Real talk time:
"Just asking questions" is a weapon. We know full-well that some people exploit it to feign innocence when deliberately throwing noise into discussions. And it works in large part because it encourages otherwise earnest discussions which then contribute to the noise.
So be careful.
This is a reality which sucks. And I know that full-well.
But it's one of the central ways we get held back from making important changes. The status quo preys on people believing we can't do things - so if you believe we need to change? Be careful that you're not playing into that hand.
@TechConnectify You've probably seen it, and I don't want to imply that you haven't, but some people reading this might not have - the Alt-Right Playbook is a good reference for this kind of strategy.
A good starting point that touches on the JAQ thing -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaPgDQkmqqM
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@larsmb I am not talking about sealioning. That person knows what they're doing and doesn't need anyone to tell them to be careful.
I'm talking about people engaging in conversations about things which are technically true but don't actually matter. We need to get better at recognizing when things are irrelevant and let them drop out of the conversation, because earnest people who don't do this unwittingly bring fodder to the disinformers of the world.
Let me give you an example:
@larsmb This post was spurred by a convo on a different platform.
It is true that to electrify everything as we need to do, we will face challenges. But if all you can do is ask "will the power grid be able to keep up with demand?" without realizing that A) yes, it always has B) it must if we are to meet the goal anyway and C) given A and B this question doesn't actually need to be asked, then you're giving credit to the opposition & also worsening the doom spiral which makes us feel powerless.
@glyph @larsmb Right, but I think the real challenge here is that honest people who genuinely want the world to get better also do this! They often don't realize they're doing it, but they're doing it.
That's what I mean by "be careful" - you have to have some awareness of what you're stepping in and what the words you leave behind will contribute.
@TechConnectify I like this take. "Don't think it's easy, or that you'll have all the answers out of the gate, but don't let the ambiguity of the problem stop you from having meaningful conversations and making meaningful change."
Which is really just "Don't let perfect be the enemy of good" dressed up a bit, I suppose. š
@CiscoJunkie @TechConnectify It'sā¦ not quite about that. More about taking care where you put the emphasis in a conversation.
If you are among experts, having an internal conversation, where everyone knows the general plan, it's fine to open up with a big list of problems as you try to solve them one at a time.
If you're talking to the general public, introducing them to a topic or catching laypeople up to the state of the art, beginning with a laundry list of "questions" can mislead.
And ignores the fact that the same question has continually been asked about O&G which also seems to always expand to meet demand. (Which anyone old enough to remember the various āpeak oilā panics will tell you about)
Ah, they are cavilling.
You can reply with "Aside, sirrah, I have no time for your petty cavilling". And put your hand on the pommel of your sword, to indicate that you are serious.
@jztusk @TechConnectify @larsmb and if they do will you end them rightly by throwing said pommel
(Couldn't resist the meme, sorry)
@beeoproblem @TechConnectify @larsmb
Hah! I am old and cheugy and had to look up that meme. Learn something new every day.
I've noticed that the hardest part of replying to a question on the Internet is replying to the question asked, not the question one wanted, or refraining from suggesting a different question instead. Or replying with something from the first five search results. I know, you're social, you want to be nice, but please. ABSTAIN. Folks. YOU'RE NOT BEING HELPFUL. You're creating ADDITIONAL WORK for a person who already has an unanswered question. "Would my response help me in their situation?"
@konradmb And sealioning isn't at all what I'm talking about, here.
Frankly I'm kind of stunned at how many people are interpreting me to mean what you've suggested. I'm not saying nobody should ask questions - I'm saying people need to give a little more thought into whether those questions are even relevant. Because weaponized questions are a thing, and some folks don't realize this or don't believe they could ever unwittingly do this.
@konradmb Yes, because this is directed to the question-askers. Not the answer-providers.
But, if you believe someone is in fact asking questions in bad-faith, I don't believe you're under any obligation to engage. Because that's what they want.
@konradmb OK, well now - specifically to you in the situation of you being asked a question - I would advise that you use caution. Much of this is audience- and setting-specific, and I think in some contexts it's safe to assume that questions are being asked in good faith.
But it's not always. And if you think a certain response might be what someone's looking for, you probably shouldn't engage.
@konradmb I kind of hate saying this but the fact of the matter is we are in an information war and we are all soldiers.
The world would be a much happier place if I could reasonably assume everyone merely seeks the truth. But that ain't the world we're living in.
@TechConnectify I'm sorry, but I can't agree with that. If someone is looking for a slip-up, it will happen sooner or later. I couldn't keep up with checking if some questions are good- or bad-faith. It's a siege mentality.
Dismissing questions as bad-faith is (was) often done on Polish DIY board elektroda.pl. That culture was so popular with the older generation of tech-folks it permeated through the whole scene, that I've had a college lecturer that behaved in the same way IRL.
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