'Nuthin'

Why is it that people ask you rhetorical questions? Or make statements they expect only positive feedback from?

Person 1 asks rhetorical question/statement.
Person 2 doesn't say anything.
Person 1 inquires about lack-of-response.
Person 2 says 'Nuthin'(because they really weren't judging or paying attention)
Person 1 "You're thinking something."
Person 2 "No, i wasn't."


IT ALL ENDS IN AWKWARDNESS.

What does a guy have to do to say "No, I really had no opinion to hurt/judge you?"
I suppose you could give an 'eh' or 'yep' but it seems to me they would be more disconcerting that 'Nuthin.'
The amount of syllables DOES NOT dictate the importance.
'Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis' I mean, it's the longest word in the Oxford-English dictionary. It's only a fancy meaning for a lung disease.

Thoughts?