What do you do? This is often the first question we ask strangers. On the surface it seems like an innocuous query, one we ask each other every day, a servile four-word nicety we utter so we have something—anything—to talk about.

The majority of the answers are boring, soundbite-ish replies we have standing by at the ready, prepped for the next dinner party or networking event: I am a director of operations. I am a regional manager. I am the senior vice president of Who-Gives-a-Shit.

Whoop-dee-do. Good for you.