Why do people ask, "How are you doing?"?

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It just a habit, people are stuck on saying.

Yeah its really just to be polite, sort of like shaking hands or something.

in high school my response to "whats up" and stuff like that slowly degenerated every day until finally whenever anyone greeted me my response was "mehhhhhh!" That worked out pretty well, i explained to EVERYONE who asked why i said that and they were cool with it.

It just is very common.

Well, that's probably better than my response. I normally say "heeeeeeyyyyy" in my deep monotone voice. While most people are amused, some are annoyed and/or confused. It's funny when someone tries to imitate it though.

I just got so used to saying "I'm fine" that I would say it even if the greeting wasn't "how are you?", which can lead to some awkward silences.


I find that if they *really* want to know how I am they'll phrase the question differently, and it usually won't be used as a greeting.


I don't think my tendency for literal interpretation ever extended to the word "it". Besides, almost any greeting is rhetorical. When someone asks "how's it hanging?" they don't want to know if I'm wearing boxers or briefs....

In Canada we've been using "How's it going, eh?" ever since the "Bob and Doug MacKenzie" comedy sketches appeared on national television back in the early 80's. Barring any comment about hosers, my usual reply is "it goes?", which although meaningless is a literal translation of the standard French greeting "ca va?".

Bump

I didn't know people get mad when you answer it honestly. I don't understand why people want to know how we are doing. WTH. I don't go around asking people how they are doing. Why would I care how they are doing? I don't care.

Besides I get annoyed by this and I know if I answer it honestly, it will turn into a conversation and I don't want that so I give out these same answers; "Okay" 'Fine" "good."

OK to the OP.... I treat it like a greeting and respond in kind with out giving away true feelings (I lie) because normally I am at work when this happens.... though with customers I can go "I'm at work!" (implied... "WTF do you think?") with a stupid grin on my face and get them to laugh.

to the cross thread about "wassup?" I hate this sentence.... I haven't been able to process it reliably yet, I KNOW for a FACT that it is a greeting and should be replied to with "nothin much" or "lots" or just echoed back depending on who says it.... But for some reason I still look up.... It has turned into a joke with one person that I used to work with, because after looking up I would respond "ceiling tile" or whatever happened to be above me.... but it is still frustrating...

I mostly hear 'How you going?' if I am having a terrible day I respond 'terribly' or if a good day i answer 'quite good' otherwise I jst say alright.

I too had a hard time understanding why people kept asking that if they don't want a honest answer.
The problem then is that they sometimes ARE interested in an honest answer Just how are you supposed top know. Luckilt that often goes better when you know the person in question longer. But I still often only say "fine" or something like that.
For example after the first week I had moved out of the house and my mom asked my how it was. "Fine" and after some more asking I eleborated but often I don't feel the need to in such situations

I know excactly what you mean. I often like to keep my facial muscles relaxed (smiling all the time gives you strain) but then people often think I'm angry or so. They don't even see it as emotionless or anything, while i've got a blank face. They seem to just have to put an emotion on it jay