Hey How Are You

It has happened to all of uss. You are walking along headed to your next class, and you pass someone you know. You wave and they say, "Hey! How are you?" And you respond with a perfunctory, "Good." As you're walking past you think...

What was the point of that conversation?

This new "Hey How Are You" generation is a pet peeve of mine. We have changed a warm greeting that genuinely wants to know about the welfare of your friend into empty words we use to fill the awkward silence when passing by someone on the street.

I mean, what if I wasn't "Good?" What if I was sick or having a bad day? Could I actually say in the middle of the street, "Oh well I'm actually not doing so well today, Susie." Then Susie would just awkwardly pause and say, "Oh sorry," not expecting that response at all, but still continue walking.

AND not to mention the fact that responding "Good" is gramatically incorrect! Flashback to elementary school grammar: People do well, things are good. Therefore, you should really say, "I'm doing well."

So please, don't ask Hey How Are You unless you really care to know.

And that's my two cents.