The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge!
The title of this article is a quote by an American novelist Thomas Berger. It explains the necessity to ask questions in a beautiful manner. It does so by elucidating the outcome of asking questions.
Without them, we cannot further our understanding on a subject. Without them, one cannot become an eternal learner. Without becoming an eternal learner, we cannot possibly learn even a fraction of the ocean of knowledge.
Asking questions is something which came to us very easily during our childhood but it becomes tough gradually, as we age. Thoughts like, “What will he/she think of me?”, “If I ask a question, does it show my lack of knowledge”, and “What if they make fun of me?” are the primary deterrents. However, we fail to understand that by doing so, by having this apprehension, we are restricting ourselves from attaining clarity on a topic. After all, knowledge is the primary driver to improve us and take us from one level to the next.
Another reason for not being able to ask questions is lack of humility. Often times, we think that due to our age, we know better than another person who is younger to us. And sometimes, we think, since we are in a better position than another person, we know everything much better than him/her. This will not let us walk into the brightness that is knowledge but let us rot in the darkness which is ignorance. Humbleness a.k.a humility is one of the most important traits to have without which we will never recognize that there is more to learn.
We get wise by asking questions, and even if these are not answered, we get wise, for a well-packed question carries its answer on its back as a snail carries its shell.
- James Stephens
The format of question and answers is the best way to write an excerpt which can impart the knowledge in a logical way. Let’s take the example of the famous Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, it is written in the form of a conversation where Arjuna asks the questions and Lord Krishna answers them.
So, the next time you listen to something new, don’t just listen, try to understand and ask questions, no matter how silly they might seem.
