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Why do people answer questions without actually answering questions?

If somebody asks "what's your favorite kind of pie?," and you don't like pie, maybe take a second to understand the question was not directed at you. You don't need to go in the thread and pipe in that you don't like pie.

If somebody asks, "does anyone have a pet guinea pig?," they don't need to hear from everybody who doesn't have a guinea pig. They're looking to connect with people who DO have a guinea pig. A negative response to the question isn't needed.

Someone looking for a hot sauce recommendation doesn't need to hear about your acid reflux. The question wasn't for you.

Someone asking what clothes to pack for Athens in the summer doesn't need to hear about your trip to Moscow in the winter. If you've never been to Athens in the summer, they weren't asking YOU.

I don't know what it is about this site, but I've been reading through threads and so many of them are just filled with these sort of non-answers.

Top | Newest First | Oldest First

ImpeccablyImperfect · 51-55, F

hmmmm.....so are you looking for answers to your question????

or can I just tell you the colour of my socks......

ImpeccablyImperfect · 51-55, F

oh come on man.....that was funny!!! But to answer your question, most times I believe people enjoy being contrary....and they just want to involve themselves especially when they have nothing substantive to offer (such as the colour of my socks) 😆

Adogslife · 61-69, M

@ImpeccablyImperfect I’m not a big fan of socks, especially in the summer.

itsok · 31-35, F

Welcome to the internet.
People want to talk about themselves and give their opinions

caPnAhab · 26-30, M

I think people just simply want to add their two cents, regardless of whether or not it's relevant. the way I see it on my posts, a negative response is just another avenue for a conversation. it's not very helpful but at least it's something

This message was deleted by the author of the main post.

RubySoo · 56-60, F

At least people are replying. The alternative is you get ignored. That happens a lot here.

iamnikki · 31-35, F

I don't get it either.
They should have named this site "Different Worlds" 🤷🏾‍♀️

This message was deleted by the author of the main post.

OlderSometimesWiser · F

That’s just awful. I’m so very sorry you’ve had to experience this. Hope you’ll still be able to go on and lead a happy, fulfilling life.

[image/video deleted]

HumanEarth · F

@OlderSometimesWiser
I made new post about farming. You said you wanted to know

Adogslife · 61-69, M

@OlderSometimesWiser 💪🏻

HootyTheNightOwl

@OlderSometimesWiser Maybe we'd better throw a couple of SW coins into the pot to go towards his therapy???

Longpatrol · 31-35, M

I kinda like paper aeroplanes

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Adogslife · 61-69, M

@RedBaron That’s called a quandary.

RedBaron · M

@Adogslife Or a pair of them. 🤣

twiigss · M

@Dex1981 that's the way it is. People have to give their two cents.

Matt85 · 36-40, M

What is wrong, to you, with doing that? Are you trying to streamline the site?🤔

Gingerbreadspice · F

I like this post but I don’t agree with it.

This message was deleted by the author of the main post.

scorpiolovedeep · 51-55, M

If I like it and relates to me, I will answer it.
If I see someone wanting attention on a post, I tend to ignore most of them.

If I cannot add my 2 coins to it, I would simply look and leave the post.

People express their opinions.
We cannot control it or police as to what gets delivered to your inbox.

HootyTheNightOwl

My response to the negative means that the post is shared with more people where ignoring the post could see it die.

While you might be happy to have your scrolled past posts die a miserable death, the rest of us appreciate interaction from other people... so, we interact and help posts to be seen by more people.

This place isn't set up to be as social as it once was.

JamesBugman · 56-60, T

I disagree, I think when someone says "what's your favorite kind of pie" you open up a conversation for anything related to Pie's, even if they don't like pie, they might recommend a really good cake you never had before, and you might learn something. Humans are not robots.

Dex1981 · 41-45, M

@JamesBugman But "I don't like pie" is not an answer to the question. Now if somebody said "I don't like pie, but if I were forced to eat a piece, I'd pick key lime." That's an answer. Further conversation is polite and welcome, but not until you've actually answered the question.

RubySoo · 56-60, F

@Dex1981 i see where yr coming from, and i admit i dont like peeps going 'off topic' on my posts, but as long as its about the subjuct of the thread i'm ok with an indirect answer.......and like you say...respectful and polite.
If yr unhappy with someones reply...delete it..

