Question. Take a flashlight in your right hand. Turn it on and shine it at your left hand, two feet away. You can see the light spot on your left hand and where the light is leaving the flashlight, that part of the light is bright. But in the space between the light and your left hand, you can not see the light beam
The light beam is invisible. I know why the photons are invisible. Otherwise everywhere we looked there would just be a fog or cloud of photons. We could see nothing else. What I don't know is HOW the photons are invisible.
You can tell a lot about a person by the type of questions a person asks. - Mark Cuban You can quickly find the dumb ones and not hire them- probably Mr. Cuban
As a design engineer I've learned to embrace the compulsion to ask "dumb questions". Leaving college I felt that stupid questions were not to be asked for fear of ridicule by superiors/elders (what a horrible thing to be teaching in school). As I progressed in my career it became more and more important to ask the "dumb" questions. For example I had a customer say "We're having issues with our product touching this part of the machine and causing issues, we'd like to redesign it but it has to stay the same shape, be made from something less hard than the product and also withstand substantial heat. I then stated "Perhaps this is a dumb question, but do we need that part at all?" Turns out the problem part was part of the machine for a feature they don't use and simply taking the part out is way faster and cheaper than making a complicated alternate design.
"Post a comment on multiple Big Think videos containing a quoted though of someone else so that someone might see my channel" ― Question Everything - Thought Provoking Ideas
- Embrace the value of asking questions for innovation. (0:12) - Encourage curiosity-driven research to uncover new applications. (1:03) - Address the decline of questioning in education systems. (2:26) - Utilize naive questioning as a tool for creative problem solving. (3:31) - Practice asking "dumb questions" to challenge assumptions and think laterally. (5:21) - Use journaling to explore and expand on these questions for deeper insights. (7:50) - Overcome embarrassment to ask obvious but overlooked questions. (9:43)
I'm in college at 35 years old, and while I am doing research for papers, I had that same epiphany; asking the right or the most weird questions will lead you to interesting answers or to more interesting questions.
I’m a teacher and the comment about kids losing their inquisitiveness is very true. I constantly have to tell them that it’s not always about getting the correct answer and that the process is so important!
However I don't think it's enough to just simply tell them to place more questions. I come from an Asian background where obedience and following what you're told without asking back is the unbreakable rule. There I see many teachers complain that the students rather ask other students in the class or just don't ask any questions at all. So as long as the society still frown upon people raising questions, no teacher alone can solve this problem
With todays use of smart phones a person just asks a question and the phone will generate the answer. There is less problem solving on in this world due to instant answers. I've seen younger generations get roadblocked by simple tasks that they just can't work through because the thought process isn't being taught/learned.
Yeah, I’ve always wondered how kids in today’s classrooms manage to learn when the internet already provides a wealth of information that was unavailable for us when we were growing up.
20 years ago, when I was working as a ux designer ( we were not call d that, but user interface designers) when working with back side programmers I would start with asking stupid questions. As there was not much experience, reference or resources, as technology changed quickly, we had to "invent every wheel", so this was my intuitive way to get to the most natural starting point. I would even announce it:" now, I am going to ask several stupid questions, would you please answer them seriously. " People really apriciated that once we start, while answering they could see things from another angle, and ideas were popping out the whole time. Those meetings were always dynamic, everybody talking and at the same time writing down pages and pages. Like those questions opened pipes :)
this made me realize that I never stopped asking questions. throughout all of school i’ve been the one in the front row, asking questions, staying after class. it was sometimes embarrassing but I felt my peers were missing a big opportunity
I was the same, people in college would tell me they were happy I was in the class because they knew my questions would help them pass the class. Just ask, the worst that can happen is you “appear” a little silly. Best case you learn a critical new piece of information 👍
Same, but the difference is, I always thought that it's cool to stay after class and asking questions haha. My friends thinks otherwise and we often disagreed a lot
We come into the world very curious and as we age, society forces us to unlearn our natural wonder. We spend our life trying to get that curiosity back
Society values answers. We are more apt to follow a man with mediocre answers than one with ingenious questions. We're... shallow. And it's ruining us.
Don't be one of these adults who tell children bullshit answers because they don't like to say "I don't know" to a child's question... they learn from their elders.
@@decibel333 Growing up my parents didn't know a whole lot and as a result, my questioning as a kid was never rewarded, but I think this is a blessing in disguise because I find myself unafraid now, at 30, to look like I know nothing when I ask questions about anything and everything. I've always wondered why, despite procrastination and fear to step outside of my comfort zone I still had success in all of my relationships and this video sorta makes that make sense. People gravitate towards me because they understand I might see things differently and maybe pose a question with little bias simply for curiosity sake, allowing the receiver to interpret it from a new perspective.
My anatomy teacher taught me to always ask these questions when coming up on a topic: who, what, when, where, and how. If you face each topic with these questions in mind to be answered, you'll learn the whole history of the topic.
Nice. I think there's that hierarchy of the WH questions and at the end of the road is always the question... "why?" It takes on a dimension of it's own and little children often get stuck and freeze just naively processing the question. Tells you the power of that particular question in every dimension.
As a software engineer I was afraid to ask questions at work until I met a senior engineer with some 20+ years of experience asking the same questions I had. That gave me the confidence to ask dumb questions and I understand how to do my job so much better now. I've had nothing but positive experiences by asking "dumb" questions.
