If someone is asking endless questions purely to amass points - which is seeking attention - they wouldn’t necessarily be aware that they’re doing it for the attention, so this question may fly over
their head.

I’ve answered many questions with an aim to pointing something out, but have noticed with certain members that there’s no real interest in my alternative, sometimes seemingly radical answers. Or they just ignore all answers that don’t fit in with their already existing belief system and vote up the answers that do.

Thus they do get confirmation that their belief is true, but that’s just the self-perpetuating and self-reinforcing action of the nature of belief. What I see is an erroneous presumption followed up by an erroneous best answer. Of course from their perspective it may be useful as confirmation, but it is confirmation of a faulty presumption.

That may seem like a judgment to some, but I assure you that once you’ve gone to the root of the personality structure of the physical mind things like judgment and attention seeking are no longer in play. Then you truly have a deep desire to understand the nature of reality beyond what the ME believes and to share those discoveries.

Sometimes, if I feel inspired I answer these kinds of questions from my point of view knowing full well that I may not get many points and certainly won’t get best answer. The best answer will always be the one that fits the presumptions and beliefs of the questioner. I answer because I want others reading to at least be aware of completely contrasting understanding.

Ideally, asking the right questions will net the best answers, but I don’t think we can expect everyone to do this as not everyone is ready to examine their personality structure and then maybe, be ready to release their lifelong beliefs, that were handed down to them or stated in some old book. I generally do not read questions from these kinds of people; I tend to choose which questions to answer very carefully with the aim of being most helpful :)

Yes, it is true that some people on this site seem to be asking questions solely for the sake of asking questions... which I don't really get it either. But usually if the question seems to be asked for the sake of asking (those one sentence type without much elaboration), no one really seems to bother about them anyway and the question just gets slipped off and overwritten by newer problems, so it doesn't really bother me that much.

Personally I myself have a lot of questions I would like to ask, but I don't really pen every single question down... one of the main reasons is that I know I will not accept some of the answers that will be given - which defeats the whole point of asking the question in the first place. The main reason is that I find it difficult to trust or accept the answers people give other than the more "experienced" people such as Stingray, Michaela, Pat, The Traveller etc because the fact is you can sometimes feel whether someone is answering just for the sake of answering, or does the answer really connects and reasonate with what you are asking...

I have been here for around 1year to 1.5years, I log in quite frequently (not really daily though) but I have only amassed a reputation point of 1.7k, which doesn't really bother me much... but then I see new people shooting up to a few K after a few weeks, and I always feel puzzled. But then again, having a lot of reputation points on this site doesn't really mean much, you get sort of "mod" powers, but basically there's all there is to it... people will remember you more for how you have helped them before rather than how much reputation points you have. I don't answer a lot of questions on this site (if you check my profile I probably ask more questions than I have answered), not because I don't want to help, but sometimes I feel like there's no point in me answering just for the sake of answering when I do not really have the concepts of sprituality and non-physical stuff clearly myself. There was a period of time when I tried to go on an "answering spree" to try and answer as many questions as I could, but after some time... I just couldn't continue doing it for some reason. I felt really uncomfortable doing it.

So... in a nutshell yeah I do agree with what Stingray is saying, not just in terms of asking questions only when we are interested in the answers, but also answering questions when we really understand what the person is asking than for the sake of just answering.

I have a feeling Stingray that you're saying what a lot of us are feeling. However I think we have to be careful and be able to discern what is true and what is coming from our ego. If the questions are being asked ( for whatever reason ) then maybe they do have a valid place here and who are we to say otherwise?

I know there have been times I have peeked in or haven't felt the desire to participate for a few days because some of the questions either irk me ( because of those presuppositions ) or don't mean anything ( I just don't see any growth potential contained in them ) - however isn't there a lesson and potential for growth there when I realize that and ask myself why am I feeling irked ? And everyone can only ask and answer from their current state of awareness so although there may not be any growth potential for me contained within the question who am I to say there isn't something in there for someone else?.... just another thought.

Thanks for asking this Stingray - I hope all regular participators offer an opinion. As for you being an occasional contributor I'll second what daniele said :)

I believe it should be noted that, there are many people here of varying degrees of intellect as well as people to whom English is a second language. With this in mind I try to interpret a question that seems on the surface to not make sense. I feel if I was trying to ask a question in some other language and couldn't quite express what I wanted to say, it would be very frustrating. Now imagine how frustrating when you post a question that gets ignored because no one understands it because it is too vague.

I try to look at these vague questions in a zen way, it leads to some interesting enlightening thoughts for my answers. Now I will admit my answers to those questions are based on my interpretation of what the questioner was trying to ask hence I could be way off base with what was really trying to be expressed. Nevertheless I feel that some valid valuable answers come forth even from a vague question just because I found my self saying "what could that mean", or "what could that be?" That sets my mind off on a quest and before I know it an answer comes that seems to be related to the question and is informative.

