Why

I am deeply infatuated with the question “why?” and, ironically, I am not really sure why. It seems as though I can rarely accept something at its face value and always question the premise behind or deeper meaning of it.

The asking of the question why, usually never has a definitive answer. Each repetition of the question peels only one layer and leaves the asker down a recursive search. The answer to the question simply leads to another mystery, and rarely leads to a satisfying answer. However, the continual questioning does result in a deeper understanding of most concepts and practices. And, the deeper understanding of a concept allows for a more optimal practice.

You might accept conventional wisdom which tells you to do a certain thing, but unless you understand why you are doing it or the purpose behind it, while the thing might still be beneficial, it will never be meaningful. Take the simple example of brushing your teeth. We all accept brushing your teeth is important, because we all understand the why. Imagine, however, a person who simply saw everyone brushing their teeth and was told to do so as well, but was never told why. They might brush their teeth for several days and then stop since they don’t see any immediate harm. They would eat minty candy to cover up their bad breath. As a result from the sugary mint candy, that person develops cavities. All that to say, we should understand why we are doing something. If you are simply told to study, and only know the short-term consequences of not studying, you may be studying for the wrong reasons. For example, scoring high on a test. You do not really know why you want to score highly. Maybe its to make your parents proud? Perhaps to get into a good college? If these are the cases, could you not make your parents proud through other means or get into a good college through demostrating your intelligence through the activities you do outside of school? Sometimes the answer to your question will be yes sometimes it will be no. Nevertheless, asking the question is important. Peeling back the layers of your actions or intentions might allow for different means of achieving the same goals, usually in a better, more efficient, and more enjoyable manner.

I believe that asking “why” inspires people towards a mission. It can lead a person down a path the truly want, rather than one that is laid out for them.

It should be a red flag if the answer to a “why” question is “just because” or “that is simply the way things are done”, even though something may be the right thing to do, understanding the purpose lays a better foundation for accomplishing a task. If, through the incessant asking of why, we realize a flaw in our actions or intentions, we have the opportunity to change them. This is why asking why is always worth it.

After asking the golden question, start making decisions that attack the root of the issue or problem you are trying to solve and try to think for yourself instead of accepting conventional wisdom. Hopefully, this leads to more intentional decision making for important choices.

Do not eat minty candy. Just brush your teeth.

Now ask yourself: Why did I read this?