֍ 67 ֍ There Are No Stupid Questions
Do you have a friend who thinks your questions are stupid? For decades, I let it slide, but finally decided to cap this behavior, and for good reason: our offspring. Treating questions as stupid negatively affects our children. Perpetual ridicule of legitimate questions diminishes their confidence. Even if answered, their focus is on body language. When every question is treated as stupid, kids grow up thinking they’re dumb. They don’t become inquisitive. In adolescence, they’ll rarely ask a teacher, parent, or friend for fear of looking stupid. It’s safer to be silent. Only confident students ask questions. They’re the ones who excel because they’re constantly learning.
I asked many questions in school. I genuinely wanted to know. I also knew that the cool students sitting in the back didn’t know either. I was doing everyone a favor. Treating an adult as stupid has different motivations. It’s less about wanting a friend to feel stupid and more about perpetuating superiority over a perceived competitor.
“That’s a stupid question,” doesn’t have to be overt. It can be disguised as a smirk, smile, or sigh, as if to say, “Wow, I can’t believe you don’t know something so simple! I’ll answer, but I’m baffled that I need to waste my time!” Their answer becomes overshadowed by arrogance. For children, this is devastating. It destroys their self-confidence. To no one’s surprise, they grow up fueled with insecurity. Asking, “How did my kids become so insecure?” may seem like a riddle for psychologists. But answers lie in the nuance of transferring this type of toxic and destructive behavior onto the next generation. Insecurity is inherited.
Confidence is also inherited. I was lucky to have parents who treated my questions as inquisitive. Answers were presented with honesty and delivered in the context of their knowledge. If my parents didn’t know, they offered suggestions on where to find answers. It gave me reassurance. Even when friends treated me as though I were dumb, it didn’t matter – I already had a built-in foundation to ask questions. I knew that iterative learning would make me smarter.
If you don’t ask, you’ll never learn.
Don’t let anyone talk down to you. They do this to feel intellectually superior. I call it the #SPITRS • The Smartest Person In the Room Syndrome. A true teacher would never treat their students with condescending disrespect. In 30 years of teaching and mentoring, I’ve never been asked a stupid question. #SPITRS people hate being taught something outside of their expertise. It exposes their knowledge deficiencies. You’ll never hear them say, “I didn’t know that!” Such a response requires confidence.
When I was young, the Internet didn’t exist. I had many questions, but if no one in my proximity had an answer, inquiries dissipated. These days, kids ask Google or ChatGPT at any time and from anywhere. Global knowledge is at their fingertips. Asking takes practice. We need to formulate the right questions to get the best answers. But asking also requires courage. Admitting that you don’t know requires confidence. Asking questions should be habitual. Curiosity needs to become muscle memory.
Learn about the world. Learn from history. Learn about yourself. Learn from the mistakes of others and allow yourself to make new ones. Learn to do research. For the sake of future generations, stop treating questions as if they’re stupid.
Tags
Curiosity, Inquisitiveness, Asking Questions, Confidence Building, Child Development, Parenting Advice, Education Psychology, Student Confidence, Overcoming Insecurity, Self-Esteem, Lifelong Learning, Teaching Tips, Mentoring Skills, Growth Mindset, Emotional Intelligence, Learning Habits, Encouraging Curiosity, Positive Parenting, Questioning Skills, Intellectual Growth, Gabriel Dusil Article, Gabriel Dusil Blog
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#GabrielDusil #GabrielDusilArticle #GabrielDusilBlog #DusilPhotography #Confidence #Curiosity #AskQuestions #GrowthMindset #EducationMatters #SelfEsteem #LearningNeverStops #KnowledgeIsPower #ParentingWisdom
֍ Series ֍ Life • Philosophy • Psychology
- ֍ 1 ֍ Gateway to the Soul
- ֍ 2 ֍ My Biggest Challenge
- ֍ 3 ֍ 35Photo.pro • 35Awards.com
- ֍ 4 ֍ Beautiful Photography
- ֍ 5 ֍ Photography’s Infinity
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- ֍ 8 ֍ Mind • Body
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- ֍ 10 ֍ Love What You Do
- ֍ 11 ֍ Work • Learn • Gym • Play
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- ֍ 22 ֍ Find Your Talent
- ֍ 23 ֍ A Journey of Self-Discovery
- ֍ 24 ֍ Good vs. Evil
- ֍ 25 ֍ Life • Philosophy • Psychology
- ֍ 26 ֍ Spiral Storytelling
- ֍ 27 ֍ Confidence • Insecurity
- ֍ 28 ֍ Beware the Generation Gap
- ֍ 29 ֍ Socioeconomic Layers
- ֍ 30 ֍ Doctor-Patient Relationships
- ֍ 31 ֍ The Flip
- ֍ 32 ֍ Partner • Person • Parent
- ֍ 33 ֍ Love is a Waterfall
- ֍ 34 ֍ Sexuality Isn’t Redefined When You’re Single
- ֍ 35 ֍ Entrepreneur • Manager • Specialist
- ֍ 36 ֍ Fame • Fortune • Power
- ֍ 37 ֍ What’s Yours Is Ours • What’s Mine Is Mine
- ֍ 38 ֍ You’ll Never Walk In Their Shoes
- ֍ 39 ֍ Woman Slaps Man • An Allegory
- ֍ 40 ֍ Love • Hate
- ֍ 41 ֍ Don’t Underestimate Your Audience
- ֍ 42 ֍ Dominant • Submissive
- ֍ 43 ֍ Personality • Behavior
- ֍ 44 ֍ Know Your Friend • Know Your Foe
- ֍ 45 ֍ One Billion Euros • An Allegory
- ֍ 46 ֍ Are You With A Narcissist?
- ֍ 47 ֍ White Room Purple • A Thought Experiment
- ֍ 48 ֍ I Am Sigma
- ֍ 49 ֍ Tortoise & the Hare & the Snail • An Allegory
- ֍ 50 ֍ A Deep Sense of Self
Dusil Photography captures exquisite moments with models who dare to be vulnerable and enter the world of sensuality. I’ve been blessed with the freedom to explore their deepest emotions. Whether it’s alluring curves or a seductive gaze, each photograph tells her story. My portfolio reflects a seamless fusion of feminine beauty and compassion.
