...without a question...
“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.”
-Voltaire-
Where would we be without questions? Is there even an answer to that question? Can I write a coherent blog with only questions? Who would read that? Are you ready to endure a question only blog?
Well I am not doing that. But I do want to pose a question.
Specifically I want to pose a question with its arms and hands in a stunning vogue while one high heeled boot stands on tiptoe end.
Some innovators say that the question is the answer, but I have trouble understanding that. So I asked them what the question is and then they asked me to answer that question myself, and then I questioned that answer which I think was the answer to the original question.
I guess in this way I am living a life of enquiry. I question everything, then I question nothing, then I ask nothing to ask everything if it has any questions for me.
The word question is a 13th century anglo-french noun meaning, “difficulty, problem; legal inquest, interrogation, torture”, and indeed at times it can feel like the latter. Paralyzed in thought and all wonder, my brain cycles endlessly through a list of never ending query. What is that?
Introspection and outrospection through investigative interrogation is about as effective a means to discovery that exists. And as a beast seeking knowledge I am reliant on the question as my primary tool to seek and find to learn and grow. Is this philosophy or procrastination? Am I a detective or just a dick?
“I'm a gangster, and gangsters don't ask questions.”
-Lil Wayne-
What are the questions we most frequently ask ourselves and each other? What knowledge do we seek to attain? According to the internet we are exhibiting questionable behavior as we work through our whos, whats, whys, where's and whens. Cycling through the most frequently asked questions on the internet I found some compelling data…
Questions help us connect concepts, make inferences, think creatively and imaginatively and explore deeper levels of knowing, thinking and understanding. They are the paint that fills our bucket, the fruit juiced into our glass, and the taco to our Tuesdays. But how do I know if I need acrylic, apple or carne asada?
And with so many questions, how do I know if I am asking the right one?
Forbes magazine in an article called The Power of Asking The Right Questions collaborated with Viome CEO Naveen Jain on this very question. They say in the article that by simply asking a different question, you can open up the possibility of having dozens of different answers and ways to solve a problem. They then proceed to recommend asking the exact same question in different ways. They say ask why. Why this? Why now? Why me? Then they advise you not to ask how, because it limits possibility.
But how can I examine all possibilities without the full capacity of all questions available? Being a CEO means making tough decisions. Jain laid off how, promoted why, and kept when, where and who working in the mailroom. As we saw earlier in our search results the whys are untrusting and have green shit, but somehow they succeed in this worldview of business. Meanwhile the hows, all practical and measurable, drive taxis and want to friend me on linkedin.
“I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these 'how' and 'why' questions. Occasionally, I find an answer.”
-Stephen Hawking-
If I eat myself, will I get twice as big or disappear completely?
They say there are no stupid questions but then the internet has multiple lists filled with them including the one where I just pulled that nugget. They also say if you ask stupid questions you get stupid answers. Why doesn’t that work for smart questions though? I get asked smart questions all the time yet only provide the most middling of answers.
What is a smart question? Is that a smart question? Did that question just answer my smart question thus proving the question to actually be the answer? There is no question.
Once I quit questioning myself I decided the best course of action would be to question the culprit for all this questionable behavior. I questioned my question. I wanted to ask the question, “How did you get here?”, but I remembered I shouldn’t use how if I want to succeed in this business. So I asked, “Why this? Why now? Why me?”.
The question stared back at me, knowing that it was the answer. And I nodded cluelessly back in approval wondering, “does that mean I am the question?”
I asked myself if I wanted to keep reading this blog. The answer was yes. Very entertaining, thank you.
WELL. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS
P.S. It would be a mistake to not write a whole essay about that lil wayne quote. Just saying.