Too often we decide very early whether we agree or disagree with someone or with an idea, without making an effort to truly understand the person or … - James E. Ryan

Asking “Wait, what?” is also a good way to avoid jumping to conclusions or making snap judgments. Too often we decide very early whether we agree or disagree with someone or with an idea, without making an effort to truly understand the person or the point.

Not having answers, much less a vision, made me nervous at first, to the point of despair and occasional panic. After a while, however, I grew tired of pretending I knew the answers, so I started to ask questions, even in response to questions. As in: “That’s a good question. What do you think?

The explosion of information fueled by the internet and social media should in theory help bring us into contact and engagement with ideas, facts, and beliefs that challenge our own, which in turn should help us moderate our views and keep an open mind. In reality, the opposite is happening.

The only truly bad questions are not really questions at all. They are statements disguised as questions that are meant to be demeaning or designed to trip you up.