# Wherefore art thou **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 26, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646 "2003-02-26T15:32:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@Beech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beech)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/1 "2003-02-26T15:32:44Z")
Why do many members leave the location field blank? - or just as bad place some ‘whitisism’ in there. Half the fun is knowing where a poster is posting from, also indicates some of the cultural differences in the subject and their replies which IMHO makes the whole thing more interesting. Would not the Mods consider making this field obligatory? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Clawman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@The\_Clawman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Clawman)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/2 "2003-02-26T16:03:01Z")
How could the mods verify an accurate location? ---
**Author:** ![lothos2002](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@lothos2002](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lothos2002)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/3 "2003-02-26T16:15:06Z")
I don’t see the point really. If it is relevant for the discussion, you just have to ask and most people will tell you where they are, but I don’t think the location should matter at all. Besides, some of the “wittisisms” are quite witty, IMHO (regrettably, mine is not). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/4 "2003-02-26T16:25:35Z")
Wherefore am I what? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/5 "2003-02-26T16:57:19Z")
“Wherefore” means “why”? So my two answers would be the Descartes-before-the-horse _sum ut cogitem_ and “I am because God made me.” As for location, you have a point, but the administration of this board has (IMHO intentionally) not made it a requirement, since they are capable of reaching any of us if circumstances call for it, and the opportunity for wit is something they find a bit of “added flavor” in the mix – as do most of us. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/6 "2003-02-26T17:26:42Z")
If you hang around long enough, people will generally pick up where you’re from anyway. And you pick up where they’re from. I know that’s far from a perfect answer - and not great for the newbie - but IMO it’s better than the invasion of privacy that you are suggesting. pan ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/7 "2003-02-26T17:30:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > **"Wherefore" means “why”?** [Harr, mateys! Prepare to be hijacked!] Does this mean that Juliet’s saying, “Romeo, Romeo, why are you, Romeo”? If so, what’s that supposed to mean? [Avast! There be no treasure here! Hoist the anchor and let’s away!] ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/8 "2003-02-26T18:04:51Z")
She’s not asking, “Wherefore art thou, Romeo?” She’s asking, “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” Why are you Romeo? Why can’t you be somebody else? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/9 "2003-02-26T18:06:02Z")
Yes, it does. There’s no comma in the Shakespeare – “Why are you Romeo [Montague]?” is precisely what she’s asking – “Why am I stuck in a world where my family hates the family of the boy I love?” is the implication to be read into that passage, not “Where are you hiding your sexy bod, Romeo?” as people often take it to mean. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/10 "2003-02-26T22:10:36Z")
Of course I don’t think that location should be mandatory. However, I admit that I do get rather annoyed when people with blank Location fields post things like, “In this state, the interstate exits are numbered sequentially.” If it’s relevant to your post, tell us where you are, I say. It’s even worse when there’s a joke for their Location and they post something like that; then it’s like they did it on purpose. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/11 "2003-02-26T22:25:45Z")
For the sake of my impression of **Ethilrist** , I sure hope that **Polycarp** and **TWDuke** have just been whooshed. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/12 "2003-02-27T00:50:45Z")
I can tell where a poster’s from by their accent. ## Peace. And, how tall they are. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wherefore-art-thou/157646/13 "2003-02-27T02:51:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TWDuke \* > \*\*She’s not asking, “Wherefore art thou, Romeo?” She’s asking, “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” Why are you Romeo? Why can’t you be somebody else? \*\* Damn! Just when you think you know everything, something like this turns up. After all these years: :smack: