"Okay" is Not Okay...Okay?

If you asked me to name my pet peeves, the first thing that would like come to mind would be my aversion to the word, "okay."  I attempted to look up the word at www.dictionary.com, and couldn't even find a real definition. All that I could find was five different slang uses for this word, but not an actual definition. Shouldn't this follow the same logic as "ain't." If it doesn't have a real definition in the dictionary, it's not a word. Sadly, "ain't" has made it's way to www.dictionary.com, with a note that it is typically used by the uneducated. Interesting. So, back to my original objection to the word, "okay," and why it just is not okay to use it :)

 The ambiguity of this word is what turns me off; that and one's ability to provide an un-committed, generic, and uninteresting answer or question by simply using the word, "okay."

For example, "Are you okay?" How many people are really going to say, "No." It's a vague question often asked by those who feel the uncomfortable need to ask something, even though they really don't care to hear the answer, or may be afraid of it. I despise this question because it's answer is so easy to evade. A simple, "Yes," is all that is required to satisfy the asker, and go about your day.

The thing is, I am always okay, even if I don't feel it at the moment. Unless I am dead, or in a hospital bed about to be dead, I am, in fact, okay. I have a home, clothes, food, people who love me, a steady job, and access to medical care when need. I live in a safe neighborhood, in a safe city, in a  safe country (like it or not, there are far worse places to live than the United States!). And, even when one of those things is missing, I am ultimately still okay, because I've got some of the others to pull me through.

So, what kind of question is it to ask if I'm okay? It's generic, and asking it is setting yourself up for a generic, one-word answer, almost definitely, "Yes." How about something a little more interesting and open-ended. "You seem quiet today, I'd like to hear about it." Or, "I see you're excited, what's going on?" Or, "I hate you, care to respond?" (So that last one isn't the best example, but it sure beats, "Are you okay?" lol). Or if you really don't care, and are using the generic question to fill the awkward silence, say nothing at all, change the subject, or find someone else who is more inclined to respond to vague questions.

On the other end of this word, is the person who answers with the word, "okay". When I ask, "How are you feeling today," I want a real answer. "Okay," is not a real answer. It's a cop out, a way to escape the question. Perhaps on occasion, one might be okay. Maybe you just found out you have a serious illness, and you are dealing with it as best you can, but certainly not good. This would probably be an appropriate use of this word. Overall, however, using "okay" as your standard response is lame and boring, and maybe disrespectful. After all, if someone is taking the time out of their day to truly and thoughtfully ask how yours is going, it wouldn't hurt to be respectful enough to give them a thoughtful answer, would it?