blue jean baby

4am truisms.

I read somewhere about the frequency of lying, and that the biggest and most common lie was “I’m fine.”

Similarly (or not), one of my Sweedish professor’s said that one of the things he found most charming or interesting about American culture was the need to sugarcoat everything and how cheery and friendly everyone was — how passing strangers or acquaintances greeted each other often with big smiles: “Hi! How are you?” “I’m great! How are you?” “Good! See you later!” “See you around!” This small chit chat has always bothered me. I’ve always been very honest about my feelings, often to my detriment. I actually never participated in this sort of exchange until California and it felt uncomfortable but I would otherwise be thought of as rude, since every one else seemed to be doing it. Now I feel like I read a speech 10 times a day. No one ever strays from good, tired or something pulling from the weather. And it’s not because they don’t want to say so, it’s because we don’t really want to hear it. The question itself “how are you” is rather rhetorical in this sense.