"How are you?"

I really don't like this question. Every time someone asks me how I am, I feel like it's superficial.

I think less than 5% of those asking this question genuinely care. I know whenever I ask it, I don't. It's usually to spark a conversation or to suck up to a professor.

Whenever anyone asks me, I just reply, "good." I don't return the favor, because I don't really care how they're doing. Is this selfish? Conceited? I'm not sure. I think that deep down, I'm just afraid of the day I ask someone how they are doing, and they reply, "terrible. I was diagnosed with HIV this morning, my parents' house blew up and my girlfriend turned out to be a guy."