Why Do We Say “I’m Fine” When We’re Not?
Why Do We Say “I’m Fine” When We’re Not? How conversational habits reveal what we hide—and what we need Framing the Question We’ve all done it. Someone asks, “How are you?” and out comes the automatic, “I’m fine.” But why do we default to this—even when we’re anything but fine? Through the lens of conversational analysis , this everyday phrase reveals a lot about social rituals, emotional management, and how language maintains balance between honesty and politeness. By unpacking what “I’m fine” really means , we uncover how talk functions not just to share information—but to preserve connection, dignity, and rhythm in human interaction. The Hidden Mechanics of “I’m Fine” From a conversational analysis (CA) perspective, “How are you?” and “I’m fine” are part of an adjacency pair —a two-part conversational structure where the first utterance sets up an expected response. This isn’t about truth—it’s about cooperation . The exchange keeps conversation flo...