"How are you?"
What a strange question, such ambiguous meaning. And it's almost always asked in passing or when there is little to no time for an answer.
"Fine," becomes the answer. "Great." "Good."
Yet, it's socially unacceptable to shed the pent up tears. "Crappy."
So do I become: lying cool kid or honest outcast?
Of course I haven't ruled out adressing the question with a totally unrelated answer:
"How are you?"
"Shamrock."
"How are you?"
"Archery."