Poll: Do you do this?

[Pete]

When asking a question, do you ever pose a series of possible answers to the interrogatee, where you declare that you are uncertain of the reality of the possible answers you are posing, and end the list of proposed solutions by trailing off your voice before finally directly asking the question to which you want an answer?

For example, if you are the interrogator and you want to know what the interrogatee has room in their schedule to assist you with at task, do you ever pose your question in the following manner:

“I don’t know whether you were planning to work out tomorrow, or whether you were golfing, or had some shopping to do, ooooorrrrrrrrr……………………..but will you be free to do XYZ?”

[Rage Against the McKee]

Of course not.

[yoga-like_abana]

No Im not a woman /

[steve dave]

what if you are busy but it's not one of those options....or is it always one of those options?

[Pete]

what if you are busy but it's not one of those options....or is it always one of those options?

The options are bound only by the interrogator's understanding of your lifestyle and interests.  That's the point here...they have no idea what the answer is, but they are compelled to pose possible answers to their question even before it is asked...while simultaneously declaring that they do NOT know whether their possible answers are valid.

 

[Winters]

Can't recall doing this.

[HeinBallz]

Only when I'm asking my parents for a favor; but the questions usually involves: "I'm sure you wouldn't be willing to watch my kids tonight, because you're retired and would much rather be gambling, going to the movies, or having old people sex; but The wife and I would like to have not gross sex without being interrupted by a five & two year old.   Could you possible watch the kids for a couple of hours?"

[pissclams]

no, i'm straight forward.  don't care if they planned on doing other crap, just want to know if they'll do the crap i need.  if not, no biggie but i don't want to know the ancillary bullshit.

[OK_Cat]

seems very "i don't give a crap what you're doing, but i'll pretend to care so that you'll be more likely to help me out"

i voted yes, obviously.

[HeinBallz]

I use it more as a "Why would you say no, what you're doing is clearly just dicking away time and you have nothing better to do"   

It really guilt's people into doing what I need them to do.

[Ira Hayes]

That's not as bad as "Can you do me a favor?" and then waiting for an answer before continuing.   

[kitten_mittons]

It's also nice when people say, "I don't have time to do that today."  Bull rough ridin' crap you don't.  Everyone has 24 hours in a day.  You'd just rather be doing something else.   

Also, when people say, "Do you promise you won't get mad if I tell you something?"

Umm, no I do not.  I have no idea what you are about to say, and there are quite a few things you could say that would make me mad.

[HeinBallz]

I love:  "Can I ask you a dumb question?" 


 .... better than anyone I know.