Listening Post: Questionable response
Dick Powell gets the third degree in Murder My Sweet.
When Nora Flaherty first proposed that we do a Question of the Day feature at NCPR, I said “Great!” Ask a few interesting questions, find out what people are thinking–easy-peasy. Clearly I was naive. There’s something in us that instinctively resists interrogation. We like to answer a question with a question, or we want to question the premise of the question. Or we want to talk about something that the question reminds us of. Sometimes we want to compliment the questioner for the quality of the question, or for providing the opportunity for giving feedback. Sometimes we go off on a sidetrack about an issue related to what someone else said while not answering the question. The only thing people don’t want to do is–answer the freakin’ question!
Take today. I tried to make it as bullet-proof as possible: What make and model currently tops the list for your next car purchase? One respondent talks about how Ralph Nader might be to blame for big cars. A friend on Facebook picked the flying saucer car I used to illustrate the post. One prefers small cars that handle well over big ones that don’t. One wants a vehicle that doesn’t exist yet, but will settle for a bicycle in the meantime. And one tells me what he is driving now, but not what he’s thinking of buying next.
I think politicians are partly to blame (for everything actually). The sound bite culture of 24/7 news has taught them that being responsive to a question is much less useful than using a question as an opportunity to say what they were gonna say anyway. When Pres. Clinton was being pinned down about the veracity of a sworn statement, he famously responded, “That depends on what ‘is’ is.” I’m still trying to figure that one out. And Gov. Romney, chided for totally ignoring a debate question replied, “You get to ask the questions you want, I get to give the answers I want.” And sadly, that’s the truth.
Tags: listeningpost
Well, my next car will be a Volvo XC70. Is that a direct enough answer? Now, tell me why you are asking the question and what you will do with the answer.
Chuck Cairns
Ray Brook
Hi Chuck. I could say it was because it was Thursday and I had to ask something, and this is what I thought to ask. But really, as the original question post explains, I am driving a 97 Corolla on its last legs and I’m going to have to buy something soon. It occurred to me that this is a pretty universal condition and people might like to share a little wisdom on making the big choice. What I will do with the answers depends on the addition to the original question that I didn’t include in my Listening Post rant–Why? So back to you–Why a Volvo XC70 out of all the possible choices? Thanks for being the first to actually answer with a make and model.
Dale Hobson, NCPR
Dale, I have a Honda Fit. I bought it because consumer reports said it was the best buy for the buck for a five year period. I love it. It has back seats that fold down flat that allows a lot of space to haul things and to sleep in. The same back seat fold up so you can put a bike between the seats. It is the first car I have owned that has real time read out for miles per gallon. It’s a game for me now and I am getting about 40 mpg (and it is an automatic transmission) even though it is only rated for about 34 mpg highway. I commute about 80 miles a day. To top that off I just found out that is it the best small car for holding it value. It’s also my favorite color, orange.
Well, I understand! I have been cringing over North Country This Week’s “Survey” for years because the questions are often don’t allow answers outside the norm. When NCPR started the “Question of the Day” I cringed and avoided it. Another approach might be to set out a topic and let people use it as a catalyst to say what they want. That way when you won’t be looking for some specific answer and people can exercise their creativity. Hope you have lots of space on the server!
Had a wonderful Camry, just traded it in on a wonderful Corolla, and love it even though it is smaller. Our Camry is a 1998 and still has a lot of life in her, even with about 220,000 on her. Loved her madly, love Blue Pearl just as much, as she has fewer miles and better mileage. Toyota all the way! No rant here, don’t see a reason for one!
Really Dale, I thought this was a discussion forum, and that’s what I do. Now if you want advice, you’ve got to ask for it in a complete question kind of way. Don’t blame this kind of response on “politicians” or “the media”…it comes from having kids.
Dale, if you want a simple and direct answer without (what obviously has been in your opinion) a series of digressions or compliments for your writing style, then drop the essay and just ask a freakin’ question. When you write something beautiful I feel good about acknowledging it. A few others seem to feel that way as well.
Subaru Forester, all wheel drive! Good price, great on snow covered roads and holds its resale value. It will be my fourth one.
Bob and all–
My apologies for sounding critical of your responses. It was a social media faux pas, like saying on the radio that we don’t need better programs, we need a better audience. Rude and not true. I actually welcome the digressions and sidelines–they are part of the conversation. But I also want the answers, which I have had a hard time teasing out.
The truth is, I have a distorted view of the discussion on this site, because I read all of it across every blog and news story, and on our Facebook page. Imagine being at a cocktail party and trying to eavesdrop on every conversation at the same time. And then try to talk at the same time. Sometimes the stupid comes out.
Dale Hobson, NCPR
Anyone whoever asks anyone a question should always remember: “Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies.”
The idea behind that is, if you ever thought about it, is that asking questions is the most common form of an invasion of privacy.
No question is easy, most especially related to technological communication in this day and age…….simplicity is out the door… and just like families, religion and INDEED politics – we are fully exposed and forever labeled. No matter what we say (or ask) and how we say it, we’re toast! Public relation firms and the Media/Press Corp reign – common sense is gone, accountability doesn’t add up and responsibility does not exist. Cynical, you bet – but what fun!
Heck, if I’d had time to read the original question, I would’ve said: an American made station wagon. I’ve been car shopping, bitterly, for months. Volvo would sell me a nice one, I’m sure. But I can’t afford a new Volvo, or the repair bills for an older one. I’m 5’2”, why would I want to try to load my canoe on a big old American SUV?
Why you’re not getting answers from others, I’m not sure. Personally, I inferred from my parents that asking questions is nosy and to be avoided, but I’ve since seen others do it successfully and have concluded that people usually like to be asked questions (at least in face to face situations). I’m not enough of a web-browser to have any basis to analyze response or lack thereof for an on-line venue.
Dale,
I think you’ve hit on something with that question. (This is a comment about the question, not an answer). People, myself included, are seeing that the car manufacturers are not building what we want. They’re building what they want us to buy and relying on advertizing to force it down our throats. Electric windows but not electric cars. Instead of four cylinder sippers they’d like us to drive four wheel drive guzzlers. The US in particular builds cars for the car makers rather than responding to customer desires. They’re still hanging bells and whistles on what is a hundred year old invention (gas motor) instead of moving foreward.
You have to be careful who you ask. While many Public Radio listeners have grown up and gotten real jobs, and hence, proper cars, some of us have far more experience with ten year old vehicles that could be purchased with one good paycheck. What I know about new cars has been gleaned by listening in on others.
I CAN supply you with a million stories about how to get by in a car with not quite all of it’s systems though.