the meaning of "how are u?"

The “How are you” is overvalued.

Basically, how many times in a day we ask “how are you” to strangers we meet on the street or in the office but we are distracted to do anything else. Or how many times do we use it in a text message? one of those messages we send before starting to do anything else or before putting the phone in silent mode.
In short, "how are you" is 'overrated, we think is enough to say it or write it to someone to make it works, but is not!
If we don’t spend a bit of time to listen the answer, it does not work at all.
“How are you” makes sense only if we are really interested to listen the answer, otherwise, it makes the end of those plastic cups when we order a coke to take away, in the end, we end up drinking from the can and throw away the glass.