I'm fine thanks. How are you?

[sha76]

I seem to be getting this more & more in response to a simple "Hi". It tends to throw me, as it kind of makes my next line of "How are you?" somewhat redundant!
Is this becoming generally common, or is it just me that the world's stopped listening to?

"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[snuv]

When someone throws an anodyne "how are you" at me, I say something like "contagious!" or "ghastly!" just to see if they are listening to the answer.

To be fair, most people do notice.






"If it could have gone wrong earlier and it didn't, it ultimately would have been beneficial for it to have." : Murphy's Ultimate Corollary

 

[bekibutton]

Sha, I've had this happen to me too, although mostly it's when I've said 'hello' instead of 'hi' - maybe 'hello' sounds a bit like 'how are you?' when that's what you're expecting to hear...!

Maybe people really have stopped listening. At my place of work, people will ask 'how are you' and then carry on to wherever they're going without waiting for or listening to the answer. What's the point in asking in the first place?

--------------------------------------
I was gonna take over the world but got distracted by something shiny

 

[Grenage]

I think they've stopped listening. I find myself guilty of the same. Many times have I answered a question that hasn't yet been asked, but I expect them to. It's always when I'm not paying attention.

Carlsberg don't run I.T. departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[sha76]

Maybe we need to start asking more original questions. Any ideas?

"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[Grenage]

I suppose we could ask them in a foreign language? Konnichiwa, o-genki desu ka?

Alternatively, we could get their attention before we speak: "Oh Jesus H. Christ, what the hell is that crawling up your shoulder!?"

Carlsberg don't run I.T. departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[KenCunningham]

At the risk of being RF'd, at school it was always 'How's yer bum for spots?' for some reason.

I want to be good, is that not enough?

 

[Rofeu]

Hi, <grin>

in my company, initial contact is mostly reduced to "Hi", "Hello", "Hiya" and an occasional "Howdy". I must admit, I'm guilty of the same thing.

Whenever I would get that follow up "How are you?", though, my thought would be: "do you really care?". Mostly, I get a bit nervous as it generally means, that they wan't me to do something well beyond my job.

Similarly, I believe that the general idea on the receiving end of the question is "Oh, just stop wasting my time and get on with it!" (at least within my company)

Cheers,

Roel

 

[thekl0wn]

Many of the people I work with are mildly nosy, and therefore I think they really do want to know. Albeit, that they may not be entirely worried about HOW you're doing, but more WHAT you're doing.

 

[AnotherHiggins]

I don't think this is anything new or different. People exchange platitudes when passing each other in the hall. If your default comment is "how are you?", then you're likely to respond to that question, even if it isn't the salutation offered.

I'm often guilty of this at fast food restaurants. I pick up my food and am about to walk away when the cashier says, "Enjoy your lunch." Before my brain has time to catch up, my mouth has already said, "you too!"

"You too"? She's not about to eat. She's got to work for a few more hours before lunch.

If it is any consolation, sha, speaking as one of those absent-minded folks who is often guilty of the action your complaining about, I always notice after I've done this and after we've passed each other in the hall and I'm walking away, I'm having a little conversation with myself about why I would have answered a question that wasn't asked.

[tt]_____
[blue]-John[/blue][/tt]
[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]

Help us help you. Please read FAQ181-2886 before posting.

 

[sha76]

Oh, I'm bad with the "You too" thing; I could've spent the last 20 minutes listening to someone telling me how they were going to have their favourite pet put down on the way to their friends funeral & then go to the nearest homeless hostel because their house had just been repossesed, but if they finished with "Hope you have a good day" "You too" would be out of my mouth before I could stop myself!
Guess I just find having that default response to something that hasn't been said seems strange to me.

"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[SantaMufasa]

Why do we feel compelled to ask any questions as we greet people? If we ask no questions, we don't have to justify to ourselves or to others whether or not we are sincerely interested in the answers.

Simply say, "Good morning", "Good afternoon", "Good day", "Good evening". They are not questions, but instead, are wishes for a favourable experience.

We had a thread here (or in STC) during the past year in which we listed some rather clever variations on typical salutations. Since Tek-Tips's search feature is woefully inadequate presently (), I'm hoping that someone can post that thread's link here (if they remember it).

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[LNBruno]

IMHO, the correct response to "Hi" should be:

"Not yet, but I'm headed there as quickly as possible!"

< M!ke >

 

[AnotherHiggins]

Santa: as requested:

thread1256-1182167

I remember the thread, especially some of your responses. In fact, I found the thread by searching google for [google]response ebullient "Making an Impression" site:tek-tips.com[/google]

[tt]_____
[blue]-John[/blue][/tt]
[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]

Help us help you. Please read FAQ181-2886 before posting.

 

[SantaMufasa]

Geez, I must be suffering an episode of "Old Timer's" disease...I forgot that I had started that thread, but it certainly was fun (at least for me) as the posters provided me with additional alternatives for responding creatively to the question, "How are you?"

Thanks, John, for doing the detective work.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[thekl0wn]

I have a friend who replies to someone saying, "Hi," by screaming, "HI-YAH," and then giving them a karate chop to the arm. Granted, he's not a professional, but I could definitely see him doing this in any situation.

 

[flapeyre]

HI-YAH?

Fan of Miss Piggy?

Tibi gratias agimus quod nihil fumas.

 

[thekl0wn]

I doubt it's a Miss Piggy thing... I'd say it's more of him being a complete and utter clown.

 

[gbaughma]

It's funny how many people "surface communicate". Conditioned response...

It's kind of funny... because it happens all the time when I do Wi-Fi support...

After I solve their problem, I close with "You have a nice stay at the <hotel name>!"

Half the time, they respond "You, too!"

I had one person stop themselves... and laugh... and say "But... you're not at the hotel, are you?" I chuckled and pointed out "And you're the first one to catch yourself. Good job!"

Of course, part of the fun of that "Have a nice stay..." is that it sounds so much like "Have a nice day..." that people automatically respond "You too" before the rest of the statement sinks in...



Just my 2¢
-ARRGH! All my clothes are wrinkled! Oh, the irony!

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[ascotta]

Evryday scenario (it gets to you for about 6 months, then you just sideslip right in there and youre at it too.


"G'day how you going ?"

"Good, yourself ?"

"Good thanks"

"Excellent"

The good news is that is total strangers you see on the street, which is nice.

[blue] A perspective from the other side!![/blue]

Cheers
Scott