7 Alternatives to "Hi, how are you?" "Fine."

A Martian visiting Earth would have a hard time understanding why so many interactions begin with, “Hi, how are you?" "Fine. How are you?" "Fine.”

Yes, that's a social convention, a nicety designed to acknowledge the other person and give a moment to gather thoughts. But you might want an alternative or two to that old standard. I offer seven in my Psychology Today article today.