Why don't people answer intelligent questions?

Question

Invariably loads of people answer questions like do you think that "Britney Spears has a nicer smile than Christina?" or "who would win in a fight between Scooby do and Lassie?" or "Did you think Joey will find true love after friends?" or "Big Mac or Whopper?" instead of "Do you think that Soron Kierkegaard was the precursor of existentialism?" or "Do you think there will be a unified theory to replace string theory?" etc etc etc

Answer 1

Probably because a vast majority of people here haven't specialized in the more difficult of topics such as existentialism, or the string theory. Many of us, myself included, only have a passing knowledge of such subjects & we're less than inclined to offer what might be a very 'stupid' answer to a given question.

It's much easier to get many answers to a general question than it is to get a lot for more specific questions to things that are not necessarily common knowledge.

Answer 2

1) There are not that many intelligent questions asked here - by your own observations you should be able to work this out, because the same population is responsible for answering questions here as are responsible for asking them: the extent of their knowledge is McDonalds, Britney Spears and who they're currently sleeping with (and that last one's a bit iffy).

2)Actually this is pretty much the same point, rephrased. The people who answer questions here will probably want to know what Kierkegaard's latest hit is and think string theory is to do with how long a pice of string is going to turn out to be after all these years.

3)Does this count as an intelligent question? - not this point: your question! If so, you have answers and are wrong about people not answering intelligent questions. If not, why are you sinking to the level of the dumb question?

Answer 3

Many people don't want to 1) be labeled a braniac or 2) don't have the level of intelligence required to answer in depth questions off the top of their heads. In my life I have met maybe one or two people capable of doing so and not being completely wrong.

Answer 4

my boy here is wicked smaaart, next year you'll be asking even higher level questions due to the fact you are in school studying the very questions you are wondering about, if we all lived your life we would ask intelligent questions but seeing a large majority of people are not in college taking Theoretical studies or are too young to be in college or are beyond higher education increasing their skill levels in the fields which they make a living or are just unintelligent go no where in life people and this is all they have, so we may never ask these highly intelligent questions on Yahoo Answers!!!
If you want to read some intelligent answers to intelligent question click the link next to your profile "View Leaderboard" and read the answers of Richard, he shows intelligence, if this doesn't do it maybe you shouldn't be wasting your time on Yahoo Answers, there has to be more intelligence out there to challenge you online

Answer 5

Sorry, but this is Polls and Surveys, those type of questions: "Do you think that Soron Kierkegaard was the precursor of existentialism?" belong some where else, not in Polls and Surveys. Besides, what is wrong with answering questions like: "Big Mac or Whopper?" ? Nothing wrong with that, or other questions on Polls and Surveys. I enjoy reading and answering peoples questions on Polls and Surveys. If you don't like it (I'm not trying to be rude), don't come here, or over-look a question, simple as that. This is a place to wind down, and it's not that we don't have brains or such, we just prefer different things than you like. If we want to answer the questions that you find "intelligent" than they are free to roam other parts of the board.

Answer 6

I do wander over to serious questionville from time to time, but it's sooooo funny some of the stuff that people say in the entertainment section. After all, laughter is the spice of life, is it not?
I think you may even get a lot of responses with an intelligent debate vs a question like that.

Answer 7

The nature of the two example questions that you give are rather inappropriate for this general Q&A website. These questions would best be asked in a forum of peers who are able to give informed answers based on their existing knowledge. For example, the only existensialist philosipher's works that I have ever read is Nietzche and beyond when he lived, I know nothing of Soron Kierkegaard.
I agree with your comments about the many purile questions but that is a worthwhile price for having a site than encompasses a wide range of interlects and opinions.
The current affairs Q&As do provide food for answers from a wide range of people whose opinions are valid even if not supported by a red brick PhD.

Answer 8

The intelligent ones require too much thinking about, and often, they are out of people's comfort zones.
The stupid inane questions attract the sort of people who just want to grab two points and run rather than think about an answer.
It isn't right, but it seems to be the Y!A way.

Answer 9

Because often 'intelligent' questions are only thought to be 'intelligent' because no-one knows the answer.

Answer 10

Oh, but some people do answer intelligent questions. The problems with this site is obvious from many of the answers to this question (which may or may not be intelligent, but which IS serious).

Serious Questions do require serious Answers. But the world (and especially the USA) is full of rude people who do not have enough intelligence to get out of the way of some of the serious communication that goes on here.

And keep in mind that other Users do not have the ability to tell the not-so-serious to go out and play and stop interrupting.

There are enough not-so-serious Questions to keep the "children" busy, but many have decided to interrupt the serious Questions, just because THEY CAN.

Answer 11

People on Yahoo answers aren't experts - people just don't know how to answer. I also find that when they do, they're bullshi.tting and their responses are just innaccurate and bad. You're better off asking the really hard questions elsewhere.