How are you? script

[Chips]

The standard script for a casual greeting with a stranger is "How are you?", which is typically answered with something like "I'm fine, how are you?", which is typically answered with the same. However, I've noticed that sometimes, especially in the context of church, when I say "I'm fine" or "I'm ok" in answer to "How are you?", I'm met with "You're only fine?". This completely throws me off script and uses up an enormous amount of my already limited social bandwidth. And I'm not talking about a situation where the person actually wants to know how I am - these are brief encounters with strangers, not intimate discussions with close friends or family. So, two questions:

1: What answer would be acceptable to those people who won't accept "I'm ok" or "I'm fine", whether that is an honest answer or not. What are they looking for in the first place?

2: Once I've been presented with "You're only fine?", what is the appropriate script to follow? I've tried "Yes, I'm fine", and it is typically met with a repeated "You're only fine?" How should one proceed?

 

[honey badger]

The standard script for a casual greeting with a stranger is "How are you?", which is typically answered with something like "I'm fine, how are you?", which is typically answered with the same. However, I've noticed that sometimes, especially in the context of church, when I say "I'm fine" or "I'm ok" in answer to "How are you?", I'm met with "You're only fine?". This completely throws me off script and uses up an enormous amount of my already limited social bandwidth. And I'm not talking about a situation where the person actually wants to know how I am - these are brief encounters with strangers, not intimate discussions with close friends or family. So, two questions:

1: What answer would be acceptable to those people who won't accept "I'm ok" or "I'm fine", whether that is an honest answer or not. What are they looking for in the first place?

2: Once I've been presented with "You're only fine?", what is the appropriate script to follow? I've tried "Yes, I'm fine", and it is typically met with a repeated "You're only fine?" How should one proceed?

give it no thought ...

 

[NBB]

yeah just ignore it. or say, 'yes i'm fine' i guess idk.
I usually like to tell the truth, so sometimes i said: I'm not fine, but that makes them ask why are you not fine, is like if you say you are not fine, they think is because you are requesting help or to talk about it. So i usually now just say Fine, etc.

 

[Augustinosia]

This kind of response tends to come from people who ascribe to the faux hyper toxic positivity movement, where the only "acceptable" mask to display in public is a smiley upbeat sunny side up version of yourself. I'd respond with "why do you ask" and reiterate with "I'm fine" like a stuck record needle.