I know for an example a question on appreciation, my interpretation was from a receiving appreciation perspective but it could have been meant about giving appreciation. This opens a door for more varied answers that seemingly have nothing to do with each other but are all valid points of awareness depending on how you take the question in meaning. In other words more oppertunity for those wonderful Ahha moments!

Since I don't know for sure exactly which questions you mean, or what exactly you mean by follow up on the part of the questioner, I can only guess. I know I have not picked a best answer yet because I think it might discourage future answers. I want to give them time to sit there and get checked out by new people or people who just don't frequent the site that often. I have answered some questions after they had already picked a best answer because in answering the question, it expanded my awareness and understanding, like it allowed me to draw from the collective consciousness in a way that I would not experience if I didn't answer the question. I also have answered many questions for that same reason, or if it is a similar answer, because I feel it pertinent to the question and hopefully beneficial as well. Some questions I have to mull over for a few hrs or days and come back and answer it.

Sometimes I get new insight from reading something or watching a video like on Dr. Emoto, Bruce Lipton, etc... and things start to come together for me and I form concepts in my head that I want to share with others and get feedback. I have not yet figured out how to ask that as a question without it sounding like a chance to indoctrinate or something, so I haven't asked them. It would be more of a discussion than a question and since it seems that we are not having discussions, but question and answer sessions, I keep them to myself unless a question allows for that idea to flow. I hope that I do not become more self concious, thinking that you are talking about me, and become insecure about asking questions. Maybe if a moderator gave some feedback on these poorly thought questions, it would help us in our question asking. I know I don't want to ask questions that are out of line with intent of the site.

I genuinely believe that all questions and answers are sincere. Even without the point system they would still exist. I do find that some questions are of the leading type to help educate/steer other selves into one's own point of view. It is ok by me, for I can always choose what to answer or not to. Stingray, you are not just one of the contributors on this site. You want it or not, you are a top teacher here. You bring theories to life with appropriate applications explained in such a simplistic way so it is comprehensible even to those such as I. Allow me to take this opportunity to thank you for all of your services and what an honour it is to know you.

thank you, namaste

I think you have a good point Stingray.

The sites still very attractive to me because now and again i will stumble over a querstion which makes me think on a little. The question is often answered by some links which sometimes contain stuff i find even more intriguing than the original question.

One example is a question which contained an answer from Michaela which led me to look into Eckhart Tolles teaching.This has given me a lot of quite mind blowing perspectives and im glad im studying him.

Your links have also led on to some interesting learning and these links are oftentimes attached to questions that ive not been massively interested in.

To sum up i agree with your point,but often i read questions im not immediately fascinated by because the answers may contain more sense and information than the question.

But i do see your point,some questions appear almost as if there being asked because the author is a little bored or perhaps wants some attention.

I think the follow up question and also answers AND comments to answers often flag up, for me an interesting thread.

Graham

I ask a lot of questions, and I do so because I am both interested in the answers, but more so, am interested in the questions. I have had the opportunity to ask questions here that I genuinely care about, but my schooling (I am a full-time student) prevents me from always following up. This is why I have failed to earn a "100 days" badge. I thought I was helping the site with my questions.

I have noticed that things tend to get slow at times, and regenerating an old question, or creating a new one seems to help the site. Many of the questions I have asked have garnered five points or more. I think that means that the questions I ask are pertinent. I have noticed that some people just seem to ask questions for the sake of asking. I ask some questions that are rhetorical- I know darn well what the answer to my question is-for me, but I have decided that maybe others have a different point of view that merits discussion. When the "Best Questions and Answers of 2010" was posted, no one noticed how many of the questions selected were mine...Point taken!

Wade and I often discuss things offline, and when we do, I will say, "Hey! That would make a good IQ question!", so I post it.

I will be more careful in future to ask better questions, and to be sure to follow those questions with comments. I get the message here, and it is a good one. Well done, Stingray!

Blessings to ALL!!! Jaianniah

Psychology teaches that 99% of time what we assume to be right is wrong, so we should not spend our time assuming what we cannot prove, especially, since it is based upon our own personal biases!

I ask question based upon subject matters that I have read, and I am interested in, and I read every answer for the same reasons you read the answers. And I answer questions based upon what I am interested in for the same reasons that you do, and I do not see anyone on this site singling you out for doing that. So, why are you spending your time singling out someone else? Why do you care how many questions and answers anyone wants to post on this site, and why should it be a problem for you? Is there a policy against how many questions, and answers one can post, and answer, if so what are the stipulations? My question is, what are the real issues here, and what are you trying to promoting here on this site! I can feel the negative energy you are sending out!

Solomon said: “Each to his own!” So, allow everyone on this site to be their self, and not cast judgment. We should all learn the lesson: to do upon to others as you would like them to do onto you. We can start by learning to respect everyone for whom they are, and not to place our value upon them, because this is the wrong thing to do! Also remember we all have our own unique style of doing things, so let it be!

Indeed we are a diverse group!

Peace, Love, Harmony, and abiding fellowship to all, and let us promote positive energy on this site all the time. And best wishes to you my friend Stingray and you need to grow Up!