I started serving 6 months ago. Throughout this little time I’ve been working, i got told a few times that i ask too many questions. This video indeed made me feel better
Thank you for your service! I wanna remind you too, that it's definitely not a you problem. The military discourages questions because an army only works with 100 yes men. Retain your questions!!:)))
“Questions and Ideas, Don’t Forget them,” …The title of a journal that encourages you to keep the journal with you, and particularly in places where ideas seem to come to you. This is another journal by this author that I use consistently (fairly consistently anyway) You could probably create your own journal or notebook to accomplish this, but I like how this one is laid out.
As a consultant, we would often ask a couple questions in a row. The first would be, "For this particular area, on a scale of 1-10, how would you rate yourself, your organization, your goals, blah, blah, blah" You get the idea. Since people rarely will answer 10, the follow up question is ALWAYS, "What would it take to get to a 10?" At that point, the person will open up and tell you all the issues. You politely listen and follow up with more pointed questions as need be. However, you will almost always get a treasure trove of information to ponder.
@@karthidrive55 Glad I could help. We learned this technique in Sales training. I use in both my business and personal life. Amazing how well It really works.
I see this as a brilliant way to to keep a conversation going with anyone, but what would you advice on if I were to apply this sort of question asking method with my friends, lecturers or even strangers?
@@hamkaboo543 This works in most situations. Like everything, there might be exceptions, but I have found it to be highly effective on even the people you have mentioned. Try it out and see how it works.
I love that they focus right in on the economic value of a good question and ignore any other reason. Ask good question because money. Love that we’re living our values.
When I was a high school teacher, I used to tell my classes that growth may not come from the answers we get, but instead from the better questions we develop through the time and practice of asking questions. Great to hear Silicon Valley is hitting on what many others have figured out decades, generations, and centuries ago. Thanks so much for making a 10-minute video about a common practice, and a skill that good teachers intentionally align their students with. 2:45 this presenter is being disingenuous, or he is basing his claim on what high school was like when HE was growing up. Even good teachers in lower-socio-economic schools teach questioning, and perfecting questioning (one perhaps never truly perfects it - it's a growth skill all of our lives) to their students these days.
I would argue the last example isn’t actually a dumb or simple question. Rather, it takes a lot of intelligence to get to the root of a problem to be able to ask such a concise question.
Because qualifying a question before it’s asked defeats the entire premise! Further, you won’t know if it’s the right question, until you find a quality answer!
Qualifying a question to which you don't know the answer is the whole premise. You won't find a quality answer until you ask a quality question. That's "why" you ask quality questions. Now the question is "how" do you find a quality question, and that's still unanswered.
Excellent video content and guest selection. Confident people generally, in my experience, are the ones asking the difficult, “dumb“, questions. In my past life I was a technical project manager for a $2 billion company. Asking the dumb questions helps to ensure everyone’s on the same page, and opened up the door for others to ask their “dumb” questions. Creating team cohesion and leading to greater project success. The only challenge with this methodology can be… if people begin to believe you are dumb. That’s when professional acumen and a high EQ can help mitigate that possibility.
In my younger days, I once sat on a grand jury and sincerely wanted to do a great job as I felt it to be my civic duty. I figured I would want like minded people on a jury of my peers, especially if I were falsely accused. I studied the subject and learned a grand juror had the right to ask pertinent questions and even ask for a more detailed explanation of evidence here in FL. So, I did. Without giving details, I'm sure my questions were relevant and were important, at least to me. The next morning I was handed a check for my time and told I would not be needed any longer and that an alternate juror would take my place. That's also the day I learned they do not want critical thinkers on any jury. Sad but true 😕
I have gained so much knowledge and connection from feeding my curiosity rather than my social insecurity! There are some comments about this video talking about why and not how to ask the right questions, but that is just how to do it.
I hear from my coaches and trainers that there's no such thing as a dumb question. However, when you ask questions to simply know something instead of understanding, you are dumbing down the power of your inquiries. More important than what is how, more important than how is why or when. WHAT < HOW < WHY❓
Schools are deliberately designed to keep us dumb! We need a new curriculum of free thinkers that challenge governments, OH WAIT, THEY DON'T WANT THAT!
I love content like this that strengthens my career goals! 20 years as a mechanic then engineer and now a preschool teacher. As a dixlexic infj I've gather allot of deep seeded knowledge and see how it is slipping bye my son in school. He told me the other day he believes I can keep us alive if something was to happen to the world. I now feel the need to make sure he feels the same about himself. If it's only 20 or so I have a chance at creating something beautiful of then so be it. If I care. We care
3:05 Instead of asking the students a bunch of questions and expect them to answer them on an exam, why don’t we redesign the exams so that the students are presented with issues or cases and they are required to write down the questions they can think of. Whoever asks the best questions gets the highest score.
I like where you're going but such an exam will be extremely hard to grade and too subjective. I remember getting poor grades on presentations just because the teacher didn't agree. This is only the start, we can improve it make it a thing, I think.
Thank you People have a tendency to stop asking questions because they fear that doing so will make them feel bad about themselves. Instead of asking questions and focusing on the response, it is preferable to stop and think about what you are learning or doing.
"I know that I know nothing"- Socrates. This video is a dissection on what Socrates use to do to everyone and what all the great philosophers have done. Ask!
“Questions and Ideas, Don’t Forget them,” …The title of a journal that encourages you to keep the journal with you, and particularly in places where ideas seem to come to you. This is another journal by this author that I use consistently (fairly consistently anyway) You could probably create your own journal or notebook to accomplish this, but I like how this one is laid out.
