[zamadatix]

It means those things precisely because the person is a child. In A Song of Ice and Fire winter can last over a decade hence "summer child", a young one that has never experienced the hardship of winter https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sweet_summer_child

Regardless, starting out with any variation of "you're blissfully ignorant" isn't needed either. I get offense usually isn't intended but the use of that phrase has always stuck me as a very condescending way to respond.

[evan_]

that definition misplaces the origin of the phrase, "sweet summer's child" has been in use since the mid-19th century or earlier:

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mGQSAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA52#v=o...

[zamadatix]

It may not be the first time the combination of words was ever written but it's certainly the first time it caught on and based on the timings where it caught on from (book then show) https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=sweet+summer+c...

[cinntaile]

It is simply a common phrase to refer to a naive and innocent person, it has nothing to do with Game of Thrones. Although I like how he used it, it immediately makes its meaning clear.

[evan_]

Here's that search without "Sweet": https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=summer+child%2...

[stavros]

As a counterpoint, I take the phrase as a funny way of saying "you lucky person". I definitely see how it can come off as condescending, I just find the reference obscure enough that it's more funny than offensive to me.

[0xbadcafebee]

> I get offense usually isn't intended but the use of that phrase has always stuck me as a very condescending way to respond.

You recognize it's not meant to be offensive, but you want to treat it as offensive? Wouldn't it feel better to assume good faith and not treat it as offensive?

The same phrase spoken from one individual to another can be interpreted as offensive or not. Tom might say "Fuck you!" to Bill, but Bill is best friends with Tom and knows he's kidding, and laughs. If they didn't know each other, Bill would get offended. But either way it's just words. Tom's intended meaning doesn't change despite what Bill wants to assume the meaning was. It's up to us to decide to get offended or not.