I feel like crap all the time, and I’m running out of curt answers.
I don’t want to lie and say I’m good just because that’s what’s expected of me, but I don’t want to invite discussion into why I feel poorly.
My go-to response is “Living the dream,” because if this life is a dream I hope to wake up soon. Plus not only is it considered an acceptable answer, it can be played off as a joke.
If anyone needs extra context, being asked “how are you” is an extended part of the greeting here. The asker is really just saying hello still, and although some kind of answer is expected, they aren’t actually curious about your welfare. A genuine response throws people off balance, and is probably unwarranted. Think of coworkers, service workers, or even total strangers being asked this dozens of times a day.
I am visibly disabled. the last time i was asked some version of “hey, how are you” that was not in a clinical situation was over a decade ago. people use different phatic expressions because they fear I might answer honestly.
my usual answer is “i’m alive/here. that makes it a good day” which people take as an optimistic greeting but folk who know me well, uh