not sure questions could be considered an invention, but if they were, I would argue that they are the best invention in human history.
Questions have led to some of the greatest discoveries — Some of the most influential moments in history. Questions at a young age are encouraged but often when kids start getting older and getting to the “why” stage, we start to get annoyed. The “Just Get Something Donee BBC why’s” start coming without any thought process involved.
The kids who ask a lot of questions growing up start to get annoying at times. You’re going about your day and they ask about everything. You enjoy that they’re learning but you can’t help but be annoyed when the machine gun of questions continues firing at you.
These kids then start to feel self-conscience about asking so many questions and begin to stop. They become content with where their knowledge is thinking that they shouldn’t be asking questions. Then, slowly but surely, the ability to ask good questions fades away. They legitimately forget how to ask questions. They get to the end of a lecture and are asked if they have any questions, but they have been trained not to ask questions, so they don’t.
I believe if you were the best questions asked in the world you would have a good shot at being the smartest person in the world. Or at least the person with the most understanding. About how humans process, about the world, about order, about theology, etc.
As I’ve been learning how to ask better questions again in the last year, I was just introduced by my roommate to something I should have seen a long time ago. And, to be fair, may have done subconsciously, but I love the way that he put it.
Sometimes, there are questions that you want someone to answer, but you need to have smaller questions that build-up to this question. As an example, my roommates and I were talking and one mentioned a question you can ask is: “where do you get your identity from?”
When he asked my other roommate what he thought of this question, he said it was to complicated. There needed to be other questions that led to this one. More understanding of the persons’ story and what led them to where they are now so that they can look back on those stories and make an assessment of a bigger question like where do you get your identity from. They can practically look at the evidence and put the answers from those together to for their complete answer.
Good questions shouldn’t always be asked. Sometimes the best questions need questions to lay the groundwork for them. Don’t think because you’ve got the million-dollar question it’s always going to be the best at all times.
Know who you’re talking to and learn when to ask and how to get there.
I like this. Very thought provoking!