How are you doing?

Today is Saturday, how lovely are Saturdays, really, there should be more of them!

My musing today is about that simple question; "How are you doing?" Why do people ask it? Is it really that polite? Because half the time when people ask it they don't really want to know, they're just asking because it's the 'done thing'. It's almost always insincere.

And the person answering? Well they're down right liers. Their arm could be falling off, head about to explode and are being hunted down by the mob. But the answer they give you? "I'm fine thank you." Then of course because they've been aksed how they are, they have to inquire back "How are you doing?"

What if somebody asked how you're doing and you tell them the truth? "I've got a throbbing headache, I'm in the middle of a divorce and I'm having serious PMS issues."

Well you know they'd run away as quick as their legs would let them.

Is an insincere inquiry about how you're doing better than nothing at all? And can you spot an insincere inquiry from a sincere one?

Hmmm....