WaryWitchWandering · 36-40, F

I don’t answer questions. Wait…

Nightwings · 31-35, F

I think people just want to talk, so they reply with whatever they have to offer. I don't have a problem with it at all, I don't try to reply to everyone who comment on my posts all the time. But hey, if a comment bothers you, you can delete it and it will be as if it never existed.

Diotrephes · 70-79, M

@Dex1981 If you are going to get upset about the way people respond to your posts then it might be a god idea to never do any posting. If you keep your thoughs to yourself you will always be in agreement with yourself. If you tell someone else expect some disagreement.

NoThanksLeon · M

Or they say "it depends" and go into a long winded manifesto that has nothing to do with the question asked. They say "it depends" to try and sound smart and reasonable when, in reality, "it depends" is a given. Everything depends on something.

RedBaron · M

Why are you judging people for how they answer questions?

There are no rules for you to enforce. 🤷‍♂️

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Dex1981 · 41-45, M

@RedBaron Almost all questions asked anywhere are directed toward specific people. If I ask "what's your favorite shampoo?," that question is not directed at people who have no hair.

If I'm in the shift turnover meeting at work, and somebody asks if anybody want to get a drink after this, they're obviously directing that question at people coming off shift. I don't need to unhelpfully pipe in that I'm coming on shift.

RedBaron · M

@Dex1981 Not true. I am bald and use shampoo every time I shower.

Dex1981 · 41-45, M

@RedBaron Then you'd have an answer to the question, fine. A question is, by its very nature, directed at those are able to answer it.

Someobody just saying "I'm bald" is not an answer, but saying "I'm bald but I like Neutrogena Healthy Scalp" is an answer. It's not a particularly helpful answer, because I'm looking for how shampoo treats hair, but at least it's an answer. That's all I ask, that a response to a question actually answer it.

Anniedlr · 26-30, F

You tell me 😂😂

Starcrossed · 41-45, F

SteelHands · 61-69, M

So you'll have no reason to complain but will anyway, since the world turns on your rules.

Why else?

This message was deleted by the author of the main post.

Thodsis · 51-55, M

I'd recommend taking shorts and T-shirts to Athens.

Hot sauce might be handy on a trip to Moscow.

minxy · 46-50, F

Apparently, we're supposed to be accepting of such behavior because....

"It's a public forum, damn it"

Aysel · F

Yes, or when they give unsolicited advice, which is, in my opinion, rude.

SW-User

Loneliness makes people walk into rooms they aren't welcome in. 🤷

meJess · F

So, what’s your question again?

HootyTheNightOwl

@meJess Which one??? 🤣🤣🤣

WildBill25 · 26-30, M

They're called politicians..

This message was deleted by the author of the main post.

bijouxbroussard · F

I know exactly what you’re saying. I asked the question once,
"If you have any life regrets, are they more around mistakes you’ve made, or things you haven’t tried ?".

So of course, those who apparently have no regrets felt the need to weigh in. Some even advised me why I should have no regrets (which was yeah, thanks—but not the question).

I didn’t want to be rude, but I kept thinking, "If you have no regrets, the question was not directed towards you !" But that’s how it goes…

TheOneyouwerewarnedabout · 46-50, MVIP

Dex1981 · 41-45, M

@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout But what about HER EMAILS?

Adogslife · 61-69, M

@Dex1981 is email plural (anyway) 🤔

Zaphod42 · 51-55, M

Purple 👍

pancakeslam · 41-45, M

because you haven't included a disclaimer:

The only answers I will accept are....

MethDozer · M

I like strawberry rhubarb pie the best, but I don't think it would be good with hot sauce on it. Guinea pigs are pretty cool too, I had two of them as a kid.

SandWitch · 26-30, F

I agree with you 100%. I think that people are so desperate for idle chit-chat on this website that they'll say anything to make that happen for themselves. But if you do respond to their non-answer of "I don't like pie", there is almost a 100% chance that they won't contribute anything further to anyone who responds to their non-answer.

You have to remember that the high level of illiteracy that is typically demonstrated by adults on this website is what one might typically hear spoken from a five year old pre-schooler who's scrambling to learn how to spell his name before his first official day of school. We therefore have to cut people some slack in this low-hanging fruit environment called SW, particularly those adults who have a chronic need to argue a point until the cows come home, regardless of their comprehension of the question.

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