Questions We Feel Bound To Ask
I've been giving some thought to common questions people ask each other. I don't the mean everyday 'hi, how are you' type, I'm talking about personal questions, you know, the ones that once asked are usually tagged with a 'you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I wont be offended', but everyone knows that you DO have to answer it and whomever asks WILL be offended if you don't.
For example;
I have recently signed a new contract at work. The question most people have felt bound to ask is "how much money is it worth". So now there's at least 10 people who know how much money I earn per annum, and yet I don't have a clue as to what any of their net worth is. It's one of those highly personal questions that somehow, somewhere, has become totally acceptable to ask, and what's even more baffling was my compulsion to answer.
What's the moral of this story? The next time you want to ask someone a personal question, start out by asking them when the last time they took a dump was, because as far as personal questions go, that one is right up there with the best of them. If, upon asking, you find it makes you or them uncomfortable, don't ask any more personal questions. If either of you has no problem asking or answering, then you've pretty much got free reign to ask anything you want.
For example;
I have recently signed a new contract at work. The question most people have felt bound to ask is "how much money is it worth". So now there's at least 10 people who know how much money I earn per annum, and yet I don't have a clue as to what any of their net worth is. It's one of those highly personal questions that somehow, somewhere, has become totally acceptable to ask, and what's even more baffling was my compulsion to answer.
What's the moral of this story? The next time you want to ask someone a personal question, start out by asking them when the last time they took a dump was, because as far as personal questions go, that one is right up there with the best of them. If, upon asking, you find it makes you or them uncomfortable, don't ask any more personal questions. If either of you has no problem asking or answering, then you've pretty much got free reign to ask anything you want.
posted by I Am Man I Am You. at 9:56 AM
4 Comments:
Indeed.
I last crapped at about 7:30am today.
And my standard response to the income question was, "Enough", then smile and walk away.
Gee...Mine is usually not enough. Glad someone is getting paid around here! Just out of interest, when was your last dump? Was it a good one? Was it a phantom poo or...So on and so forth.....
I love talking about poo so that wouldn't worry me, mind you, if I didn't know the person well enough it would be a little disconcerting.
I was promoted recently so everyone just asked if I got a payrise (I did, thank fuck) except for a couple of people at work who are angling to get similar position and want to know what the pay is like. I always just sort of play dumb.
My Mum said you should never discuss money, politics or religion. Doesn't stop my family of course...
Yesterday...mid afternoon...thankfully before I cleaned the house.
And as for money, since I started working just weekends, I now earn only 4k a year less than when I was working full time monday to friday...this means one of two things.
1. Penalty rates are great and well worth having no life to get
2. My actual full time rate before penalties was an out and out disgrace
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