Is there really no such thing as a stupid question?

[Gargovic Malkav]

I think the answer to the OP's question may reveal something about the answerer's pride and/or patience.
This may reveal something about their own "stupidity".

Sometimes I think I can do better, and sometimes I'm fine with being stupid.

 

[Stevicus]

Thinking on this topic, I was wondering how to categorize questions which may not necessarily be "stupid," but more in the realm of annoying and puerile.

I'm never annoyed by someone asking an honest question about something they don't know, even if it's something that appears obvious or something that everyone above a certain age should know. But there's no point in getting annoyed or irritated by it. The answer may be useful to somebody.

The kind of questions I find annoying and sometimes rude are those of an intrusive or personal nature, when the answer has absolutely no bearing on anything, nor can be considered a good faith effort to gain information. Cops do that because they can, but when other people do it, that's where I draw the line.

I'm not even that fond of being asked questions like "What is your favorite color?" I really don't have one.

 

[Alien826]

There may be such things as stupid questions, but it's even more stupid if someone honestly doesn't know something yet doesn't ask. The idea that "there's no such thing as a stupid question" is just a way of making people feel comfortable asking questions without fear that people will laugh at them for asking a stupid question.

If nothing else, it's merely a plea for smarter people to have more patience with the dull-witted.

Yes. This comes from a classroom setting, where someone might say "This may be a stupid question, but ... ". The response "There are no stupid questions" is intended to encourage the student/s to ask questions. I don't think it was ever intended to be expanded to apply to all questions and situations.

 

[Quagmire]

I've seen some lately on RF. But the best dumbest question I've heard is still "how many pieces of chicken come in the four pack? Ok, let's repeat those last two words there, there ya go.

When I worked in the carnival the guy in the quarter toss booth told me that at least a few times a day somebody would walk up to his booth and ask how many quarters they'd get for a dollar.

Sometimes he would tell them 'three' or even 'two' and they would usually go for it.

 

[Alien826]

I'm not even that fond of being asked questions like "What is your favorite color?" I really don't have one.

You'd better have an answer ready if you want to cross the Bridge of Death.

 

[Stevicus]

You'd better have an answer ready if you want to cross the Bridge of Death.

I already failed on the Bridge of Death questions, and I've been in the Gorge of Eternal Peril ever since.

 

[Stevicus]

Yes. This comes from a classroom setting, where someone might say "This may be a stupid question, but ... ". The response "There are no stupid questions" is intended to encourage the student/s to ask questions. I don't think it was ever intended to be expanded to apply to all questions and situations.

Sure, I get that. What it might be is just a way of saying "Even if it is a stupid question, it doesn't mean we have to say it out loud or call the person asking it 'stupid'."

I remember back in the 80s, there was a well-known commercial for a Time-Life series of books on the Vietnam War. In the commercial, a father and son are standing at the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Washington DC, and the son asks, "Dad, what's Vietnam?" And then Martin Sheen comes on in a voiceover and says "What's Vietnam? A question a child may ask, but not a childish question." It was even parodied as a skit on Saturday Night Live. ("Dad, what's Grenada?")

 

[Shadow Wolf]

When I worked in the carnival the guy in the quarter toss booth told me that at least a few times a day somebody would walk up to his booth and ask how many quarters they'd get for a dollar.

Sometimes he would tell them 'three' or even 'two' and they would usually go for it.

I believe it. Dairy Queens 1/3# burger is a case study into how bad Americans are at math, so bad that many think 1/4 is more than a 1/3.

 

[ChristineM]

 

[Heyo]

Yes. This comes from a classroom setting, where someone might say "This may be a stupid question, but ... ". The response "There are no stupid questions" is intended to encourage the student/s to ask questions. I don't think it was ever intended to be expanded to apply to all questions and situations.

Pupil: "This may be a stupid question, but ... "
Teacher: "There are no stupid questions"
Pupil: <asks question>
Teacher: "I stand corrected."

 

[Heyo]

That's a stupid question.

Yep. Asking a negative question will give unintended wrong answers from all who can't handle double negatives (at least half of the population).
I answered "No".

 

[Revoltingest]

Yep. Asking a negative question will give unintended wrong answers from all who can't handle double negatives (at least half of the population).
I answered "No".

That's a stupid answer.

 

[Heyo]

That's a stupid answer.

That's the logical answer.
I admit that it sounds stupid to someone not used to use logic.

 

[Revoltingest]

That's the logical answer.
I admit that it sounds stupid to someone not used to use logic.

Logic is stupid.