Rhetorical Rant.

[Sparx]

I hate rhetorical questions.

Example:

"Hey what are you up to?"
"Hey whats going on?"
"Hey what are you doing?"
"Hey whats up?"

typically located at the beginning of a note, email, or the first line of an IM convo.

usually followed by "not much here"

before you even ask them whats up.

Why do they ask? They don't care. You can tell they don't care because if you actually do tell them "whats up" with you, they go straight into whatever they really had to say. Now, I'll ask someone "how are you?" But I really want to know. If I don't want to know, I won't ask.

Maybe I'm alone here, but I seriously hate when people ask that.

 

[ktbutterfly2011]

Eh, I think its a good conversation starter and an opportunity for the other person to go "I'm busy right now, I can't talk". I think nothing is a generic answer for " Sure, now is a fine time to talk."

My friends and I when we really wanna know how someone is we say "How's life?" I dunno, I guess we just think its deeper or something.

 

[BabyPiglet]

Oh I agree. And sometimes they'll say it over and over again because they have nothing to say! Ergh, I'm like, well don't call me if you don't have something to say.

It urkes me when people say "How's it going" it's pretty obvious they couldn't care less.

 

[K-Shong99]

i always feel stupid when i answer to a question that i'm not suposed to answer to... like in class when a teacher asks a question they really dont want answered...

 

[Loves Disney]

I love rhetorical questions. They make this crazy world go 'round. lol. But what you are describing are not rhetorical questions, those are questions that your friends or peers or whoever just won't let you answer. Rhetorical questions are questions that are used to make one think deeper about an issue/situation/etc. Unless they are trying to get you to think deeper about how your day really was or what is really up lol, they are not asking a question that is rhetorical, rather, they are asking a question and then ignoring your answer.

 

[Sparx]

I love rhetorical questions. They make this crazy world go 'round. lol. But what you are describing are not rhetorical questions, those are questions that your friends or peers or whoever just won't let you answer. Rhetorical questions are questions that are used to make one think deeper about an issue/situation/etc. Unless they are trying to get you to think deeper about how your day really was or what is really up lol, they are not asking a question that is rhetorical, rather, they are asking a question and then ignoring your answer.

Rhetorical probably wasn't the best word for it, but it got the point across, since you knew enough about what I was talking about to correct me on it. Which was all I wanted, anyway.

 

[Babyjustrun]

What's up is generally a way to get a conversation started.
Now, I could understand, if say the person asking me, didn't know me. But after a while, I'd expect them to just launch into a discussion.

Usually, I really want to know what's going on in peoples lives, I really do. I love listening to what people are doing, I love to look at their family photos, everyone has a story, that I'd like to hear.

 

[ktbutterfly2011]

I always answer rhetorical questions. I just do. Like I have a director and when he asks something and you think it's rhetorical its really not and you'll have to answer him. And my history teacher does the same thing. I dunno, I guess i'm just in that habit.

 

[PatriotsRule]

I don't mind them at all. I ask them all the time, but sometimes people don't even answer, like if you're just passing them in the hall or something. Now THAT annoys me.

 

[tinkerbell12]

It doesn't bug me.
I don't like them. What's to like?
I don't hate them.