Do you lie to friends?

[leo9]

This is a little tricky for me, because in my culture we never ask 'how are you' as a greeting, and I have to guess a little here.

It is my impression that "how are you" is a greeting similar to 'goddag' (good day) a culturally consensus of how to greet someone politely. Not meant as an actual question about your life or well being.

I think it was the American poet Ogden Nash who wrote:
Don't tell your friends about your indigestion.
"How are you" is a greeting, not a question.