# "I don't know" is now a valid response to a Factual Questions post **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 21, 2023, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115 "2023-02-21T00:28:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/21 "2023-02-21T01:44:04Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Ohhh no. I did NOT ask for advice. You needed advice even if you didn’t ask for it. While you may not have been letting your child play with an old PC, your post indicated that you were considering it as a possibility. If you weren’t the thread had no point. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/22 "2023-02-21T01:48:59Z")
No…if I had wanted advice, I would have said “Do you think it’s a good idea do let my kiddo poke around in the inside of a computer PSU??” I honestly don’t give a rip if anyone thinks it’s a good idea to let my child do anything. I asked a specific question. Based on that, I decide. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/23 "2023-02-21T01:49:32Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Do you have kids? I do and I agree with Whack-a-Mole. So, point for him? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/24 "2023-02-21T01:52:04Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > I honestly don’t give a rip if anyone thinks it’s a good idea to let my child do anything. I asked a specific question. Based on that, I decide. I stand by what I said. You needed advice even if you didn’t ask for it. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/25 "2023-02-21T01:52:34Z")
Do I? Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/26 "2023-02-21T01:57:37Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > I honestly don’t give a rip if anyone thinks it’s a good idea to let my child do anything. I asked a specific question. Based on that, I decide. You’re sounding like a trial lawyer in that movie trope where they insist that the witness answer only “yes” or “no” rather than giving a complete and non-misleading answer. That’s not the way conversations work either online or in real life. You gave some context, and people will reply with what they feel is relevant and appropriate given the totality of the information you provided. You’re certainly free to _ignore_ the way other people respond, but if you act like a jerk in response to good-faith answers you’re likely to get called on it as you were here. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/27 "2023-02-21T02:02:31Z")
Merriam Webster: > [@](#): > > # hesitate > > ## [verb](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verb) > > hes·​i·​tate [ˈhe-zə-ˌtāt](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitate?pronunciation&lang=en_us&dir=h&file=hesita04) > > hesitated; hesitating > > [Synonyms of _hesitate_](https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitate) > > [intransitive verb](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intransitive) > > 1 > > **:** to hold back in doubt or indecision > > 2 > > **:** to delay momentarily **:** [PAUSE](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pause) Based on definition 2, I don’t think W-A-M’s response was out of line. Your wording wasn’t very precise. I _am_ a parent and I might have said the same thing, if I’d thought you meant definition #2. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/28 "2023-02-21T02:02:39Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Do I? Please explain. If you wish. Here’s your OP. > I gave my 7 y/o an old Dell PC to take apart. He’s steadily worked his way to where the last thing out was the power supply. I opened the PSU so he could look inside, but I was hesitant to let him poke around inside because I know there are capacitors etc. that could be dangerous. > > It hasn’t been powered on in months; I imagine that charge dwindles with time? Would it be ok by now to let him explore it, or it is a “never really safe” type of thing? You were letting a seven year old play with an old PC. You’re acknowledging that you think an old PC might store power. But you don’t really know the details. Despite this lack of knowledge of how safe or dangerous this activity is, you let your child go ahead and start dismantling the PC. You’re only now “hesitant” about letting your child continue. So here’s the advice I feel you need: You should not let your young child do something which you know might be dangerous. Especially when you don’t know the details of how dangerous it might be. It’s not something you should be hesitating over or stop when the child is halfway through doing. It’s something you should tell your child they can’t do at all until after you’ve learned the details about whether or not it’s dangerous. ---
**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:** [February 21, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/29 "2023-02-21T02:05:10Z")
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**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:** [February 21, 2023, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115/30 "2023-02-21T02:09:46Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Do you have kids? If you want to be snippy and jerkish, you can get your threads closed in this forum too. If you work hard enough at it you can even force us to review your posting privileges on this site. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-is-now-a-valid-response-to-a-factual-questions-post/980115.md?page=1)