The power of questions is discussed by many as an essential part of personal and professional development. Their positive portrayal is often analogous to motherhood and apple pie; the gateway to understanding. For instance, consider these quotes,
“The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.”- Claude Levi-Strauss
“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” — Og Mandino
“No one is dumb who is curious. The people who don’t ask questions remain clueless throughout their lives.”- Neil deGrasse Tyson
Yes, these quotes were chosen to make the point, however, I would argue that there is truth in each. They imply that through being curious and asking questions, one can learn more about the world that surrounds them; applying learning to their lives to improve and grow. This presents questions as noble, pure and the vehicle questing for the “truth”. Very noble indeed.
A simple search of web dictionaries shows there are different applications for the word. As an example, Dictionary.com (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/question) provides 15 different uses of the word question. Although there are many similarities between verb and noun use, question can be more than just an inquiry. It can be a challenge, an interrogation and bringing things into doubt. Is there more to be found with a question than just curious inquiry?
What might also exist?
Consider interrogate and bring something into doubt. Are these as noble as a pure inquiry? Are there values embedded here? Does a question seek what it asks on the surface? Or is what it asks or demands laying below the surface? Does a question require unpacking?
For instance, an exam question. Does the course team really want to know more about the Enlightenment? Or rather does the course team want to know if you know anything about the Enlightenment? Moreover, do they also want to know if you can write a logical, well-balanced and critical argument that they can follow? Hence, what is the question really asking — is it actually asking anything at all?
As an example, are the point of some questions simply to engage with the experiences, sympathies and feeling of others? Is, “Is it Friday yet?” a question, or is it a statement? It can be argued that in most contexts it’s humorous and implying an exhausting and frustrating time at work; hence attempting to get validation and humour by striking a chord with the experiences of others?
So, is it through those shared experiences we “get it and laugh” so we can readily engage? Hence, is its purpose to separate those “who get it” from those “who don’t”? All relevant questions, and depending on context it could mean all of these or none. I bought the mug because it made me laugh, not because it posed a deep or meaningful jumping off point to search for personal insight.
Does the question posed want an answer, or does it want a repetition of “the answer”? “Do I look fat in this?” Again, is this a question? Does it search for the “truth”? It may appear to be on the surface an inquiry, however, in most contexts it takes the place of an examination where only the “correct” answer exists — unless you want to sleep in the doghouse! This is leading, and its point is to lead the responder along a path to the questioner’s desired destination — the questioner’s need for affirmation, validation and ego stroking. However, in some sense it could be argued to have a secondary purpose; here the inquiry is to seek an understanding of social calibration and compliance of the listener.
But these questions can be a slippery slope. They lead to a particular place. Unlike the inquiry driven questions searching for the truth, these aim to reinforce the “truth” or the “truth” embellished in biases and agendas. Ahh, then with questions can lie power relations. You can see this from TV, isn’t it the police asking the questions — demanding answers, not the suspects? So, to place oneself in the position of asking questions, places oneself in a position of power.
Lawyers, doctors and policeman they ask the questions — do they ask to know the “truth” or to paint a picture. Are the questions asked on the assumption that the accused is guilty, or to frame the questions to meet their particular agenda or theory. Does this picture represent theatre, to control actions and responses of those weaker in power, but given them an illusion of free will and choice? Doesn’t the illusion of free will and choice make the underlying narrative seem more powerful? Does it also allow the perception of engagement — being asked, but the questioning always leads back to where the questioner always wanted to go?
Moreover, by asking the questions, one can also choose to exclude questions. Again, an exercise in power and a vehicle to shape perceptions of the “truth”. Questions are asked but none to challenge; only those posed reinforce a particular narrative or image. Is asking you about your day or experience just a courtesy but your answer is ultimately irrelevant? Are they only asking to reinforce their own image of social politeness or to manage your feelings? Does that put a burden on the responder to understand the social context and cues? Is it a method of manipulation?
Think about “Do I look fat?” — answer: no and you wouldn’t say so if you loved me! When asked by management “Do you want to work here?” — answer: get on board with the program and do what you’re told or else! “Are you for us or against us”, answer: defining your choices through association; forcing you to get with the choice laid out for you, or else! So, these aren’t asked in the search for the “truth”, they are more simply vehicles to get the desired response or behaviour.
