thomblake comments on Pain - Less Wrong

32 Post author: Alicorn 02 August 2009 07:12PM

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Comment author: thomblake 04 August 2009 11:55:30PM *  1 point [-]

I am trying to make a point.

Ah. I suggest doing it differently next time. It is much clearer (and less deceptive) if you do not ask questions when you are trying to make a point. Instead, ask questions when you are curious about something and think someone has the answer, and use declarative statements (like those in the parent comment) to make a point. It should greatly aid in your communication.

Comment author: kess3r 05 August 2009 03:08:29PM 3 points [-]

I am trying to make a point AND I am curious about people's answers to my questions. These are not mutually exclusive. It is my style to ask many questions.

If I don't ask questions, I will have to make more assumptions about what you actually think. I don't want to make declarative statements as if I already know exactly what you think about a topic. That is how people end up talking past each other. They don't fully understand what the other one is trying to say.

Comment author: [deleted] 09 September 2011 06:30:36PM 2 points [-]

You're not a big fan of rhetorical questions, are you?

Comment author: thomblake 09 September 2011 06:34:38PM 2 points [-]

No