@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.