Why are we not asking why?

[tatsumaru]

I had a conversation with a taxi driver who was sharing with me his beliefs about how the government ruined his life or how getting Covid-19 is all about luck/fate and so I asked him "Why do you think that?" and this guy was almost shocked. The way he reacted to this question looked like I triggered some cluster of neurons in his brain that hadn't been lit for millennia.

In my experience the "Why?" question is one of the cornerstones of free thought and wisdom. Asking oneself why one's doing the things one's doing or why's one behaving in the way one's behaving can be incredibly transformational. And yet for whatever reason asking 'Why?" isn't popular at all. Instead a mindless, unexamined life, rich in ignorance and automation seems to be prevalent. And I can't help but wonder where Why in a person's life come from? What is the trigger to start examining and becoming self-aware that most seem to miss. How can it be such a luxury to think? I don't get it.

Why aren't more people asking why? Where's all that ignorance and lack of self-awareness coming from?

Thanks.

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by tatsumaru

[Willie]

Thinking is hard and can lead to painful truths.

[tatsumaru]

24 minutes ago, Willie said:

Thinking is hard and can lead to painful truths.

I used to think this way too, but then this would imply that wisdom is a luxury that only a few lucky individuals who possess whatever is necessary to endure the pain of thinking can ever experience which is quite a bleak proposition.

[meow_meow]

Uhm, well, look at kids, they ask "Why" non stop, look at the world as a mysterious, interesting place, atleast untill the point when we get put into schools and formed to think and act a certain way. 

[tatsumaru]

4 hours ago, meow_meow said:

Uhm, well, look at kids, they ask "Why" non stop, look at the world as a mysterious, interesting place, atleast untill the point when we get put into schools and formed to think and act a certain way. 

You might be onto something here. Have we created a system that breaks our minds?

[Aaron p]

In my experience people usually can't face reality because they deem it too painful or difficult to work with. It is of course directly tied to survival as identity. Also a lot of the time people just aren't self aware enough to realise that they just blindly believe things and fool themselves lol. It's emotional as well and a basic lack of authenticity with themselves

Edited March 22, 2021 by Aaron p

[Strangeloop]

Then I get asked the question "why?" I just answer "that's why" Without giving the actual answer to the person. I can't come up with an answer because I can't come up for a reason to come up for an answer.

I myself am a taxi driver and as a taxi driver I ask the question why to my clients. Most of them don't answer. Maybe I kill their egos by asking that or something I don't know, but those who answered they just answered "I don't know".

[seeking_brilliance]

'why' works best when it's more of a mirror, not looking for some concrete concept to arise from the question. 

[Origins]

@tatsumaru focus on asking what and how questions more than why, why tends to have more defensive reactions.

“Why did you begin this thread?”

May feel more provoking than:

”What was it that made you start this thread?”.

[ilja]

@Origins You have an amazing ability to observe ideas in your mind

[Epikur]

Why are you so studip is not an ideal why question. So it depends on the context.

[meow_meow]

On 3/22/2021 at 1:51 PM, Strangeloop said:

I myself am a taxi driver and as a taxi driver I ask the question why to my clients. Most of them don't answer.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of "Why" questions do you ask your customers? 

[meow_meow]

On 3/21/2021 at 11:50 PM, tatsumaru said:

You might be onto something here. Have we created a system that breaks our minds?

IMO it all boils down to intention of why someone asks a "why" question.

For example one might ask "Why is the sky blue?" out of curiosity, so being curious/genuinely interested about it is the trigger for asking the question here. 

If a person does not really care about much, doesn't really feel the need to know/learn more, doesnt really do anything much in his/her life, why would such a person even bother questioning things? 
That's your average Joe in a nutshell, and yes, that of course could be a 'problem' of the system.

[hyruga]

On 3/22/2021 at 5:50 AM, tatsumaru said:

You might be onto something here. Have we created a system that breaks our minds?

If there's no schools, activities and sports, more people will sink into depression.

[JosephKnecht]

On 3/21/2021 at 2:23 PM, tatsumaru said:

Why aren't more people asking why?

Once you are done with the "why" questions, start asking "why not" questions.  

[GreenLight]

Never ask "why". It is dangerous that you question yours/others societal programming. Let the nanny state take care of you and let the well fed rich alpha males guide you. Nothing else besides eating 3 meals, go to work, take a good shit and go back to bed is required from you.

[JosephKnecht]

33 minutes ago, GreenLight said:

Let the nanny state take care of you and let the well fed rich alpha males guide you. Nothing else besides eating 3 meals, go to work, take a good shit and go back to bed is required from you.

Sounds like you are giving us the Green Light.