This Thread inspired one of my pet peeves. Why must people interpret questions as assertions on the part of the asker? Can't you just ask a question?

Here's what I mean (over-simplified): suppose I ask a simple question, "Does 2 + 2 = 4?" Immediately people respond with, "You think it doesn't?" or "Well, what do you think it adds up to?" or even, "What compels you to rewrite the rules of mathematics?"

The actual answer to the question is, "Yes". At no point did I assert there was a different answer. I asked a question, a basic technique when one is in search of information they do not have. How can we rail at the rising tide of ignorance in society when basic information-seekers are treated this way? (I won't mention the last time I saw something like this happen.)

I agree with you.

But I think we see this more and more because asking "questions" that are really assertions has become the hallmark of "journalists" today. It has slowly been creeping in.

The truth is that often questions can be taken in different ways depending on the tone of the questioner. If I ask my wife "Is that what you're wearing tonight" I darn sure better have the correct tone or there will be trouble.

When questions are written and not spoken (as on here) it can sometimes be hard to understand the questioner's motivations and easy to jump to the conclusion that the questioner is not really asking but instead asserting.

Yes, I see your point and it's a good one. Even I see that often a question hides a deeper agenda. But to paraphrase Freud, "Sometimes a question is just a question."

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Originally posted by kkina:
Yes, I see your point and it's a good one. Even I see that often a question hides a deeper agenda. But to paraphrase Freud, "Sometimes a question is just a question."

Now, just exactly what did you mean by that?

It has become appearant over time that people who are insecure, passive aggresive and or having an agenda will use question as assertion as their primary means of their end.

And no one likes being set up and "punked", so the "evolution" of question/answer has become this game.

Like it or not, it has become prevelent.

Has it not?

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:

Here's what I mean (over-simplified): suppose I ask a simple question, "Does 2 + 2 = 4?" Immediately people respond with, "You think it doesn't?" or "Well, what do you think it adds up to?" or even, "What compels you to rewrite the rules of mathematics?"

Have you never come across a rhetorical question before??? (wait, don't answer. That was a rhetorical question.)

A couple times in my career, I've had the misfortune of working with one particularly vile, toxic coworker. This coworker's nickname is machine gun because they will walk into your office, machine gun off 10 straight questions w/o interruption, and will stand there with pen and paper waiting to write down your answer to 10 questions. They have no idea if they asked a question that can be answered immediately or takes hours/days of research.

On the flip side, if you ask them a simple question with no agenda during a meeting they'll track you down after the meeting and blow up. They have no idea what is going on and it's a defense mechanism as they live in fear that more people will learn they have 6 months of experience 30 times instead of 15 years of experience. Whenever someone who knows what they're doing asks this vile creature a question they assume it's an assertion they don't know what they're doing.

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Has it not?

4

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Originally posted by Mr. Peteroniman:

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Has it not?

4

wrong! answer is 46. wait, nope, right answer to different question.