...... polite society is that we don't tell each other our troubles. We may say, 'How are you?' But the expected answer is simply, 'Fine thanks, and you?' It is a social formality. It is not intended to give rise to a long list of complaints.
These days, we don't uphold this protocol so much. We whinge too easily. (And aren't there a lot of people who complain for no good reason whatsoever!!) We are not so shy to share our frustrations. In the process, we sometimes give them more currency and significance than they truly deserve.
