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The original was posted on /r/nostupidquestions by /u/Downtown_Event8476 on 2023-09-25 15:27:14.
Two incidents happened with me recently, which raised this question in my mind.
I had a situation in the office where instructions wrt a project were given. Some details didn't make sense, so I asked about it. Immediately, there was an uncomfortable silence in the room. I saw my colleagues shifting uncomfortably in their chairs. But the person in charge explained to me. After the meeting, my colleagues confessed that they had the same query but didn't have the courage to ask it and even thanked me for doing it.
Secondly, I visited a school science exhibition with my kid. There was a project of hydraulic missile launcher by higher grade students. A child in charge gave the explanation of the project. Most of the spectators thanked and moved on, but one kid of a lower grade stood there and started asking questions. It was clear from the expression that he genuinely wanted the answer and was not trying to be cheeky. The kids in charge snickered, commenting at his lack of knowledge. He was given some superficial answer and asked to move on as the line was being held up, but thankfully, a teacher standing nearby saw the situation and asked the students to explain to him. Once they started answering his questions, we found the students who had moved on coming back to listen to the answers. After the session, many appreciated the kid for asking the questions, which it seems they also had in mind.
Why is it that people are afraid to ask questions? . This quote by a mystic Sadh-guru made a lot of sense : The power of 'I do not know' is immense. It is the only doorway to knowing.