What rage

When someone says 'What?,' like they didn't catch the first part, it feels like they're doubting your clarity or even your presence. It's that little pushback in conversation, like, 'Are you sure you said that?' and you're left wondering if you were heard at all.

In the age of text and video calls, 'What?' is the digital equivalent of checking if your message actually went through. It's like saying, 'Did that land? Did I mess up the signal?' and it makes you question if your communication is even worth the effort anymore.

At work, 'What?' can be a passive-aggressive sigh from the boss or a side-eye from a coworker. It's that moment when you're mid-explanation and they just don't get it, making you feel like you need a translator to get your point across.

Between couples, 'What?' can be a test of patience. Like when one person is overthinking and the other is underexplaining, and it turns into a game of 'Can you read my mind?' with zero clues and all pressure.

Older folks use 'What?' like they're fighting a language battle. They hear words, but don't catch meanings, and it makes them feel like the younger generation is speaking in code, leaving them out of the loop.