Answer Every Question

The skeptic says we should question everything and take nothing for granted but that isn't a practical way to live life, now is it? One can't go on questioning everything. One must accept some ideas as fact. If one rejects all knowledge as potentially false then one has no foundation on which to stand.

The pure skeptic is lost at sea. He knows not whether ship or shore is nearby, nor whether sharks lurk just beneath his toes. For that matter, he knows not whether such things even exist. All he knows is  the sea, an endless expanse of grey waves. 

This isn't to say we shouldn't approach certain ideas skeptically. It's not to say we should accept all knowledge as accurate without scrutiny. But if you have approached an idea critically and it has not given you any reason to question, why pursue the issue any further?

Instead of questioning everything, I propose we answer every question. Anytime you get asked a question for which you do not know the answer, or anytime a question pops into your head randomly, I say: go forth my disciple, and seek the answer. 

No matter how mundane the question, there is no disadvantage to finding an answer. Remember my epic three-part expose on intellectual commodities? Ideas are valuable in and of themselves. They are the ethereal foundation of our physical existence. Every human-made item and structure you see was born in the human mind as an idea. 

And since everything has to do with everything--since the universe is a complex network of interdependent parts--even trivial knowledge can prove useful. The more data you collect, the easier it is for you to draw parallels and connect seemingly different ideas and concepts together. This kind of mental networking is extremely useful. It can give you insight on otherwise foreign concepts. It helps you think on your toes. 

Plus there's no harm in cramming more information into your brain. There's no expiry date on data. Worst case scenario you misplace some of it in your subconscious with the rest of the stuff you learned and forgot over the years. It's not lost. Your subconscious is constantly combing through the archives in search of useful data. Inspiration, sudden insight, and vague memories all come from Great Library of You buried deep in your subconscious. The more stuff you put into the Great Library of You, the more information you can draw upon in your everyday life. 

Answering every question is a good example of a micro-transaction: It's easy to incorporate into one's life and requires little effort to maintain. 30 years ago, answering every question would've been an ordeal. You'd have to walk around with a notepad and pen, writing down all the questions you come across in your day. Then you'd have to go to the library and find some books on the topic. Then you'd have to read those books or at the very least the part of those books pertaining to your question.

Today we have the internet, an artificial super-brain accessible by millions of people instantly. The answers are at our fingertips. There is no excuse for ignorance anymore.

Give it a shot. Indulge your curiosity for it is the enemy of ignorance, and ignorance is the enemy of all.


(PS. My wife inspired me to start answering every question. She is by far the most inquisitive person I have ever met. Her steady stream of questions used to drive me crazy but then I started wondering how I could leverage her natural curiosity into something positive. If it wasn't for her and my mission to answer every question, I wouldn't know that Venus--not Mercury--is the hottest planet in our solar system, or that chickens have sex. Thanks babe!  /rant over)