Implications for everyday life
The above were examples that questioned the motherhood and apple pie nature of questions. They were chosen to be blatant and excessive to demonstrate the point. However, those examples tried to demonstrate a common thread — there are expectations, assumptions, biases and agenda in the process of asking questions. Questions aren’t necessarily neutral or pure. Moreover, these can be less noticeable, especially in ourselves when we pose questions.
For instance, “Why isn’t this working?”. This is often a fair question to ask. But in this question is an implicit assumption that “this” is not working. If you are tracing an electric circuit, then the feedback is likely immediate and indicative of a fault which can be corrected. This represents a very good question for this context, it is clear that there is sufficient feedback to support that assertion, so this isn’t an assumption at all.
However, if this was new diet or exercise program — have you given it enough time? How do you know you’ve got sufficient feedback? There is lag between doing and seeing results. So, how would you know if this wasn’t working? There might be other elements in your life which are affecting your outcomes — have you considered those? In this case the fundamental assumption may be flawed. Thus, a more appropriate question may be “should I give this more time?”
If you have an idea, maybe a business idea that you may want to try out then you might ask “Why wouldn’t this be a good idea?”. However, this may get a different response than if you asked, “What am I potentially missing here?”. The first question is likely to be taken as a desire for validation and approval of your decision; the later a willingness to search and ask for the “truth”. Depending on your previous behaviours, in the later case you are more likely to get constructive feedback.
Also, who are you asking? If you are asking your parents or partner, depending on the relationships and dynamics, in many cases they will try to be supportive of anything you want to do. Hence, they may not provide constructive feedback. Often in significant relationships it is more important to maintain them rather than “being right” or “being constructive”. This may be useful if you need validation or support, but unlikely to identify the biases and potential blunders you may be making. If you ask a bank manager about a business idea, they are likely to be less supportive than family or friends. But they are also likely to give you credible and constructive feedback.
Moreover, what do they know? What are you searching for? If you ask a physicist about physics, you are likely to get a sensible answer. Ask them about sociology, they may not provide the best answer. Also, what answer are you likely to get? If you ask a university about the value of university education you will likely hear a positive (and potentially biased answer). So, maybe you should ask more people, but who and why? Maybe you should look for a variety of different perspectives?
By posing questions to a diverse group, it acts as a tool to connect; to build a bridge joined in debate, and to build a viewpoint from diversity — to assess the wisdom of the group. Here the range of perspectives can improve the quality of interpretation and decision-making, and give a balance perspective. This is major advantage of diversity.
However, even with diversity the quality of the answers will lie in the questions asked, to whom and how they are asked. A diverse group with little knowledge or experience in the subject matter may still present poor answers. Hence, questions are not simple vehicles, nor are guaranteed to provide to the truth. Embedded within them are the expectations, assumptions, biases and agendas, which can always dilute their value. Therefore, even with the best intentions, there is a need to continually think about how to approach these deceptively simple tasks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a question can be so simple, yet so complex, and at the heart lies power — to free or to enslave. It can open doors and minds or close and direct them along a desired pathway. As an inquiry it can share much with motherhood and apple pie; however, in the wrong hands with the wrong uses, their power can be distorted and share nothing with purity and positivity.
Furthermore, in asking questions, the intention of what is asked may not be “shared”. A point throughout, but not explicitly made, is that there is a sharing between the questioner and responder. The sharing encompasses the understanding and the unpacking of the question — what does it mean? What is really being asked? Is anything being asked at all? What is the social context that this is being made? Are the assumptions held by the questioner shared by the responder? Do they understand what you’re asking?
The sharing of meaning draws together the who, what and how of asking questions. Asking the wrong person probably will give the wrong answer; asking the wrong question probably will get the wrong response. But more subtly asking in the wrong manner may influence the responder to reply in a socially agreed manner — this may be the polite response but it may not be the most useful response.
In consideration of above, I would argue the Voltaire quote, “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers”, is apt but incomplete. Shouldn’t someone also be judged on — whom they ask the questions of, how they ask the questions and why they ask the questions?
I hope this is some use to you in your life, even if it was to stop and think. Feel free to share a comment and thank you for reading.
