# Can we say that a question is a stupid question? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 28, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782 "2016-12-28T17:24:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/1 "2016-12-28T17:24:21Z")
Search isn’t working. Again. Just get a blank scene, not even an error message. Sorry. That’s a side comment. Here’s what I really came in to ask. I didn’t find any ATMB threads on this with a quick Google search and it’s not in the FAQs, so we need a ruling. Can we call a question a stupid question? I can’t see why not. It’s the perfect example of attacking the post rather than the poster. Sure, it’s statistically more likely that our stupider posters will post stupid questions, but there’s no one-to-one correspondence. Everyone is capable of a stupid question (although stupid answers are more frequent) and even our least gifted minds occasionally post questions of real interest that aren’t either gibberish or answerable by one click service on Google or Wikipedia. I realize this has slippery slope issues, but so does most everything. That’s what mods are for. GQ has been plagued with a number of OPs lately whose collective dumbth makes my brain look for a safe space. Nobody ever calls them stupid. If there’s a rule, it’s an unwritten one. Time to make it written or admit that it doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/2 "2016-12-28T17:30:17Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/3 "2016-12-28T17:37:58Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > If there’s a rule, it’s an unwritten one. Time to make it written or admit that it doesn’t exist. Unwritten? From the **General Questions Rules & FAQs** : > [@](#): > > By the same token, we aren’t interested in hearing about how stupid the question was because a search could have answered the question. Nor are we interested in hearing how simple it was for another poster to find the answer in a search engine. If it’s that simple to find the answer, go ahead and post the answer. ETA: If someone posts gibberish or you suspect that they are drunk posting, just report the post. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/4 "2016-12-28T17:53:57Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > nm We know what you were going to say… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/5 "2016-12-28T18:07:06Z")
“There are no stupid questions. Just stupid people.” - Mr. Garrison, South Park ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/6 "2016-12-28T18:50:19Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Unwritten? > > From the **General Questions Rules & FAQs** : Where is that? I did a keyword search for “stupid” on [FAQs - Please Read First - Rules, Guidelines, Etiquette, Technical Issues](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=562482), [Guidelines and Etiquette on the SDMB](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697084#post7697084), and [FAQ - Rules for Posting at the Straight Dope Message Boards](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=384736) without finding the term. When I put “we aren’t interested in hearing about how stupid the question was” the only SD hit I get is this thread. Putting in “General Questions Rules & FAQs” does find [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=466202) from 2008. But it’s not a sticky. It’s not on the ATMB page. It wasn’t on the Google page for [site:boards.straightdope.com “stupid questions”](https://www.google.com/search?num=100&newwindow=1&q=site%3Aboards.straightdope.com+%22stupid+questions%22&oq=site%3Aboards.straightdope.com+%22stupid+questions%22&gs_l=serp.3...5162.5162.0.5807.1.1.0.0.0.0.75.75.1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..0.0.0.BhINvHamxxg). I’m fine with there being a rule. I’m thinking that maybe it should be a tad easier to find. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/7 "2016-12-28T19:04:56Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Where is that? I did a keyword search for “stupid” on [FAQs - Please Read First - Rules, Guidelines, Etiquette, Technical Issues](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=562482), [Guidelines and Etiquette on the SDMB](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697084#post7697084), and [FAQ - Rules for Posting at the Straight Dope Message Boards](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=384736) without finding the term. > > When I put “we aren’t interested in hearing about how stupid the question was” the only SD hit I get is this thread. > > Putting in “General Questions Rules & FAQs” does find [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=466202) from 2008. But it’s not a sticky. It’s not on the ATMB page. It wasn’t on the Google page for [site:boards.straightdope.com “stupid questions”](https://www.google.com/search?num=100&newwindow=1&q=site%3Aboards.straightdope.com+%22stupid+questions%22&oq=site%3Aboards.straightdope.com+%22stupid+questions%22&gs_l=serp.3...5162.5162.0.5807.1.1.0.0.0.0.75.75.1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..0.0.0.BhINvHamxxg). > > I’m fine with there being a rule. I’m thinking that maybe it should be a tad easier to find. It is a [sticky at the top of the GQ forum](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=466202). ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/8 "2016-12-28T19:08:06Z")
