I'm fine… and how are you?

Why do radio journalists insist on wasting valuable airtime asking all and sundry about the state of their health? It's a mystery.

Whether it's Jeremy Vine or Eddie Mair, just about every blasted call follows the same tedious pattern:

"What do you think, Mr X?"
"Hello, Jeremy/Eddie [insert tedious presenter of your choice]; how are you?"
"I'm fine, Mr X; how are you?"
"I'm fine. Now, about house prices/dog fouling/obnoxious teenagers/telecoms rip-offs…"

Aaaagh. It drives me crazy.

To make matters worse, 90% of the population seem to think this is also necessary for business calls. I'm sorry, but I really don't want to give the details of my health to every poor soul manacled to their call-centre desk.

You would think the centre managers would have realised what a total and utter waste of time this is and, given the overwhelming drive for profits over customer service, they'd have cut all this nonsense out of their "scripts" ages ago, but apparently not.

Or is it just that 90% of the population feel much more kindly disposed to their fellow human beings than I do?