This is topic What are you favortie valuable yet awkward questions? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
 
I like to ask people questions that they aren't used to hearing but are valuable for hearing their answers anyways. It makes me look quite odd but I feel it's a good way of learning about others.

I think my favorite is: "Hey [insert name], how's your life going?"
 

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Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
 
"What makes you ask that question?"

the look that follows is priceless.
 

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Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
 
Someone once told me that when someone asks you a question you're not sure if you want to answer just reply with 'Why do you ask?'. A variant of mackillian's post, but they're right - the look is priceless.
 

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Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
 
My son always asks people he's never met before: "What are your hopes dreams and aspirations?"

And on parting he says: "May your hopes dreams and aspirations be manifest."

He rarely gets to say both to the same person, however.
 

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Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
 
Hmm... I like that one Glenn.

Last summer (when I was 16) they were trying to get me to stop sounding like a bad 1950's sitcom (I was infatuated with the world "swell") and I was at TiP (a program basically that can be summed up as "nerd camp") and my friends had me introduce myself to some girl. So of course I said something stupid just to annoy them- they explained to the girl what they were doing. And agreed to be someone I could experiment on.

SHe said afterwards that at a place like that it's better because I could go up and ask "What's your favorite kind of bacteria?" and it not be so bad.
 

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Posted by SoaPiNuReYe (Member # 9144) on :
 
How's your girlfriend doing?
 

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Posted by Tstorm (Member # 1871) on :
 
I always liked facing the akward question of "What do you know?"

My response, with a solemn, knowing look..."More than you think."
 

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Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
 
My parents say that one of the questions I asked all the time when I was young was 'What matters?'. I think I should ask that question more often...
 

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Posted by Mike (Member # 55) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Tstorm:
I always liked facing the akward question of "What do you know?"

My response, with a solemn, knowing look..."More than you think."

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My response is usually "Not much." Then again, most of the time the question is actually more of an exclamation ("What do you know!").
 

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Posted by suminonA (Member # 8757) on :
 
Nice thread!

My favorite "awkward" question is: "How do you see the Big Picture of the Universe and your place in it?"

Of course, I rarely get the full answer (because it is usually quite complex), but then again, my point is to make people think about it.

I also like to set improbable "What if you wake up one day and [...] ?" scenarios, to see if people are able to think "outside the box".

A.
 

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Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
 
"Would you rather bite your own pinkie off your hand and eat it, or eat a bucket of lard?"


I find it quite entertaining to play the "Would you rather BLANK, or eat a bucket of lard?" game.
 

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Posted by Mike (Member # 55) on :
 
Would you rather the imperial death march play every time you walk into a room, or change gender every time you sneeze?

Actually, I'm not sure how valuable that question is.
 

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Posted by Launchywiggin (Member # 9116) on :
 
After already meeting someone, after a few minutes, I ask "Now...really, who ARE you?"

Most people respond dumbfounded and just say "what do you mean?", but every now and then, I meet someone who knows exactly how to answer that question. (and I've found a friend)
 

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Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
 
"So. What's your story?"

Or, "What are you thinking right now?"
 

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Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
 
What would you do for a Klondike bar?
 

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Posted by Jeesh (Member # 9163) on :
 
Were I to hand you a ham sandwich, would you eat it?
 

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Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
 
Where do you see yourself in five years?
 

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Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Boris:
What would you do for a Klondike bar?

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I hope no one finds this offensive, but I saw my favorite T-shirt ever yesterday. On the front it says "What Would Jesus Do" and on the back it says "For A Klondike Bar?"

(/nonsequitur)

 

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Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
 
at Javert

My question, usually upon first meeting someone:
"Wow, it's you. Do you remember that night in Paris? The moon, the champagne, the magic in the air?"
 

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Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
 
Nice jacket. Who shot the couch?
 

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Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
 
I once claimed the ultimate pickup line--"Hey you wanna >>>>". I claimed that 75% of the time I'd get shot down. 24% of the time I'd get slapped. But 1% of the time--ooh that 1%.

I never put said plan into action, but I described it to a friend who loved it so much, he spread the idea around. It became "Dan's Question."
 

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Posted by citadel (Member # 8367) on :
 
"So, what kind of weed-killer do YOU use"?
 

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Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
 
My grandfather (obm) used to call, and when I'd answer the phone, he'd say, "What's the good word?" I never knew how to respond to that. I thought of numerous smartass answers, but never had the guts to actually use one.
 

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Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
 
My wife asks me a lot "What are you thinking?"

She doesn't seem to understand that men can answer "Nothing" and not be lying. Women are thinking of something all the time, but men can switch off their brains at will.

It's a gift... and a curse.
 

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Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by mackillian:
"What makes you ask that question?"

the look that follows is priceless.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Nighthawk:
My wife asks me a lot "What are you thinking?"

She doesn't seem to understand that men can answer "Nothing" and not be lying. Women are thinking of something all the time, but men can switch off their brains at will.

It's a gift... and a curse.

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quote:

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Originally posted by mackillian:
A single raised eyebrow is also one very valuable questioning tool.

Especially when you don't say anything.

For a little while.

And the person you're looking at starts freaking out and will blabber about anything just to get you to stop.

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quote:

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Originally posted by ketchupqueen:

quote:

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Originally posted by mackillian:
A single raised eyebrow is also one very valuable questioning tool.

Especially when you don't say anything.

For a little while.

And the person you're looking at starts freaking out and will blabber about anything just to get you to stop.

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It also helps if you are casually but menacingly and visibly holding your staff weapon.

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quote:

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Originally posted by mackillian:
A single raised eyebrow is also one very valuable questioning tool.

Especially when you don't say anything.

For a little while.

And the person you're looking at starts freaking out and will blabber about anything just to get you to stop.

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That's great!!!
 

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Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :
 
Sooo... are those real?
 

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Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
 
What's your favorite cheese?


I think only Fugu and blacwolve will get that but it can be funny in other contexts I guess.
 

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Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by BlackBlade:

quote:

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Originally posted by Nighthawk:
My wife asks me a lot "What are you thinking?"

She doesn't seem to understand that men can answer "Nothing" and not be lying. Women are thinking of something all the time, but men can switch off their brains at will.

It's a gift... and a curse.

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So true

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