| When someone asks "how are you?" what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/30/2008 10:31:42 PM | "How's it hangin'?" "How was your day?" etc.
I often wonder when people ask me this question if people truly care how I'm doing or if it's just something people say for lack of better conversation.
So if you're having a bad day and someone asked how you're doing, would you tell them how frustrating your day was? | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/30/2008 10:34:40 PM | | No I don't because as you already know, they don't care. Saying "how are you" is the same to people as saying "hello". Personally, I make it a point not to ask someone how they are unless I really am wanting to know how they are, if they're ok, etc. Otherwise, I just say "hi". | |
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vro312
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Joined: 11/22/2007
Msg: 5 | |
| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/30/2008 10:49:00 PM | When people say, "How are you" to me, I've taken to saying, "Hey." I know it doesn't fit, but paradoxically it does. The question isn't really a question (usually), and people don't expect much of an answer beyond "fine," which by association loses its meaning as well.
So even though it sounds like a question, it's not a question, but not in the same way that a rhetorical question isn't a question. When someone says something like, "What's your problem?" or "Who died and appointed you queen?" or whatever, no one expects an answer because they're actually statements, both of which say essentially, "You're an ***hole and I don't like you very much." The "how are you" thing isn't like that. It's a question that isn't a question, but it's not making any sort of statement; it's just a hi. So why not just say, "Hey" in response? (That's rhetorical, too--no response is necessary . . . not even "Hi.") | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/30/2008 11:12:20 PM | | I just say "I'm fine" on a normal day, "great!" on a particularly good day, and "I'm ok" if for some reason I think I might look visibly upset. I consider the "How are you?" to be a rather empty, pleasantry; I would be willing to bet the farm that the strangers/casual acquaintances who ask this question are not actually looking for a rundown of all my recent misfortunes. | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/30/2008 11:13:45 PM | Sometimes the same words have different meanings. So if you say "he looks rather green" you might mean either that he looks sick or that he looks like a beginner. So it is with "how are you?".
Sometimes, "how are you?" means "I care to know how you are feeling, will you tell me?" and other times it is not really a question at all, but just a conversational routine where you are expected to stick to the customary response of "I'm fine. How are you?" or "Okay thanks, how are you?" and any other type of response is not what is actually being asked for.
I try to answer appropriately: saying "I'm fine" when its clear the person doesn't give a toss how I feel but is just doing the conversational routine for the sake of maintaining a façade of communication; and giving an actual answer if they actually want one. Sometimes I disturb my manager by telling him I feel terrible when he only ever wants the conversation-façade thing; apparently, I have a small evil streak. | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 12:24:21 AM |
When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say? .....I answer the question honestly. If I'm having a sh*t day then I'll say I'm having a sh*t day.
I ask my best friend everyday how she is. I'm genuinely concerned, and I even make a point of phoning her to find out.....she's a very sick woman who has good and bad days.  | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 12:33:47 AM | | If it is someone I know and I think they actually care about the answer, I will elaborate on what kind of day I am having if indeed it is a bad day...otherwise, I just say "good, how is yours?" Because honestly, most of the time you are asking purely out of courtesy... | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 12:46:11 AM | | Yeah, I feel the same... But sometimes I tell those that ask, just how I am... especially when my days going bad! HaHaHaHa! "How are you?" "well my wife left lastnight with my best friend and they took my favorite dog and my car" somethig like that. Then as they try to run off, not wanting to know how your doing after all, keep following them and tell them more about how your feeling self-concious abut your hair today, or you know, anything... They'll never ask you again "How are you?" HaHaHaHaHa! By the way, I'm doing great, hope the same for you | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 12:54:11 AM | I only started to speak English in my late teens, early twenties. And at first, I had no clue when people would greet me with "hi how are you" that I was expected to just say "fine thank you and you".
I thought they really wanted to know how I was doing. And it used to baffle me when I would see two people walk by each other and hear them both say this how are you thing practically at the same time without even stopping to hear the answer.
And although my English speaking skills have improved considerably since then, I admit I still don't care for that greeting. Why ask someone how they are if you don't care either way? I don't get it. Why not just say hi and leave it at that?
And if you are going to ask someone how they are, why not take a minute of your time to hear if indeed they are doing okay. Maybe they're not okay. Maybe they're having a bad day...a bad week...perhaps they're even having a bad year, and they're sick of saying they're fine thank you and you?
I know that it's often made me feel even more alone having to smile and say I'm doing fine for the hundredth time that day when what I really felt was anything but fine.
All that does is remind me that I live in a world that seems to care more for formalities and proper etiquette than it does for people.
So yeah [insert smile] I'm fine thank you and you...nice to know you're doing fine too... gee we're all doing so fine.
What's that? You're feeling sad? Hurt? Confused? In need of a friend? You mean....*gasp* you're not doing fine?
Ehh...listen I have to run now...I have a meeting to go to...but... erm....don't worry...everything will be just fine. 
JMO
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EB1
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Joined: 7/31/2006
Msg: 15 | |
| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 1:50:45 AM | Depends who is asking. In where I live that is used as "Hi, how are you?" which only needs a reply Hi.
Most of the people d0n't ask that question because they want to know how are you. It is just used as a greeting.
But I answer to people usually when asked that question "Still alive, still alive". | |
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zeeba
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Joined: 3/27/2008
Msg: 17 | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 7:32:34 AM | Hi, how are you? I rarely answer with a typical "Fine", depending on my mood. "Shitty", "meh", "I'm alive", "makin' er thru", "could be worse", "just dandy", "super" (sarcastic or seriously), "awesome", "fairly half decent", etc etc. I don't care if people don't really care how I actually am, I'll tell them anyway. Especially if I'm having a bad day 
Sometimes I disturb my manager by telling him I feel terrible when he only ever wants the conversation-façade thing
My boss sometimes asks me how it's going, he doesn't so much like it when I tell him the truth. LOL | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 7:57:26 AM | I know most people don't care when they ask that, but i'll answer honestly anyways.
If i'm not having a good day, I'll say it and if I am , i'll be sure to let them know that too.
I find it somehow breaks the tension, especially if you don't know the person.
Edit: I just noticed the above poster. Good for you. People need to be more honest these days. | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 9:24:29 AM |
Horny.
Libra! Ya stole my line!
Anyway, so I'm on line at the library, across the table sit two gals I wonder
should I ask...."Hi..How are you"?
They strike a conversation about their PRISON stretches........
[seemed kinda MOOT to ask........]  | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 12:05:21 PM | So if you're having a bad day and someone asked how you're doing, would you tell them how frustrating your day was?
No. In my line of work no matter how bad my day is going, their's usually gets worse than mine once I drop the bill on them lol.
Oops. Not a girl. I'll leave now. | |
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| When someone asks how are you? what do you usually say?
Posted: 5/31/2008 12:15:47 PM | No, it's just a formality.
I try to avoid saying it nowadays at work. For whatever reason, people seem comfortable telling me anything and I've learned way more about my customer than I've wanted to know because of that question. They start going on about anything between how their bills are past due to how their teenage daughter is a whore. | |
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