Don't you hate questions like : Are you a white flower or a pink flower?

Question

Especially when they get posted on Philosophy? I am not hating on those people that do ask these questions but where is the philosophy on such questions? A flower is a flower either pink or white. What colour you choose and why you choose it is a question of psychology, isn't it?

This question isn't a philosophical one either but it's just something I want to share with you fellow philosophers.

Answer 1

Thanks for asking this question. I've wondered about it.

As a relative newcomer to Yahoo QA it's something I noticed immediately, and while I don't 'hate' it, couldn't help examining from the perspective of 'what's it doing in philosophy?'

The way I try to answer puzzles of that sort involves backtracking the people asking the questions, if they ask that ilk repeatedly. I look at questions asked by them in the past, who answered them, who their contacts are, etc.

A person can't draw any definitive conclusions from this, but there are some strong hints about their motives.

Part of it's the Yahoo issue of assigning points for, first asking a question, then selecting a 'best answer'. For some reason people seem to want to have more points, and they've found methods of accruing them within a circle of acquaintances.

But there's also the suggestion some folk want to be 'guru' types, and that's the only way they can think of to achieve that status among a group of impressionable people.

Another piece of the puzzle seems to be that, evidently somewhat older males asking a litany of those questions have stables consisting exclusively of a lot younger females on their contact lists.

I'm not sure what all that means, but I do find it interesting.

Maybe not as interesting as the motivations of someone asking, "How much would you pay for peace of mind", or "How much would you give to keep from being selfish", which might be a marketing study by an aspiring guru, but still interesting.

Answer 2

Yes and No.... I certainly don't answer those questions, (I'm a purple flower) just had to slip that in but seriously I think in many cases these questions are the beginning of a comparative thought process, all be it to my displeasure and annoyance. It would be my hope that some of these young questioners are able to take it up a notch as life moves down the road for them. But there goes that bloody optimist kicking in again. I need some more coffee.

Answer 3

it's not that i hate these queries, but i just think they are inappropriate for such topics like philosophy because they are somewhat unsuited to be asking as a philosophical questions. i mean, where do you most see questions like these? slambook?

Answer 4

I think questions like that are an ill-defined attempt to classify people. My friends and I used to play games like that when we were children: "If your sister was a bird, she would be a..." It is an interesting experiment in likenesses. Other than that, it's pretty much just play.

Answer 5

for whatever reasons you want to know what other people think of a question that can be answered any way and never be wrong im gonna say **** it, a flower has nothing to do with what "you" are. but if you ask if "I" hate it, um no i really wouldnt care and id ****** ignore that dumb *** question.

Answer 6

Im a black flower but for questions like that i say TIME TO BASH SOME SKULLS D< HAHAHA

Answer 7

I think they are comparing their own intelligence to that of a flower.

Answer 8

I agree with you, guess these are confused lot who think that they can realize themselves by finding out which colors people choose.

Answer 9

I know..those kind of questions dont make sense and only irritate you more (not good for fellow roomies!!)

Answer 10

Yes.