Since it is GQ specific, it is stickied at the top of the GQ forum. Each forum has its individual forum rules stickied at the top of that forum. Things that apply to the entire board are stickied in ATMB. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/9 "2016-12-28T19:10:09Z")
I ninja’d you so hard. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/10 "2016-12-28T19:22:59Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I ninja’d you so hard. Great post/username combo… ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/11 "2016-12-28T19:28:58Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I ninja’d you so hard. Fast, this one is. He’s like the **running coach** of the mods. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/12 "2016-12-28T19:39:06Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > It is a [sticky at the top of the GQ forum](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=466202). > [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Since it is GQ specific, it is stickied at the top of the GQ forum. > > Each forum has its individual forum rules stickied at the top of that forum. Things that apply to the entire board are stickied in ATMB. OK, thanks both of you, that explains why I couldn’t find it in ATMB. I still think it’s strange that Google didn’t bring it up. And Search now advances to the point of giving me a page that says “ERROR The request could not be satisfied.” Not a huge advance. Questions get asked in other Forums, though. Maybe someone should revise the ATMB stickies to include this point among the other etiquette questions. And maybe someone should revise the wording of “By the same token, we aren’t interested in hearing about how stupid the question was because a search could have answered the question.” Although that’s often the case, stupid questions cover a much wider range of idiocy than that. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/13 "2016-12-28T19:47:26Z")
What if I start a thread with "This is a stupid question, but . . . ", and someone replies “You’re right!”? ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/14 "2016-12-28T19:48:18Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > OK, thanks both of you, that explains why I couldn’t find it in ATMB. I still think it’s strange that Google didn’t bring it up. And Search now advances to the point of giving me a page that says “ERROR The request could not be satisfied.” Not a huge advance. I realized that you did actually find the thread and linked to it in your post #6. It was just in a different forum than you were expecting. So you are the true ninja. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/15 "2016-12-28T20:07:57Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > What if I start a thread with "This is a stupid question, but . . . ", and someone replies “You’re right!”? Shame on them. (What if someone says, “God, I’m stupid today” and someone replies, “You’re right!” Shabby, and definitely, IMO, jerkish.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/16 "2016-12-28T20:18:39Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > What if I start a thread with "This is a stupid question, but . . . ", and someone replies “You’re right!”? > [@Trinopus](#): > > Shame on them. > > (What if someone says, “God, I’m stupid today” and someone replies, “You’re right!” Shabby, and definitely, IMO, jerkish.) I’d say they’re different. In the first example, you’d be attacking the post, not the poster. Although you might get a warning for being a jerk. In the second example, you’re clearly attacking the poster. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/17 "2016-12-28T21:51:57Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I realized that you did actually find the thread and linked to it in your post #6. It was just in a different forum than you were expecting. So you are the true ninja. I should have realized that the thread was a sticky, but I only read down to the stupid questions line and not all the way to the bottom. And I always tell people they need to read the entirety of cites. Physician, heal thyself! ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/18 "2016-12-28T22:16:11Z")
**Can we say that a question is a stupid question?** I have a question: where exactly am I supposed to post inquiries, scuttlebutt, or even objections specifically concerning the SDMB? Or, let’s say I want some sort of place where I can post trial threads…where the heck do those go? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/19 "2016-12-29T00:10:16Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I ninja’d you so hard. I guess that means I got boned in this case. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782/20 "2016-12-29T00:11:04Z")
> [@Tibby or Not Tibby](#): > > **Can we say that a question is a stupid question?** > > I have a question: where exactly am I supposed to post inquiries, scuttlebutt, or even objections specifically concerning the SDMB? Or, let’s say I want some sort of place where I can post trial threads…where the heck do those go? For a newbie who got here from google and may not have found the forum list with descriptions, even this might not be a stupid question. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-say-that-a-question-is-a-stupid-question/775782.md?page=2)