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.

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RedBaron · M

Why are you judging people for how they answer questions?

There are no rules for you to enforce. 🤷‍♂️

Dex1981 · 41-45, M

@RedBaron Because it's NOT really answering questions. It's just shoehorning in a response for a question that was not directed at them.

RedBaron · M

@Dex1981 Questions are posted openly and not directed at specific people.

There are no rules dictating how people choose to answer questions.

Feel free to ask and answer questions as you see fit, but quit laying your judgement and opinion on others as if they’re doing something wrong.

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.