What do you think?

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Does anybody know what people are really asking when they say "What do you think?" as a greeting/conversation starter?

I have absolutely no idea what to respond with. It doesn't even seen like a valid question to me.

About what?

This is a terrible conversation opener. I've been asked it before and I always have to ask.

Regards,

Patricia

Maybe it refers to a situation around them, or about their new appearance (new haircut, new clothes)... and they expect you to recognize it.

I'm certain that in the context it is most often used, they are not referring to anything in particular. I have tried saying "About what?" in response, but they always come back with "About anything!". Then I am stuck again and just shrug.

Well, then, they're very brave because with that kind of open-ended question they're stuck with the answer they get, which may be something along the lines of: "I think you're very annoying!"

Regards,

Patricia

Oo, I have no clue... I don't get that one a lot though.

My fiance will occasionally ask me "What did you think of ..." and finish with some part of a movie or some character from a book or something that's happened in some form of media. I find I can never ever think of an answer and it frustrates me. I end up yelling "What do you MEAN what do I think? Do you mean did I like it, or did I think it was interesting, or did I think it was stupid... did I think he was ugly or he was a jerk or WHAT????" I think that what he's probably asking for is any given answer to any one of these questions, but I'd prefer if he just asked one of them instead of giving the general "What do you think?"

Maybe if you translated "What do you think" to "Do you like this weather?" Or "What's your opinion on the reason why the economy sucks right now?" or something like that, it might help you not want to wring their necks.

But I still don't get why people don't just ask direct questions instead of being vague like that. It's annoying.

I have no idea what they (NT's) want to hear (I think its something specific to boost their ego).

But I know another bad conversation opener (I got this daily from a friend in hi school (it drives/drove me nuts) "What's new?"

Most conversation openers I've heard sound terrible, lead to nothing, & are boring.

Asking "What do you think?" about nothing in particular? I've been asked that before and it's annoying. I don't know how to answer. I don't understand why someone would ask something so silly.

In the context of "About anything!", "What do you think?" translates to "What are you thinking?".

"How fat you look." Aren't I terrible?

Dunno, maybe you could just make something up. Watch the news so you'll have some subjects ready, and then say that you happened to be thinking about what you saw on the news or something. Keep it short, then just ask back "How about you?" straight away.

If it is simply a conversation starter, not being based on anything else at all, then I would presume that they definitely don't want to know what you really think of anything. Just like when they ask, "How are you?" 99% of the time. They don't really want to know how you are doing. It is some ritual that humans go through. As if pretending all is well is somehow a solid foundation for our society. We all tell each other we're doing fine/good/great regardless of the reality and we've saved the planet from sure destruction.

I believe "What do you think?" means how do you feel about the situation in question. I just answer the question.

If someone asks me "How are you?", I rarely answer, because oftentimes I need to think about it and they just run off and think I'm rude. And "good" just doesn't cut it.