HUH?
Warren wrote:
Steveo wrote:
He didn't ask for the tree hugger suggestion. Of course it's hard to tell
from this post after you'z snipped the OP.
He asked for advice on which weather was best for using weed -n- feed, you
know that stuff they drop off by the tractor trailer load at home depot?
If someone asks for the most environmentally friendly approach, your
advice
would apply better than mine.
If someone asks what the least painful way to commit suicide is, it's
irresponsible to simply tell them which method you think is best without at
least a cursory check to see why they think suicide is the right solution.
Suggesting that there are less drastic options that may be more suitable may
be all it takes to save the life of someone who didn't realize they had no
options.
Or if you want a less dramatic analogy, if someone asks what's the best way
to scale a building to was the outside of a window that can't be reached by
a ladder, it only makes sense to make sure that the person understands that
some windows can flip around so you can clean the outside from the inside
before they start repelling down the side of the building.
Or if a couple with no kids asks the real estate agent to find them a 3
"bedroom" house, it would be dumb not to ask if a 2 "bedroom" house with a
"den" might meet their needs as well -- or perhaps better. Suggesting a 2
bedroom house with a den as an alternative to a 3 bedroom house is not
inappropriate.
Many people think that weed and feed is their only option in lawn care. It's
usually the only lawn care solution advertised on TV. There are pallets of
the stuff down at Home Depot. Some grocery stores even carry it at this time
of the year. Given that it's seldom the best solution, and the overall risks
of making it a regular part of their lawn care, it is irresponsible not to
at least mention that weed and feed is not the only way.
The question someone asks may not be the question they really need answered.
They may not know that they've gotten a step ahead of themselves. Or they're
asking the more advanced question because they feel foolish asking the more
elementary question. Or they think the more elementary question is too
general to get a specific answer.
If you're going to simply answer the literal question someone asks without
any regard for the context of the question, you're not doing anyone any
favors. And calling someone who questions the context of the original
question a derogatory name is even less helpful.
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