# If there's a Yes/No question in the headline ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 20, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235 "2016-05-20T16:23:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/1 "2016-05-20T16:23:12Z")
… then the answer is always no. [Is flying more dangerous than ever?](http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/20/aviation/air-travel-safety/index.html) I hate this tactic; it’s lousy journalism and just bad for everyone. I suppose this could have been in the Pit, but it’s just not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/2 "2016-05-20T16:33:49Z")
It works for posts too. “Am I the only one who [fill in the blank]?” No. It doesn’t matter what’s in the blank; you are never the only one. STOP IT. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/3 "2016-05-20T17:22:19Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > It works for posts too. “Am I the only one who [fill in the blank]?” > > No. It doesn’t matter what’s in the blank; you are never the only one. STOP IT. The kind that bugs me here (and other places too) are the ones that beg a very debatable question, like “Why are \ people more \?” or “Why does \ work so well?” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/4 "2016-05-20T21:12:44Z")
[Betteridge’s law of headlines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines) ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/5 "2016-05-23T19:36:16Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > …it’s lousy journalism… It’s not journalism at all. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/6 "2016-05-25T17:21:50Z")
I’m not so sure about [this one](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11968457/Is-your-cat-really-trying-to-work-out-how-to-kill-you.html). ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/7 "2016-05-26T01:34:25Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > It works for posts too. “Am I the only one who [fill in the blank]?” > > No. It doesn’t matter what’s in the blank; you are never the only one. STOP IT. So, I’m _not_ the only one who hates those types of posts? Right on. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/8 "2016-05-26T02:14:37Z")
I hate the “Has anyone ever [done something]?” when what they’re really asking is “Has anyone _here_ ever [done something]?” ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@Troy\_McClure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/9 "2016-05-26T13:06:55Z")
My reflexive thought whenever I see one of those headlines is “why the heck are you asking me? You’re the “journalist”, do your job.” ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/10 "2016-06-07T13:23:48Z")
[Would Lynch come back to play for Raiders?](https://www.yahoo.com/sports/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/could-marshawn-lynch-play-for-raiders--he-sends-a-clear-message-190956248.html) Of course not, what do you think retirement means? ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/11 "2016-06-07T14:38:55Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > The kind that bugs me here (and other places too) are the ones that beg a very debatable question, like “Why are \ people more \?” or “Why does \ work so well?” > > :smack: Two thumbs up for the increasingly rare usage of “beg the question” to mean “state a questionable premise as fact” !!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/12 "2016-06-07T16:07:17Z")
I blame the English teachers, they are not teaching kids how to write a decent question. ---
**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:** [June 7, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/13 "2016-06-07T17:15:07Z")
So the OP should have been: Am I the only one who thinks the answer to headlines framed as questions is always _no_? Opportunity squandered, **Telemark**. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/14 "2016-06-07T17:38:55Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Opportunity squandered, **Telemark**. \ ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/15 "2016-06-07T19:19:35Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > … then the answer is always no. > > [Is flying more dangerous than ever?](http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/20/aviation/air-travel-safety/index.html) > > I hate this tactic; it’s lousy journalism and just bad for everyone. I suppose this could have been in the Pit, but it’s just not worth it. You think that’s lousy journalism, wait till you hear the second line: “Details at ten”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/16 "2016-06-07T19:55:36Z")
When I was writing radio ad copy, they told us not to start out with a question. The listener would say “no” and ignore the ad. ---
**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:** [June 7, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/17 "2016-06-07T20:59:55Z")
Perhaps the ultimate clickbait headline is the listicle framed as a rhetorical question. _Are these the five biggest health secrets that the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t want you to know about?_ I think we need a name for this. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/18 "2016-06-08T02:50:55Z")
Is the Answer to This Headline “no”? ---
**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:** [June 8, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/19 "2016-06-08T03:10:18Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Is the Answer to This Headline “no”? **Isamu** , get with the program. The way to ask your question is: _Am I the only one who thinks the answer to this headline is “no”?_ ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235/20 "2016-06-08T14:41:55Z")
I consider those types of headlines the early form of the Godforsaken “Top 10 [insert amazing thing here]… #3 will amaze you!” Shitty Clickbait [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-a-yes-no-question-in-the-headline/755235.md?page=2)