@@r-leanmygirl-gj2kt you commented just in time. I totally forgot to journal the weird experience I had today at work. I need to do that. Thanks for sharing!
The reason we cease to ask questions in school is because we're already taught every answer before we ask for them. Thus, our creativity to think outside the box (the book) diminishes
I have a question though, I watched a video where the host and her Japanese friend were explaining how rigid the knowledge system is in Japan. However they are one of the leading countries in technology and innovation, so how do they marry curiosity with rigidity to innovate?
Technology and innovation transcends culture and even at times language (e.g binary numbers system). Questions need to be asked and answered in order to innovate. A CEO/Director may be asking how can we make more money? Or how can we surpass the competition? These questions inevitably lead to more questions amongst the mangers/workers, how can I make this product faster? More efficient? Etc This no doubt encourages the expression of ideas resulting in technological advancement. At least this is my take on it.
If you don’t watch and listen to Tim Ferris (last speaker) he explains how near the end. The other 2 guys set it up the scenario so you better understand. GL
I’m in my 40s and when I grew up I, and others I know, were told “you ask too many questions!” There was a culture, at least in parts of Britain, of: “children should be seen and not heard”. These sorts of insalubrious fallacies are partly to blame for the ruin of many young, brilliant, curious minds.
My favorite thing to do is ask a question that challenges that status-quo and get scoffed at. Only to investigate a little deeper and have the other person admit they don't actually know and that they're now curious what the real reason is. Like why do wedding rings needs to be so expensive ? Might come off like I'm being cheap, but the real answer is a combination of two things that have nothing to do with love. 1. De Beers a large diamond corporation has a tight hold on the supply of diamonds in the market, so by holding them back they artificially raise the price far beyond what they're actually worth. 2. In the context of evolutionary psychology it functions as a Zahavian handicap. The most full proof way to gauge the genetic health of a member of your own species is by having them demonstrate they're ability to waste/take on burdens. For peacocks they prove this when they're well fed and disease free enough to grow huge vibrant feathers. For antelopes it might looking like jumping to intentionally be visible to lions, which demonstrates they're healthy enough to outrun a predator. For humans it looks like blowing money on things with little utility, like cars, making it rain in the club, and of course wedding rings.
When asked the meaning of life Elon Musk said (close paraphrase) "obviously the universe is the answer, we just need to find the right questions" It was so profound to me.
What does that even mean? Sounds like word salad.... 🤔 Why do you find it "profound"? Because you don't understand his answer? Because I don't understand it, but to me it isn't profound--just a bunch of gobbilty gook....
@@bwenluck9812 The universe (reality) is all that there is. There isn't anything even possible that isn't "the universe" so how could any other answer be right? The reason for the need for a "right question" is the necessity to align out thinking with reality. By "the right question" I don't think he means one bounded by quotations and ending with a question mark. I think he means, the right place to inquire, the right things to think about, the right thing to do with our finite and bounded existence to bring about a better condition in reality. What to spend your life doing, is "the question" and THIS IS MEANING. In this way you dedicate your life to serving the whole, by "asking" something like "what is the best use of my life, in order to serve the entirety of existence?" But not as a bounded question, but as an orientation towards reality. The universe (existence, reality whatever) isn't here for US! We are here for the universe. Thus, the universe is the answer to the meaning of life. "The Question" is, how will YOU (and I, and Elon) serve this greatest possible thing given our present capacity and opportunities? If that doesn't make sense it's probably just words salad and you should call me a weirdo and move on.
‘’Don’t think about why you question, simply don’t stop questioning. Don’t worry about what you can’t answer, don’t try to explain what you can’t know . Curiosity is it’s own reason . Aren’t you in awe when you contemplate the mysteries of eternity , of life , of the marvelous structure behind reality? And this is the miracle of the human mind - to use it’s constructions , concepts, and formulas as tool to explain what man sees , feels and touches . Try to comprehend a litter more each day . Have a holy curiosity ‘’ - Albert Einstein
Before i bumped into this content, the concepts of questioning is been on my mind like since yesterday, about "a one good question that could receive or create a general and specific answers needed in so many way." So i was thinking of a profession or job career who do really ask not a good question but the best one of all times. It seems to me that questions must be over more than the answers. Alright I'll continue watching now, hope I enjoy it while waiting for my tinder app to get installed
I attended public school in Utah until 2011 and have been in and out of community college course in california to the present day. There has always been teachers and professors who liked questions, encouraged questions. Big think should avoid generalizations.
Having a little paper, on the side of the table, to jot down the questions that you have. The ones that come up during lessons, homework, research... so even if you don't wanna answere them now, you still have them in hand! 😄 Best wishes for ya all 😃🤙🌌💞
I really like the idea that people can have a better life if they can ask better questions. I'm working on a free platform that will hopefully allow people to find the right questions for situation in life.
The only "stupid question" is the one you're scared to ask... If you don't know ask. Most situations looking back on seem to come to one conclusion : you should have ask or if you don't know or understand just ask.
I have noticed that I can usually find out how smart people are based on their reaction to new information. The least educated people I know lose interest immediately. The people who think they mostly already know everything will answer with a fact they already know on that topic. The smartest people will start asking clarifying questions.
@5:21 No we are not hierarchical creatures. The system is. We are ultrasocial creatures with a propensity for fairness. Hierarchy only sprung up after agriculture 12k years ago and we've been around for 300k years.
