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Do you have any rules you try to follow in life ?


petersimple

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"Never ask a question unless you know the answer".

 

Funny one that, that's the opposite to my attitude. If you don't ask, you will never know. My Great Auntie is one of the brightest people I know, she lectured at Durham. If she doesn't know something, she will always ask, no matter how trivial it might seem. That's how she can get to grips with any topic so quickly, even if she's not interested in it.

 

I am talking about asking questions in social situations when you are just making conversation. In work situations clever people like your aunt do ask questions but they mainly do it to confirm that the people they are dealing with don't know what they are doing. I know a very clever man - he's probably a genius - and he gets annoyed by people who don't ask questions when they don't know what they are doing. But the problem is that most people don't know that they don't know. Very clever people find it hard to understand this feature of the average mind.

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I am talking about asking questions in social situations when you are just making conversation. In work situations clever people like your aunt do ask questions but they mainly do it to confirm that the people they are dealing with don't know what they are doing. I know a very clever man - he's probably a genius - and he gets annoyed by people who don't ask questions when they don't know what they are doing. But the problem is that most people don't know that they don't know. Very clever people find it hard to understand this feature of the average mind.

 

I've been trying to see where you're coming from with this, but it just seems absurdly stupid.

 

What the f*ck are you suppose to talk about with friends, family etc? Based on your statement you cant ask, how was your day, what have you been doing lately, how are you etc. 

 

Isnt making conversation almost entirely about interacting with one another through asking questions. 

I can sort of see your point when talking to someone you dont really know to avoid asking something that they may not want to talk about, but that's a pretty rare situation and most people expect others to ask them general/basic sort of questions. 

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I can't help but feel Peter is on some kind of wum rampage here - or he's completely lost the the plot.

 

His advice doesn't make any sense, and as EKR says - questions are used in everyday conversations between friends and it's a powerful tool to interact with strangers.

 

Nobody would have any friends if they didn't ask questions they don't know the answer to. 

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I am talking about asking questions in social situations when you are just making conversation. In work situations clever people like your aunt do ask questions but they mainly do it to confirm that the people they are dealing with don't know what they are doing. I know a very clever man - he's probably a genius - and he gets annoyed by people who don't ask questions when they don't know what they are doing. But the problem is that most people don't know that they don't know. Very clever people find it hard to understand this feature of the average mind.

how do you know we don't know what we don't know?

Or don't you know?

I think you know that i know that you know i don't know whether you know or not.

In which case because i knew you knew i didn't know, i was allowed to ask you.

I suppose its obvious really.

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Put your faith in the one who tries

Don't gossip and don't tell lies

When in doubt buy a larger size

Never trust a judgemental man

Listen to those you are younger than

Be good just because you can

Make up after every fight

Always kiss your girl goodnight

Don't buy underwear too tight

Shower even if there aint no stink

Stop caring what other people think

Always buy the first round of drinks

Learn how to shut your trap until you've got a good answer back

Admire in others what you lack

When in doubt do something kind

Be prepared to change your mind

Always leave the past behind

 

Oh and if you find yourself in London...

Don't go following smiling strangers to the toilet

The first one's free, after then you're going to buy it

Best forget those smiling northern faces

Don't expect any warmth from people or from places

Keep your hands stuffed deep inside your jacket, or you'll find yourself with nothing in your pockets.

Don't mistake the coke for conversation

Don't mistake the smoke for celebration

Keep your heart at home and in photographs you carry

Leave some breadcrumbs down from home to London town.

 

And finally, ask lots of questions, don't eat the bullshit

 

These, uh, might just be a selection of song lyrics.

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I've been trying to see where you're coming from with this, but it just seems absurdly stupid.

 

What the f*ck are you suppose to talk about with friends, family etc? Based on your statement you cant ask, how was your day, what have you been doing lately, how are you etc. 

 

Isnt making conversation almost entirely about interacting with one another through asking questions. 

I can sort of see your point when talking to someone you dont really know to avoid asking something that they may not want to talk about, but that's a pretty rare situation and most people expect others to ask them general/basic sort of questions. 

 

Questions are really a bit rude. I cringe when I see people on TV going up to strangers and saying "Hello I am [insert name here]. What's your name?" Or even worse "Who are you?" When someone asks you a question they are putting themselves on the same level or a higher level than you. Imagine going up to the Queen and saying

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I am talking about asking questions in social situations when you are just making conversation. In work situations clever people like your aunt do ask questions but they mainly do it to confirm that the people they are dealing with don't know what they are doing. I know a very clever man - he's probably a genius - and he gets annoyed by people who don't ask questions when they don't know what they are doing. But the problem is that most people don't know that they don't know. Very clever people find it hard to understand this feature of the average mind.

 

In my book, there are no stupid questions. If you don't know, ask. That's how I increase my knowledge. On the other hand, I do know someone with an extremely high IQ, but he is so introverted that he doesn't feel comfortable asking questions at all.

 

'Genius' is not necessarily a measure of IQ - and the converse also applies. You can be a genius without having an extremely high IQ, and you can have an extremely high IQ without being a genius. There are a number of people whose measured IQs (in itself purely a measure of how well you perform in intelligence tests - an arbitrary measure at best) were below 130, yet progressed to the point of winning Nobel Prizes.

 

As for me

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I've done this before. You've got to be smart to work it out - but not necessarily a genius.

 

My IQ is the product of 2 prime numbers.[/size]

It is also a prime number higher than a perfect square.[/size]In addition, it is a perfect cube less than a perfect square.[/size]The difference between the perfect square above my IQ and the perfect square below my IQ should make you think of a famous Greek - if you take all three square roots.[/size]

Can't be @rsed.....does that make me clever or stupid :-)

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Questions are really a bit rude. I cringe when I see people on TV going up to strangers and saying "Hello I am [insert name here]. What's your name?" Or even worse "Who are you?" When someone asks you a question they are putting themselves on the same level or a higher level than you. Imagine going up to the Queen and saying

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Don't overthink it. If it feels right, it probably is. If not, learn the lessons from the mistake and it won't feel so right next time. The worst thing you can do is delay a decision too long. Take time to think but don't let an opportunity pass you by.

 

It aint gonna kill ya to potentially make the wrong decision is it? And what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. The only thing worse than a bad decision is not making any decision.

 

You never know, you might just have made the right choice, who knows..?

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