this post was submitted on 04 Aug 2025
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[–] drbluefall@toast.ooo 12 points 1 week ago (6 children)

I'm gonna just go on a brief tirade here—

It's probably just me, but I despise "how are you doing?" as a greeting.

To put this in context, I work in a customer-facing position, handling returns at a counter. When people come up to me and ask "how are you doing?", 95% of the time they don't actually care. And it bothers me in particular because I instinctively want to answer the question honestly, but a) that would result in me going into a non-trivial emotional ramble because of the... everything going on in the world right now, and b) being that open with a stranger is weird.

It's why I've settled into using "fine, relatively" whenever I'm asked that question in a context that demands a terse response. It's as honest as I can be, captures a decent range of emotions, and at the very least can get a rise out of people who aren't expecting the standard "good" or "great" or "alright."

[–] dohpaz42@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

As a customer, I ask mostly because I want to be polite; it’s also a habit ingrained in me since I was a kid, so it’s totally fair of you to feel that way. But, look, if you’re having a bad day, tell me, and I’ll be sure to adjust myself accordingly and respectfully. The last thing I want to do is be all bubbly/excited/goofy when your mood is not there.

[–] drbluefall@toast.ooo 3 points 1 week ago

Usually I'm willing to share more when I can tell a customer is engaging with me earnestly, and believe me when I say that I do strongly appreciate it. Feels like a pressure release, especially on busier days or when I'm on my own at the counter.

[–] sbv@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

A tirade? On my tirade app?

[–] drbluefall@toast.ooo 2 points 1 week ago

It's more likely than you think.

[–] LadyButterfly@piefed.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yep it's a pointless question. We should all start answering it honestly

[–] nao@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 week ago

Sometimes I wonder if I should stop trying to answer it honestly

[–] StickyDango@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

I just respond with "Living the dream" and they can guess what I mean.

[–] acockworkorange@mander.xyz 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"The horrors persist, but so do I."

[–] Naz@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago

"I have persisted so long, I am the horror now."

"What?"

"What?"

"By the way, sniper"

[–] asg101@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 week ago

"Can't complain, wouldn't do any good if I did"

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 3 points 1 week ago

Same.

(and yeah, I like to take the inquiry "how are you doing" seriously)

[–] LunarLoony@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 week ago

We're not in the abyss, we're in the car park and snack area adjacent to the abyss. Not too bad.