I've always thought that asking good questions is the true sign on intelligence. Take the discovery of penicillin, when Alexander Fleming's experiment was ruined by mold, most people would take a note of the oddity, but then toss it out and start over on their original experiment. But Fleming thought, "hey, this mold inhibits the growth of bacteria! Why is that?" It was his curiousity that led to a major breakthrough in medicine. And whenever I listen to interviews with very smart people I'm always interested to see what questions they ask. Or just seeing how they respond to questions with a lot of thought before they ever get around to answering the question. It belies a way of looking at the world differently. While people may be in a rush to accomplish something, they may miss the interesting details that can teach us a deeper lesson. So many innovations have come from unexpected places, often from what would be considered a failure as well. Like the guy who invented Slurpees, Omar Knedlik. His soda machine broke at the Dairy Queen he was running, and so he started serving bottled sodas that he chilled in the freezer. But he saw that his semi-fronzen "pops" were quire popular, he came up with the idea to make frozen slush drinks, a machine that got the ratio right, and while it took a while before it really took off, eventually through some smart business moves, like leasing his machines to businesses, his idea became amazingly successful. So yeah, asking questions, being curious, thinking about things deeply. These are the things that can change the world when the right person asks the right question.
When i was in high school, i asked my science teacher if the core of the earth model was an unprovable theory. I was told to stick to the book. He would not discuss it.
I've been asking these types of questions my entire life. People often make fun of me for it MY ENTIRE LIFE. The question is, I have no idea who to ask these questions too. . . . so (now) I just ask Google. Is there a more direct way someone like I could ask a question that could possibly lead to something?
"Is there a more direct way someone like I could ask a question that could possibly lead to something?" I think your smartest move was to exactly ask that question. Because now people in the comments can take notice of you and maybe even respond to it. It often helps me to formulate a question aloud. Some people talk with their rubber duck. And if you have good friends, they won't answer with: "Haha, stop asking such stupid questions", but with "I don't know the answer to this question, but I know someone who knows the field."
Is it just me who is having difficulty to come up with quality questions in college course work ? Seems like I am missing the whole point and it's only the book that's telling me what should I be asking
I feel the same way. I always feel like I'm not creative enough, there are always people in my class having really good and interesting questions and I just don't know how they do it
What topics should we tackle next?
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Question. Take a flashlight in your right hand. Turn it on and shine it at your left hand, two feet away. You can see the light spot on your left hand and where the light is leaving the flashlight, that part of the light is bright. But in the space between the light and your left hand, you can not see the light beam
The light beam is invisible. I know why the photons are invisible. Otherwise everywhere we looked there would just be a fog or cloud of photons. We could see nothing else.
What I don't know is HOW the photons are invisible.
Can we achieve world peace?
Can the Coronavirus be contained?
Will the US have a second civil war?
"It's better to look dumb, than to be dumb." -Unknown
Ask whatever you need to.
know,,,but before that ask why you need
You can tell a lot about a person by the type of questions a person asks. - Mark Cuban
You can quickly find the dumb ones and not hire them- probably Mr. Cuban
what about asking questions, google can answer for you?
I assume I am dumb and can't smell. Will that direct me to the norm?
@@carknower how then will you spark knowledge-driven curiosity out of these "dumb" people?
As a design engineer I've learned to embrace the compulsion to ask "dumb questions". Leaving college I felt that stupid questions were not to be asked for fear of ridicule by superiors/elders (what a horrible thing to be teaching in school). As I progressed in my career it became more and more important to ask the "dumb" questions. For example I had a customer say "We're having issues with our product touching this part of the machine and causing issues, we'd like to redesign it but it has to stay the same shape, be made from something less hard than the product and also withstand substantial heat. I then stated "Perhaps this is a dumb question, but do we need that part at all?" Turns out the problem part was part of the machine for a feature they don't use and simply taking the part out is way faster and cheaper than making a complicated alternate design.
A perfect example of the right question to ask. Plus it is a great scenario to have in case your in the position of an interview, I would assume.
I also like dumb questions, and they only need to be asked once and that's not dumb anymore
Well said! That's very true
You could have billed them 1000 hours to redesign it though. Good engineer, bad business move.
@@pe4153 you're a con artist. Not a businessman
“Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.”
― Voltaire
Has a deep meaning...
"Post a comment on multiple Big Think videos containing a quoted though of someone else so that someone might see my channel"
― Question Everything - Thought Provoking Ideas
I think both are equally important.
Chawza Dark same.
@@chawza8402 yes right..... Becuz the thinking in his answer also reflects....
- Embrace the value of asking questions for innovation. (0:12)
- Encourage curiosity-driven research to uncover new applications. (1:03)
- Address the decline of questioning in education systems. (2:26)
- Utilize naive questioning as a tool for creative problem solving. (3:31)
- Practice asking "dumb questions" to challenge assumptions and think laterally. (5:21)
- Use journaling to explore and expand on these questions for deeper insights. (7:50)
- Overcome embarrassment to ask obvious but overlooked questions. (9:43)
I'm in college at 35 years old, and while I am doing research for papers, I had that same epiphany; asking the right or the most weird questions will lead you to interesting answers or to more interesting questions.
