I get this, or variations of it, at least 5 times a day at the office...and I freakin' hate it. It's annoying and causes awkward moments. I always reply with, "Good". That's it, and just keep walking. If I ask them how they are doing then I have to stop to hear a reply. Ugh. I really don't care and I'm sure they don't either. A "Hey!" and nod of acknowledgement is good enough for me. I'm sure people who say it are just trying to be polite but it irks the hell out of me. Unless there's a particular topic they want to talk about, asking how i am doing is pointless. i'm not antisocial, just can't stand teh greeting. ok, rant over.
i don't watch Seinfeld so i've never seen the episode. but, i could see how a skit on this would be funny.
I totally agree with you. It's kinda like when one person says "Whats up?" and the person answers with "Whats up?" Don't ask me what's up or how's it going. I know you really don't care. A quick nod or hello is plenty.
I actually think about that a lot to. It always feels awkward when you walk by someone in the office and don't say anything. I usually just say the person's last name and talk like Rob Schneider in that SNL skit. "makin copies"
To me, saying "what's up" or "how's it goin'" is just another way of saying "hello". I don't think anyone who says those things actually expects a detailed answer. I say it with passing people in the halls all the time, they say it back, and we never break stride. Not a big deal.
I never ask the How are you or How are you doing but I do say Hey. I don't like answering either...slightly awkward. I totally agree though, it's not like you have time to stop and unload how you really feel so it doesn't really matter anyway.
I agree with RM95. It is weird that a customary greeting is now a question that needs not be answered. I don't feel uncomfortable when somebody says "what's up" but I do feel weird when I actually answer it and realize that they probably don't care.
This reminds me how Chinese greet each other around meal times, especially at dinner time. They would ask you something like "have you eaten yet?" Well, if I haven't, you gonna treat me a dinner? What's more annoying is that if I say yes, some (not all) would ask another question, what did you have for dinner? I thought this *custom* was only *practiced* among the Chinese from Mainland China, however, until one early evening my neighbour, who many years ago immigrated to U.S. from Taiwan, greeted me by asking "have you had dinner?" No, we don't know each other very well. In fact, my neighbour and I seldom came across in our own backyards which are adjacent.
You think that's bad, my friend picks up the phone by saying, "What happened?" Not "What's happening"...that would make sense. "What Happened" is impossible to respond to on the spot.
I don't like that "how are you doing?" either. I just say hey and move on. If I really want to know how someone is (usually in a situation when it happens to be a friend I haven't seen in a while, and we both have time to talk), then I will ask them. "Good to see you! What are you up to these days?" But, of course, that's when I really mean it. It is weird how people use "how are you" and "what's up"... is it best to reply by saying the same greeting back to them, or just saying hey instead?
Actually 'Larry David' would have been a better response. There was a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode about this very topic. One thing I hate is the long hallway. You see someone walking toward you and you have to figure out whether to say something to them or not. Some people greet everyone they see and some people don't. It's really a gamble as to which type of person the guy walking towards you is. I have a buddy that will come over to my cube and just stand there. I feel like I have to start talking because he just says 'hey' and stands there. He's a great guy and we're friends but that really annoys me. Don't come to my cube unless you have something to say. It's very awkward, especially if I'm trying to read the GARM...er, work.
"Hey, what's up?" is even worse. Try that on a lady at the workplace and prepare to stop and listen for no less than 10 minutes. I just say "Hi, I don't care how your doing." . Try "hey, what's up?" on a guy and it's always "not much". I say "everything and then some". No...really...what is even more awkward is when you pass people you know and they stare straight ahead not saying anything as they walk by. You stare at them looking for some kind of acknowledgement but they just walk right past you staring straight ahead. That's when I break out the "F U, too".
I usually say "nothing much." If they're around and want to talk, then I add "what's up with you?" (In that case, they usually have some long story they're just waiting to tell, so prepare to listen...) They seem like lame responses, but... what do you do?
