Why do people ask ridiculous questions on Y/A when all the answers are in wikipedia?

Question

Seriously. When I was a kid and I didn't know something, I had to go to the library to look it up. Lots of work. Very annoying. But now, anyone can know anything about anything with just a few simple keystrokes: en.wikipedia.org

Is it that some of you are unaware that wikipedia exists or are you truly too lazy to go there and look things up or are you just basically functionally illiterate? I'm genuinely curious here. Why do people ask questions on Y/A and risk getting half-assed or incorrect answers when you can just go to friggin wikipedia? You don't even have to do a Google search for Christ's sake. You just have to go to wikipedia. Are today's young people really that stupid and lazy?

I see. Wikipedia only gives information but then FORCES you to use this information to answer your question rather than just giving you a ready made answer? So, today's young people are not too lazy to go to wikipedia, they are too lazy to think? Holy sh*t, it's worse than I thought out there. With voters like that, no wonder Bush is president...

Answer 1

I think really, a lot of people are lazy when it comes to a lot of questions (particularly posted by the youth) I have seen so many that could be easily solved by a google search, but alas is not. I personally only post questions when I want a wide array of OPINIONS and not "facts" so when people come here asking about something that is quite easy to look up themselves I think of it as lazy.

Answer 2

Well a lot of times there can be more than one answer to a question and it's useful to get alternate opinions from different people with personal experience to share. Wikipedia isn't the only source of knowledge although, yes, it can be very helpful and also very wrong in places. The other thing is, maybe people just like the feel that someone real is taking the time to try and help them. Agreed, there are some daft questions on Yahoo answers but there are many that a genuine and asked by people who are grateful for some human input. And don't overlook the fact that you can learn a lot about what other people are interested in and maybe learn something yourself in the process.

Answer 3

I think that its the same thing as when I was a kid, I'd always ask my dad first, and if it was homework, he would say "I'm here to help you, not do your work for you" and in that he instilled a responsibility to research for my own grades and I now hear myself saying the exact same thing to my daughter.

I don't think its laziness, as such, just a natural instinct of children, and maybe humans in general to try and find a way to do something with as little work as possible.

Trouble is now when a parent says to his child what mine said to me, the kids think "okay someone on Y/A will tell me" and post the question on here and if you look, no matter how obvious it is that its a homework question, and no matter how many answerers have said "look it up yourself" there is ALWAYS at least one person who will fall for it and give them a ready made answer!

What I'm trying to say is that the kids on here are only half the problem, the other half (and probably MORE of a problem in that they exacerbate the matter) are the mugs who give the kids exactly what they are looking for - an easy ride.

That goes for Y/A, parents, teachers, and politicians and everyone else in todays society, its all kid-gloves and not enough discipline and responsibility.

Answer 4

While Wikipedia is a very good tool, sometimes the information is either scanty or unavailable or even erroneous.

However, as you point out, there are other resources on the Internet which were unavailable to us "back in the day"--in some ways, it's kind of sad, because some of my happiest hours were spent in libraries, researching various things.

Answer 5

There are some interesting answers to your question. When I began, this, my response, 7 had already been posted.

I agree with some, disagree with others.

I've learned to just disregard the frivolous, or those who have an Axe to grind. Takes practice.

What irritates me the most, is the lack of competent writing skills of many of the users. Some of their grammar is unbelievable. Others, their lack of any punctuation whatsoever, drives me up the wall. Not to mention those who don't utilize the "Check Spelling". Well, there's always the dictionary, when that tool is overloaded or unavailable for whatever reason.

Wotan

Answer 6

Y/A is for clowing around. Anybody that has a serious question and thinks Yahoo Answers is going to provide a legitimate answer is out of his/her mind. I feel badly for people with health issues that ask about them here on Y/A.

I wish Yahoo would bring back the old message boards. At least then, you knew what you were dealing with.

Answer 7

Agreed; except Wikipedia is WRONG most of the time so it isn't a valid source.

There are other reputable sites that anyone can find anything on, however.

Plus, there is the good ol' library, which STILL happens to be my favorite hang-out!

Answer 8

Because many of them aren't really looking for Answers on here, -they're looking for Attention, or someone to agree with them... Looking anything "up"- would be alittle too much like WORK- & you KNOW how alot of people feel about THAT! :)

Answer 9

Wikapedia gives dubious information at best, as does this forum. Libraries and books still are the best source.

Answer 10

dude first off wiki only has 80% of every ones questions... try to find info on vintericus ventarra... the meaning of life and death around us.. and also the first person to understand why death was all around us.also i tried so many links and never found any info on sekiranki... a female version of japanese womans union... known a rebels.