I’m a teacher and the comment about kids losing their inquisitiveness is very true. I constantly have to tell them that it’s not always about getting the correct answer and that the process is so important!
you sound like a great teacher
However I don't think it's enough to just simply tell them to place more questions. I come from an Asian background where obedience and following what you're told without asking back is the unbreakable rule. There I see many teachers complain that the students rather ask other students in the class or just don't ask any questions at all. So as long as the society still frown upon people raising questions, no teacher alone can solve this problem
With todays use of smart phones a person just asks a question and the phone will generate the answer. There is less problem solving on in this world due to instant answers. I've seen younger generations get roadblocked by simple tasks that they just can't work through because the thought process isn't being taught/learned.
Yeah, I’ve always wondered how kids in today’s classrooms manage to learn when the internet already provides a wealth of information that was unavailable for us when we were growing up.
20 years ago, when I was working as a ux designer ( we were not call d that, but user interface designers) when working with back side programmers I would start with asking stupid questions. As there was not much experience, reference or resources, as technology changed quickly, we had to "invent every wheel", so this was my intuitive way to get to the most natural starting point. I would even announce it:" now, I am going to ask several stupid questions, would you please answer them seriously. "
People really apriciated that once we start, while answering they could see things from another angle, and ideas were popping out the whole time. Those meetings were always dynamic, everybody talking and at the same time writing down pages and pages. Like those questions opened pipes :)
this made me realize that I never stopped asking questions. throughout all of school i’ve been the one in the front row, asking questions, staying after class. it was sometimes embarrassing but I felt my peers were missing a big opportunity
I was like many never asking any questions, you are a rare kind ty for sharing blessings
Sadly us shy people really would depend on ppl like you 😭 thanks from a fellow introvert
I was the same, people in college would tell me they were happy I was in the class because they knew my questions would help them pass the class. Just ask, the worst that can happen is you “appear” a little silly. Best case you learn a critical new piece of information 👍
Same, but the difference is, I always thought that it's cool to stay after class and asking questions haha. My friends thinks otherwise and we often disagreed a lot
@@timemagnet i applaud you for your interest towards understanding the class! are you guys still friends?
We come into the world very curious and as we age, society forces us to unlearn our natural wonder. We spend our life trying to get that curiosity back
Society values answers. We are more apt to follow a man with mediocre answers than one with ingenious questions.
We're... shallow. And it's ruining us.
Don't be one of these adults who tell children bullshit answers because they don't like to say "I don't know" to a child's question... they learn from their elders.
@@decibel333 Growing up my parents didn't know a whole lot and as a result, my questioning as a kid was never rewarded, but I think this is a blessing in disguise because I find myself unafraid now, at 30, to look like I know nothing when I ask questions about anything and everything. I've always wondered why, despite procrastination and fear to step outside of my comfort zone I still had success in all of my relationships and this video sorta makes that make sense. People gravitate towards me because they understand I might see things differently and maybe pose a question with little bias simply for curiosity sake, allowing the receiver to interpret it from a new perspective.
Emm no lol
My anatomy teacher taught me to always ask these questions when coming up on a topic: who, what, when, where, and how. If you face each topic with these questions in mind to be answered, you'll learn the whole history of the topic.
Nice. I think there's that hierarchy of the WH questions and at the end of the road is always the question... "why?" It takes on a dimension of it's own and little children often get stuck and freeze just naively processing the question. Tells you the power of that particular question in every dimension.
you forgot the why
“Those who wish to succeed must ask the right preliminary questions.” -Aristotle ...
But how does one ask the right questions?
@@MRInuzaki have you found out yet? I have the same question
@@yaboiavery5986 nope :\
@@MRInuzaki questions that prevent you from making catastrophic mistakes.
@@aloevera7422 only learned from hindsight. Predicting the future might be problematic.
As a software engineer I was afraid to ask questions at work until I met a senior engineer with some 20+ years of experience asking the same questions I had. That gave me the confidence to ask dumb questions and I understand how to do my job so much better now. I've had nothing but positive experiences by asking "dumb" questions.
I started serving 6 months ago. Throughout this little time I’ve been working, i got told a few times that i ask too many questions. This video indeed made me feel better
Thank you for your service!
I wanna remind you too, that it's definitely not a you problem. The military discourages questions because an army only works with 100 yes men.
Retain your questions!!:)))
“The important thing is to never stop questioning [or learning].”
- Albert Einstein
“Questions and Ideas, Don’t Forget them,” …The title of a journal that encourages you to keep the journal with you, and particularly in places where ideas seem to come to you. This is another journal by this author that I use consistently (fairly consistently anyway) You could probably create your own journal or notebook to accomplish this, but I like how this one is laid out.
our society tells you what you must know. You are assessed on what you can remember from what you were taught. Questioning is rebellious.
If Google has taught us anything, its that answers are a dime a dozen, but real power comes from asking the right question.
As a consultant, we would often ask a couple questions in a row. The first would be, "For this particular area, on a scale of 1-10, how would you rate yourself, your organization, your goals, blah, blah, blah" You get the idea. Since people rarely will answer 10, the follow up question is ALWAYS, "What would it take to get to a 10?" At that point, the person will open up and tell you all the issues. You politely listen and follow up with more pointed questions as need be. However, you will almost always get a treasure trove of information to ponder.
Thank you. I am a business analyst. You have given me an excellent question... Appreciate it
@@karthidrive55 Glad I could help. We learned this technique in Sales training. I use in both my business and personal life. Amazing how well It really works.
I see this as a brilliant way to to keep a conversation going with anyone, but what would you advice on if I were to apply this sort of question asking method with my friends, lecturers or even strangers?
@@hamkaboo543 This works in most situations. Like everything, there might be exceptions, but I have found it to be highly effective on even the people you have mentioned. Try it out and see how it works.
