# If you don't understand a question, you probably don't have a valuable answer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-understand-a-question-you-probably-dont-have-a-valuable-answer/1005505>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [August 9, 2024, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-understand-a-question-you-probably-dont-have-a-valuable-answer/1005505 "2024-08-09T21:16:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 89

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**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2024, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-dont-understand-a-question-you-probably-dont-have-a-valuable-answer/1005505/89 "2024-08-12T14:13:49Z")

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> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> Spoken as a man who has spent many fewer hours of his life googling acronyms than i have.

Maybe, maybe not. I Google pretty much any word or name or concept I’m not familiar with, sometimes even if I can figure it out from context because I like to find out if there’s any nuance I might be missing, and let’s be honest - because having a guess confirmed is a dopamine rush.

> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> But I do think it’s a problem to get bent out of shape if someone asks what one means. That’s a critical difference.

I have no issue with someone asking what an acronym means. I have a problem with someone acting like the fact that an acronym they are unfamiliar with was used is a personal insult or imposition on them in some way.

“What does AGI mean?” is a very different post than:

> [@Is AI overhyped?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ai-overhyped/1005471/7):
>
> > [@Is AI overhyped?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-ai-overhyped/1005471/1):
> >
> > AGI is [gonna happen this year](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pUye38cooOE)
> 
> Adjusted Gross Income?
> 
> Look, I’m not enthused about having to watch a video to unpack your acronym. Apologizes if everyone who isn’t me knows WTF an AGI is.

I can’t believe that people are up in arms because a snarky post got snarky replies.

If AHunter had respectfully asked what AGI was, I probably wouldn’t have bothered to answer him, but I wouldn’t have a problem with it.

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