...And how are you today ? ...

Note: This is not really a post as much as it is an angry rant !!

Scenario 1:

A: Hello B.

B: Hello A. How are you doing ?

A: Oh not bad, and you ?

B: Pretty good.

Scenario 2:

A: Hello B.

B: Hello A. How are you doing ?

A: Oh my god…its interesting that you asked. I feel miserable these days. My wife has left me, my dog ate my cat, blah, blah, blah, blah…


A diligent reader might ask, what the hell is the point of these scenarios.

My point is actually quite intriguing (well, to me anyways).

How many times are we asked the question “How are you?” (or something along these lines)? Many times. But yet, most, if not all, the time, we reply by saying something like “Oh not bad”, or “Pretty good”. But what if our situation is not “Oh not bad”, or not “Pretty good”? Then that means we are lying right?

Where am I getting at? Well…most people don’t really care if you are not doing well. Then why do they ask “How are you doing?”? I don’t’ know !! Protocol ? Politeness ? Maybe !! But it seems strange to ask a question when you know what the answer will be !! If we do tell the truth, and in case that truth is that we are not doing well, then the other person will probably go nuts !! But I guess this is the way society functions. Ask a question simply because if you didn’t ask, you would be considered rude, but at the same time, you know exactly what to expect, and if the person answering indeed tells the truth when he is not doing well, then HE is considered rude !! How strange !!

I say, STOP asking it ( !! What is the bleeding point anyways ? NONE !! Of course, when my family or my best friends ask me that, I obviously say exactly the truth, but in all other cases, I find it most annoying to say “Pretty good”, when in fact, sometimes things are not pretty good !! But oh well…