I love that they focus right in on the economic value of a good question and ignore any other reason. Ask good question because money. Love that we’re living our values.
When I was a high school teacher, I used to tell my classes that growth may not come from the answers we get, but instead from the better questions we develop through the time and practice of asking questions. Great to hear Silicon Valley is hitting on what many others have figured out decades, generations, and centuries ago. Thanks so much for making a 10-minute video about a common practice, and a skill that good teachers intentionally align their students with.
2:45 this presenter is being disingenuous, or he is basing his claim on what high school was like when HE was growing up. Even good teachers in lower-socio-economic schools teach questioning, and perfecting questioning (one perhaps never truly perfects it - it's a growth skill all of our lives) to their students these days.
I would argue the last example isn’t actually a dumb or simple question. Rather, it takes a lot of intelligence to get to the root of a problem to be able to ask such a concise question.
Super thanks Apolonia! That is what I is miss in this video.
"How are you doing l'm not doing very good at all."
The amazing question /follow-up combination.
Did anyone else miss the part where they educate you on "how" to ask quality questions? All I learned from this video is "why" to ask questions.
Yup, don’t care why, tell me how
Now that’s a great question
Stopped watching at 30 seconds. Thanks for saving me time.
Because qualifying a question before it’s asked defeats the entire premise! Further, you won’t know if it’s the right question, until you find a quality answer!
Qualifying a question to which you don't know the answer is the whole premise. You won't find a quality answer until you ask a quality question.
That's "why" you ask quality questions. Now the question is "how" do you find a quality question, and that's still unanswered.
I'm a simple man. I see Tim Ferriss, I watch.
Was not disappointed, other guests also very interesting and informative.
Excellent video content and guest selection. Confident people generally, in my experience, are the ones asking the difficult, “dumb“, questions. In my past life I was a technical project manager for a $2 billion company. Asking the dumb questions helps to ensure everyone’s on the same page, and opened up the door for others to ask their “dumb” questions. Creating team cohesion and leading to greater project success. The only challenge with this methodology can be… if people begin to believe you are dumb. That’s when professional acumen and a high EQ can help mitigate that possibility.
Very good advice shared through good experience
The art and science of asking questions... is the source of all knowledge!
I think more than "how" to ask questions, I believe this video more accurately explained what types of questions have high value. Similar.
"Chanakya Niti" Book explains n gives more wisdom than whole University
"Asking questions is half of the knowledge "
Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (as)
"curiosity driven research" - that's beautiful!!!
In my younger days, I once sat on a grand jury and sincerely wanted to do a great job as I felt it to be my civic duty. I figured I would want like minded people on a jury of my peers, especially if I were falsely accused. I studied the subject and learned a grand juror had the right to ask pertinent questions and even ask for a more detailed explanation of evidence here in FL. So, I did. Without giving details, I'm sure my questions were relevant and were important, at least to me. The next morning I was handed a check for my time and told I would not be needed any longer and that an alternate juror would take my place. That's also the day I learned they do not want critical thinkers on any jury. Sad but true 😕
You inspired me to be inquisitive to find the answer.
Wow. I believe I would’ve done the same thing in your position. Good for you.
I have gained so much knowledge and connection from feeding my curiosity rather than my social insecurity! There are some comments about this video talking about why and not how to ask the right questions, but that is just how to do it.
I hear from my coaches and trainers that there's no such thing as a dumb question. However, when you ask questions to simply know something instead of understanding, you are dumbing down the power of your inquiries. More important than what is how, more important than how is why or when. WHAT < HOW < WHY❓
School actually makes most people less curious. Take a moment to think about that.
Schools are deliberately designed to keep us dumb! We need a new curriculum of free thinkers that challenge governments, OH WAIT, THEY DON'T WANT THAT!
Too many answers and not enough questions? Or is it that the answers can’t be questioned? And where did those answers come from in the first place?
@@mtn1793 All in all, there just isn't enough actual THINKING.
@@cmonster67 True that man. It’s all emotion these days.
Maybe that's bcos it's already a place where most answers are. No need for questions
I love content like this that strengthens my career goals! 20 years as a mechanic then engineer and now a preschool teacher. As a dixlexic infj I've gather allot of deep seeded knowledge and see how it is slipping bye my son in school. He told me the other day he believes I can keep us alive if something was to happen to the world. I now feel the need to make sure he feels the same about himself. If it's only 20 or so I have a chance at creating something beautiful of then so be it. If I care. We care
3:05 Instead of asking the students a bunch of questions and expect them to answer them on an exam, why don’t we redesign the exams so that the students are presented with issues or cases and they are required to write down the questions they can think of. Whoever asks the best questions gets the highest score.
Yay!
I like where you're going but such an exam will be extremely hard to grade and too subjective. I remember getting poor grades on presentations just because the teacher didn't agree. This is only the start, we can improve it make it a thing, I think.
The answer to life is simply this, "to make connections within yourself, the world around you and with others."
Thank you
People have a tendency to stop asking questions because they fear that doing so will make them feel bad about themselves. Instead of asking questions and focusing on the response, it is preferable to stop and think about what you are learning or doing.
0:43 "why questioning?"
2:48 "why our questioning activity decline?"
"I know that I know nothing"- Socrates. This video is a dissection on what Socrates use to do to everyone and what all the great philosophers have done. Ask!
No answer can satisfy like a great question. It's as palpable as 'hope' ever becomes.
