Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 17-11-2013, 07:35   #1
S/V rubber ducky
 
sailorboy1's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,362
are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

We have all heard it "there are no dumb questions", but is this really so? I got to thinking about this after reading a thread on another forum about how to pump a holding tank (seemed a dumb question to ask a forum).

Now we read a lot of times that there aren't any dumb questions, just dumb answers. But just what is a dumb answer to a dumb question? Is there really a smart answer to a dumb question, or are you just getting pulled down into the abyss. Of course there are wrong answers to a dumb question, does that make wrong the same as dumb? And can a dumb question really have a smart answer?

Then there is the "only dumb people ask dumb questions" viewpoint. But is a person really dumb just because they ask the question? It would seem that the ability to know to ask a question suggests one isn't dumb, just lacking in knowledge.

So I have decided that there may not be any dumb questions, asked by dumb people, and answered by even more dumb people. BUT there are freakin amazing questions, asked by clueless people, which get answered by self servicing people looking to (a) help, (b) impress.

So in the end is this a thread dumb question or an amazing one?






BTW - this is what happens at the start of the cold season.
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
sailorboy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-11-2013, 07:43   #2
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Yuma Island
Posts: 1,579
Images: 15
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

The only dumb questions are those asked by people who are too lazy to use a search engine.
tamicatana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-11-2013, 07:46   #3
cruiser

Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

"Asking a dumb question" in my mine, would be a person who asks a question, then... argues with everyone who tries to help out with a well thought out answer.
Kenomac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-11-2013, 07:46   #4
Writing Full-Time Since 2014
 
thinwater's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 9,559
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...



What Tamicatana and Kenomac said. Make the effort, then ask, then listen.

Next thread topic; dumb answers, of which we are all guilt in some degree. These are of many types:
* Belittling
* Unresearched
* Criticism or correction not applicable to the OP's question, without proper qualification
* Off topic
* "My way"

... and of course, thread drift .
__________________
Gear Testing--Engineering--Sailing
https://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/
thinwater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 01:53   #5
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,109
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailorboy1 View Post
We have all heard it "there are no dumb questions", but is this really so? I got to thinking about this after reading a thread on another forum about how to pump a holding tank (seemed a dumb question to ask a forum).

Now we read a lot of times that there aren't any dumb questions, just dumb answers. But just what is a dumb answer to a dumb question? Is there really a smart answer to a dumb question, or are you just getting pulled down into the abyss. Of course there are wrong answers to a dumb question, does that make wrong the same as dumb? And can a dumb question really have a smart answer?

Then there is the "only dumb people ask dumb questions" viewpoint. But is a person really dumb just because they ask the question? It would seem that the ability to know to ask a question suggests one isn't dumb, just lacking in knowledge.

So I have decided that there may not be any dumb questions, asked by dumb people, and answered by even more dumb people. BUT there are freakin amazing questions, asked by clueless people, which get answered by self servicing people looking to (a) help, (b) impress.

So in the end is this a thread dumb question or an amazing one?






BTW - this is what happens at the start of the cold season.

seems appropriate
Quote:
We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success; we often
discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery."

Samuel Smiles
FlyingCloud1937 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 02:09   #6
One of Those
 
Canibul's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Colorado
Boat: Catalac 12M (sold)
Posts: 3,218
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailorboy1 View Post




BTW - this is what happens at the start of the cold season.
Have you tried taking more Vitamin C as a preventative measure?
__________________
Expat life in the Devil's Triangle:
https://2gringos.blogspot.com/
Canibul is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 02:14   #7
Moderator Emeritus
 
Coops's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern NSW.Australia
Boat: Sunmaid 20, John Welsford Navigator
Posts: 9,549
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Have you ever wondered why a semi trailer is bigger than a trailer?

Coops.
__________________
When somebody told me that I was delusional, I almost fell off of my unicorn.
Coops is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 02:20   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Melbourne Australia
Boat: Under construction
Posts: 56
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Coops, Did you ever wonder why Tarzan never grew a beard?
Chris66 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 02:21   #9
Moderator Emeritus
 
Coops's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern NSW.Australia
Boat: Sunmaid 20, John Welsford Navigator
Posts: 9,549
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris66 View Post
Coops, Did you ever wonder why Tarzan never grew a beard?
Not once, but now I want to know.

Coops.
__________________
When somebody told me that I was delusional, I almost fell off of my unicorn.
Coops is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 02:25   #10
Registered User
 
Wraith_Mac's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia
Boat: Avon Rib, 65hp
Posts: 283
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris66 View Post
Coops, Did you ever wonder why Tarzan never grew a beard?
Coops lives in Darwin by choice, draw your own conclusions

Cheers Coops,
Mac
__________________
NEW SCIENCE: You fund the research and we provide the desired facts.
NEW ECONOMICS:See Above, obfuscation extra.
Wraith_Mac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 02:26   #11
Moderator Emeritus
 
Coops's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern NSW.Australia
Boat: Sunmaid 20, John Welsford Navigator
Posts: 9,549
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Darwin! I live not that far from you, cheeky bugger.

Coops.
__________________
When somebody told me that I was delusional, I almost fell off of my unicorn.
Coops is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 02:46   #12
Senior Cruiser
 
StuM's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,888
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

>Did you ever wonder why Tarzan never grew a beard?

Tarzan of the Apes. Chapter 13:
He was worried because he had not clothing to indicate to all the jungle folks that he was a man and not an ape, and grave doubt often entered his mind as to whether he might not yet become an ape.

Was not hair commencing to grow upon his face? All the apes had hair upon theirs but the black men were entirely hairless, with very few exceptions.

True, he had seen pictures in his books of men with great masses of hair upon lip and cheek and chin, but, nevertheless, Tarzan was afraid. Almost daily he whetted his keen knife and scraped and whittled at his young beard to eradicate this degrading emblem of apehood.

And so he learned to shave--rudely and painfully, it is true--but, nevertheless, effectively.
StuM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 02:53   #13
Registered User
 
Wraith_Mac's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia
Boat: Avon Rib, 65hp
Posts: 283
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Stu, them werds, it's as though I were reedin ERB hisself, scary innit?

To the OP, yeah, dumb subject, dumb thread but FUN.

Cheers,
Me
__________________
NEW SCIENCE: You fund the research and we provide the desired facts.
NEW ECONOMICS:See Above, obfuscation extra.
Wraith_Mac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 03:07   #14
Neo
Registered User
 
Neo's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Salem, MA
Boat: Pearson 31
Posts: 535
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Some people have an amazing and powerful ability to not care if they appear stupid. Someone very close to me has no pride, which is a deadly sin after all. They will ask, listen and thank. People are always very patient and seem more than happy to help. She is quite a handy mate to have at my disposal....when I get lost.
__________________
Neo
Neo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-11-2013, 03:22   #15
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Melbourne Australia
Boat: Under construction
Posts: 56
Re: are "dumb" questions dumb, or ...

Beautifully researched Stu. Now can you tell me why they put an S in the word LISP?
Chris66 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:38.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.