“If my answers frighten you, than you should stop asking scary questions.”

Admittedly, this quote is sourced from Jules, a dynamic character engaged in a transitional/soul-searching endeavor during his part of the movie Pulp Fiction.  The scenario is tense, and that the culmination of the conversation resolves in such a weighty declaration is of little surprise.  Those familiar with the movie are abundantly clear with the gravity, and those not familiar should simply watch the film.

But we ask a thousand questions a day, whether deliberately, or by complete obliviousness.  But most of these questions are self-serving.  Most are designed to assess our own image.

How does my hair look?

How is your day, today? (used as a completely canned response, or intro)

Some weather we are expecting?

What do you think about the (sports, politicians, xxxxxxx news article)?

Do you love me?

Do you think I’d look good in (whatever)?

How does this look?

What are we eating tonight?

What are we watching tonight?

Do you think I did a good job on that project?

Are these important questions?

Perhaps we, and I, could look at our endeavors in a more deeply inquisitive manner.  This involves asking deeper, scarier questions.  These questions may make us feel uncomfortable, cause uncomfortable feelings, and may even cause changes of perception.

How am I truly treating those that I am interacting with?

Is love expressed by me in the same manner I feel it received?

Have I thanked anyone/everyone for their kindness towards me?

Do I give of myself, honestly, and openly?

Are you intending to create an opportunity for advantage via my generosity?

Am I as generous and honest as I believe?

I don’t believe that critiquing every element of our excessively inquisitive natures is likely to be a productive pursuit. But deepening the scope of this questionaire may yield much more useful results.

Perhaps in response to:

“Did you find everything you were looking for?”

you/I respond with

“No, I still, haven’t found, what I’m looking for!” (and make sure that its sung with full attempt to duplicate Bono’s voice)

Or consider:

“How are you feeling today?”

by responding with

“Truly, I’m struggling with my motivations.  I want passionately to do a good job and perform admirably, but I am beset by workplace overload incurred via my own overacheiving nature and inability to accept complacency.”

How about when propositioned:

“What do you think about……”

the solution is

Give an honest opinion.   Be yourself.  Love yourself.  Accept yourself.  Answer honestly.

“Fuck your question.  I don’t give a shit about camels having premature babies!”

Because you probably shouldn’t give a shit about these things, despite the barrage of nonsensical feed static you may receive from this topic.

But if you commented after the chhchhchchchchhsssssssssss noise that occurred after your absurdly honest camel statement, it would be that you wish for one thing.

Maybe you wish for more than one thing.

You wish people would consistently look one another in the eye, and acknowledge their humanity.  You wish that a handshake meant true connection.  You wish that words, spoken or via text, had measurable value.  You wish that questions meant more than a superfluous string of words designed to cushion a vacuous response.

You, and I, want honesty.

Humbly yours,

J