That’s a Good Question

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi there.

Hi, who’s this?

This is Holly from Lakeside, California.

Hello, Holly.

Welcome.

What can we do for you?

There is this comment that is in our conversation these days that I have a little trouble with.

And the comment is, that’s a good question.

And the other day I heard on the radio someone say, that’s a great question.

And the reason I have trouble with it is it sounds like my questions are being judged.

And that, you know, oh, dear, was the question I asked before just ordinary and not great?

And I’m just wondering, first of all, how this got in, and it’s in our conversation all the time now.

Did people just answer questions before without commenting on their quality?

Oh, gee, Holly, you wouldn’t have heard that on this show, would you?

No, I don’t think so.

But you know what I mean.

Yes, you’ve raised a great, never mind.

Well, there are a couple of possible things that are happening here.

Sometimes they mean it, right?

They think you’ve said something by your question.

You were kind of stating a fact and making that fact apparent to everyone.

Right.

So questions sometimes aren’t actually functioning as questions so much as they are the rhetorical tools for bringing us closer to some truth, right?

They contain within them the answer to themselves or the answer to the other things that are being discussed.

And I definitely think that it’s a necessary part of a conversation to goad the other person into saying more of a really good thing.

And so maybe that kind of comment can do that.

I do think it’s sometimes a crutch, and maybe that’s what you’re talking about.

I think so, because does it give the speaker time to gather their wits?

Well, I think so. It’s a crutch with my name on it, I think.

I mean, I know I say that all the time.

I say that’s a good question or that’s a great question or I love that question.

And, you know, maybe it is conversational filler to some extent, but to me, every question is good.

I mean, it’s like choosing a favorite child.

It’s probably my own natural exuberance, I think.

Well, it sounds like you’re against being judged, though.

You feel like the other person.

No, it can be looked at that way.

I don’t take it that way.

But when you hear it in a conversation, and maybe I’m just tired of hearing it,

You know, that’s a response that is just continual now.

So you’re saying that it gets used so much that it loses its meaning entirely.

I think so.

It might as well not be there.

Yeah.

At least it seems like to me.

But, I mean, if you really look at it, it is sort of a judgment.

And I thought, well, I wonder, you know, just wonder if people even realize what they’re saying when they say it.

So by saying that, you’re somehow implying the other questions that you did not remark upon were stupid.

Well, no, you know, it’s just like, is there a criteria by which my questions are falling into, like ordinary or good or great, you know?

I don’t know. I don’t know that I have a problem with it.

As long as you’re saying, as long as they mean it,

As long as they actually do mean that it’s a good question.

I think that’s, yeah, and it’s not just a trite answer.

Right, right.

You know what, Holly?

At first I didn’t think this was a good question,

But now you’re making me think about it.

Well, I’m not convinced yet, but no.

You’re not convinced that it’s a good question.

Holly, I’m sorry.

I’m sorry, Holly.

I think you’ve asked a great question.

I’m sorry.

I apologize.

I think this is a so-so question, really.

No, no, it’s a good question.

It was kind of a meh question.

No, I think…

Yeah, it was an amazing question.

It was.

Brilliant.

Exciting.

Brilliant.

I can’t believe we’re even talking about it.

Hey, Holly, thanks for you-know-what.

Yeah.

Well, it’s just been such fun.

Thanks for talking with me.

Okay.

Cheers, Holly.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

We do welcome your great questions and your bad questions, your stupid questions and your smart questions.

Give us a call, 1-877-929-9673, or send them along in emails.

You can make them anonymous if they’re really terrible, to words@waywordradio.org.