Asking the right questions is an amazing topic. Even in the workplace, I’ve come up against question asking being devalued.
“Questions and Ideas, Don’t Forget them,” …The title of a journal that encourages you to keep the journal with you, and particularly in places where ideas seem to come to you. This is another journal by this author that I use consistently (fairly consistently anyway) You could probably create your own journal or notebook to accomplish this, but I like how this one is laid out.
@@r-leanmygirl-gj2kt you commented just in time. I totally forgot to journal the weird experience I had today at work. I need to do that. Thanks for sharing!
@@a.whychild6591 My pleasure.
thank you for giving me more words to explain how I think
The reason we cease to ask questions in school is because we're already taught every answer before we ask for them. Thus, our creativity to think outside the box (the book) diminishes
I have a question though, I watched a video where the host and her Japanese friend were explaining how rigid the knowledge system is in Japan. However they are one of the leading countries in technology and innovation, so how do they marry curiosity with rigidity to innovate?
Technology and innovation transcends culture and even at times language (e.g binary numbers system). Questions need to be asked and answered in order to innovate.
A CEO/Director may be asking how can we make more money? Or how can we surpass the competition? These questions inevitably lead to more questions amongst the mangers/workers, how can I make this product faster? More efficient? Etc
This no doubt encourages the expression of ideas resulting in technological advancement.
At least this is my take on it.
The best way to build rapport with a customer is to ask questions and listen to ask more questions.
Why does it have to be important for the market place ? Now that is a good question !
I currently jot down ideas as statements or phrases. Should I start turning them into questions?
That will be really great idea
If you don’t watch and listen to Tim Ferris (last speaker) he explains how near the end. The other 2 guys set it up the scenario so you better understand. GL
I’m in my 40s and when I grew up I, and others I know, were told “you ask too many questions!” There was a culture, at least in parts of Britain, of: “children should be seen and not heard”. These sorts of insalubrious fallacies are partly to blame for the ruin of many young, brilliant, curious minds.
it's a shame that the wave of ignorance was instilled from their own parents' ignorance inherited from generations like a forced on hand me down
My life mantra: Ask the right questions
My favorite thing to do is ask a question that challenges that status-quo and get scoffed at. Only to investigate a little deeper and have the other person admit they don't actually know and that they're now curious what the real reason is.
Like why do wedding rings needs to be so expensive ? Might come off like I'm being cheap, but the real answer is a combination of two things that have nothing to do with love.
1. De Beers a large diamond corporation has a tight hold on the supply of diamonds in the market, so by holding them back they artificially raise the price far beyond what they're actually worth.
2. In the context of evolutionary psychology it functions as a Zahavian handicap. The most full proof way to gauge the genetic health of a member of your own species is by having them demonstrate they're ability to waste/take on burdens. For peacocks they prove this when they're well fed and disease free enough to grow huge vibrant feathers. For antelopes it might looking like jumping to intentionally be visible to lions, which demonstrates they're healthy enough to outrun a predator.
For humans it looks like blowing money on things with little utility, like cars, making it rain in the club, and of course wedding rings.
When asked the meaning of life Elon Musk said (close paraphrase) "obviously the universe is the answer, we just need to find the right questions" It was so profound to me.
What does that even mean? Sounds like word salad.... 🤔
Why do you find it "profound"? Because you don't understand his answer? Because I don't understand it, but to me it isn't profound--just a bunch of gobbilty gook....
@@bwenluck9812 The universe (reality) is all that there is. There isn't anything even possible that isn't "the universe" so how could any other answer be right?
The reason for the need for a "right question" is the necessity to align out thinking with reality. By "the right question" I don't think he means one bounded by quotations and ending with a question mark.
I think he means, the right place to inquire, the right things to think about, the right thing to do with our finite and bounded existence to bring about a better condition in reality. What to spend your life doing, is "the question" and THIS IS MEANING.
In this way you dedicate your life to serving the whole, by "asking" something like "what is the best use of my life, in order to serve the entirety of existence?" But not as a bounded question, but as an orientation towards reality.
The universe (existence, reality whatever) isn't here for US! We are here for the universe. Thus, the universe is the answer to the meaning of life. "The Question" is, how will YOU (and I, and Elon) serve this greatest possible thing given our present capacity and opportunities?
If that doesn't make sense it's probably just words salad and you should call me a weirdo and move on.
Best 2 questions in life:
1. Who am I?
2. Is it really so?
And What for lunch today.
one of the BEST, most powerful questions to ask is, "how is whatever is happening to me, how is it helping me fulfill my life's mission/purpose?
Please upload in HQ. We’re not in the 1990s anymore.
Wow. This has been informative to my question about questions.
‘’Don’t think about why you question, simply don’t stop questioning. Don’t worry about what you can’t answer, don’t try to explain what you can’t know . Curiosity is it’s own reason . Aren’t you in awe when you contemplate the mysteries of eternity , of life , of the marvelous structure behind reality? And this is the miracle of the human mind - to use it’s constructions , concepts, and formulas as tool to explain what man sees , feels and touches . Try to comprehend a litter more each day . Have a holy curiosity ‘’
- Albert Einstein
“It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt”
― Mark Twain
True! People are not asking what's on their minds. I most likely ask the questions7 that most are afraid to ask.
A wise man once said
" there are no dumb questions'
Before i bumped into this content, the concepts of questioning is been on my mind like since yesterday, about "a one good question that could receive or create a general and specific answers needed in so many way." So i was thinking of a profession or job career who do really ask not a good question but the best one of all times. It seems to me that questions must be over more than the answers.
Alright I'll continue watching now, hope I enjoy it while waiting for my tinder app to get installed
Every great story begins with a series of questions.
Asking the right questions ...leads us to new areas of discovery.
🧠 🌈
The right question is the answer!
I attended public school in Utah until 2011 and have been in and out of community college course in california to the present day. There has always been teachers and professors who liked questions, encouraged questions.
Big think should avoid generalizations.
"Questions are the new answers!!"😍
Having a little paper, on the side of the table, to jot down the questions that you have.
The ones that come up during lessons, homework, research... so even if you don't wanna answere them now, you still have them in hand! 😄
Best wishes for ya all 😃🤙🌌💞
2:25
The entire video narrows itself down to one sentence: "ask dumb questions."
I'm never stopping asking questions. 🤠
"Millions saw the apple fall but Newton was the one who asked why." ~ Bernard Baruch
Millions? Try everyone since we started walking upright
Interesting ideas. What is the source of the research that shows how the number of questions decreases as age increases?
Very important video for current times
Thank you for making this video Mr. Burgers.
As some who wants to live that sparks curiosity and productivity, I needed this.
Btw, those dropping quotes, do you actually abide by them?
Hope Jahren!!!! 🥰 I love her book!
I really like the idea that people can have a better life if they can ask better questions. I'm working on a free platform that will hopefully allow people to find the right questions for situation in life.
I love this channel
Curious to learn more about how to spark that curiosity in tertiary students (again)? We experience a frustrating lack of this...
questions are more powerful in mental concepts
When do i lost that behavior? thx you for these video no i know what is missing from my life
Damn, this video’s really struck me to the brain & heart
The experimental philosopher 🙌
The ignorant person is not someone who doesn't know anything, rather the ignorant person is someone who doesn't ask questions
- Prophet Muhammad
The only "stupid question" is the one you're scared to ask...
If you don't know ask. Most situations looking back on seem to come to one conclusion : you should have ask or if you don't know or understand just ask.
I have noticed that I can usually find out how smart people are based on their reaction to new information. The least educated people I know lose interest immediately. The people who think they mostly already know everything will answer with a fact they already know on that topic. The smartest people will start asking clarifying questions.
One of the guy wasn’t blinking for a long time
Question opens the space of possibility.
An exam should be about creating questions.
Why? Answers are embedded in the questions.
Big Think reachs 4.5 million subscriber on January 2023
The right answers are easy, the right questions are difficult.
@5:21 No we are not hierarchical creatures. The system is. We are ultrasocial creatures with a propensity for fairness. Hierarchy only sprung up after agriculture 12k years ago and we've been around for 300k years.
I've always thought that asking good questions is the true sign on intelligence. Take the discovery of penicillin, when Alexander Fleming's experiment was ruined by mold, most people would take a note of the oddity, but then toss it out and start over on their original experiment. But Fleming thought, "hey, this mold inhibits the growth of bacteria! Why is that?" It was his curiousity that led to a major breakthrough in medicine. And whenever I listen to interviews with very smart people I'm always interested to see what questions they ask. Or just seeing how they respond to questions with a lot of thought before they ever get around to answering the question.
It belies a way of looking at the world differently. While people may be in a rush to accomplish something, they may miss the interesting details that can teach us a deeper lesson. So many innovations have come from unexpected places, often from what would be considered a failure as well. Like the guy who invented Slurpees, Omar Knedlik. His soda machine broke at the Dairy Queen he was running, and so he started serving bottled sodas that he chilled in the freezer. But he saw that his semi-fronzen "pops" were quire popular, he came up with the idea to make frozen slush drinks, a machine that got the ratio right, and while it took a while before it really took off, eventually through some smart business moves, like leasing his machines to businesses, his idea became amazingly successful.
So yeah, asking questions, being curious, thinking about things deeply. These are the things that can change the world when the right person asks the right question.
When i was in high school, i asked my science teacher if the core of the earth model was an unprovable theory. I was told to stick to the book. He would not discuss it.
I've been asking these types of questions my entire life. People often make fun of me for it MY ENTIRE LIFE.
The question is, I have no idea who to ask these questions too. . . . so (now) I just ask Google. Is there a more direct way someone like I could ask a question that could possibly lead to something?
"Is there a more direct way someone like I could ask a question that could possibly lead to something?" I think your smartest move was to exactly ask that question.
Because now people in the comments can take notice of you and maybe even respond to it.
It often helps me to formulate a question aloud. Some people talk with their rubber duck.
And if you have good friends, they won't answer with: "Haha, stop asking such stupid questions", but with "I don't know the answer to this question, but I know someone who knows the field."
ChatGPT
My problem is not knowing which questions to ask myself 🤦♂️
Don't know about anyelse, but I've subscribed and liked.
Thank you guys, great job.
Why do I think this video is too short?
Is it just me who is having difficulty to come up with quality questions in college course work ? Seems like I am missing the whole point and it's only the book that's telling me what should I be asking
I feel the same way. I always feel like I'm not creative enough, there are always people in my class having really good and interesting questions and I just don't know how they do it
Thank you very interesting I like dumb questions I'll start asking more 🤪🥰😊🤭Good day. MC
I'm an educator and I made one of my graded components a question B-)
Here is a simple question, why do we categorize some questions as stupid or dumb? If so, how does context apply?
One who goes to sleep with itchy bottom wakes up the smelly finger
-Confucius