Compassion or a lack of it

The way we greet in Ghana can sometimes make one feel edgy. We don’t only say hiya, but we ask how you and your household are doing, including your pets. It doesn’t end there, though. 

It gets tough when you meet your college mate. The question turns to “So man, where are you now?”

Simply, it means where do you work?

For those of us who have not made it – according to the standards of society – such a question is intimidating. You have to put yourself out there for judgement. Suddenly, you’re on trial. 

People often ask how you’re doing just to feel good about themselves.

When people have not achieved so much themselves, they feel good when they know their mate is in that same position. Like the Cheers, tv show intro song says “You want to be where you can see our troubles are all the same.” It helps us deal with our woes. 

So when people tell us “Man, things are a little rough for me after school. I can’t get a job” we know we are not the only unemployed folks on earth. It’s comforting. 

For some, it helps them know they are better than others. 

Someone’s marriage breaks to pieces and all of a sudden, we start feeling a sense of accomplishment about how well we’ve managed to hold our family together. 

Only greet people you genuinely care about and would like to lend a hand to if they needed one.