When we ask people how they are, we are, in essence, asking them about their mood because moods are how we orientate ourselves in the world. When we’re in a good mood, the world feels full of opportunity. When we’re in a bad mood, the same reality can seem overwhelming, even hostile. Heidegger’s concept of Befindlichkeit refers to the German phrase, “How are you?” Or, more literally, “How do you find yourself in the world?” Are you joyful, bored, melancholic, despairing? Your answe...
