatever it was that they asked me. No one ever appreciates me for setting boundaries or saying no.
“Appreciate you” vs. “appreciate it”: You—well, not you specifically, but the royal, all-encompassing you—could be a total pain in the behind. I mean, maybe I don’t even like you as a human being. But, hey, even a complete ass can occasionally do something (the “it”) that I can get behind. So, while I may not appreciate you as a whole package, I can certainly appreciate it—you know, that one rare thing you managed to not screw up. See? Broader, more generous. Everyone wins… sort of.