In the late sixties, the group Chicago released a song titled “Questions 67 & 68” which was about a romantic relationship that occurred during 1967 and 1968.

Focusing on the title alone (although this is a great tune and psychedelic songwriting at it’s best) I love the randomness of highlighting two numbered questions  (this was before I realized the numbers were years, I just thought it was random).

Any Questions

In a discussion with a colleague today we wondered “Is there any question that should never be asked?”  Whatever the number can all questions be valid?

Should there be a constraint on our constant search for knowledge?  Which raises the question should we continually seek to build and grow our personal body of knowledge?

Is the answer not rhetorical, do we even need to ask these questions?

Annoyance

As you may have discovered through reading the above paragraph constant and numerous questioning can be annoying and the knowledge source or sources might not respond in the clearest or most accurate ways (if they respond at all).

Questions are certainly a great way to build your own knowledge and understanding in a planned and organized way but they do not always need to be directly posed to others.

Research of documentation, experimentation, trial, and error are all ways of finding answers.  Sometimes these methods will actually produce the best answers as you can balance and weigh them based on results and parallel research.

Is it the right answer

Asking a question of others may get you an answer but it will be based on what they know and understand and that might not be correct.

A classic example of this is the question about the shape of the earth.  Even today you can find people who will answer that question with no it is not round.

So be judicious in the questions you ask, only ask someone else directly when you are sure that is the best way to get the best answer.