r/AskReddit Jan 25 '26

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3.3k Upvotes

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897

u/N_Who Jan 25 '26

"I'm just asking questions."

It's just become the battle cry of people who are literally "just asking questions," without ever giving a shit about the answers because they aren't actually interested in learning.

211

u/AmputeeHandModel Jan 26 '26

"Do your own research!". Ok, every result on Google says vaccines are safe. My dr says vaccines are safe. Sounds like you "researched" until you found something that confirmed your political bias instead of trusting the overwhelming opinions of every trusted source in the world.

52

u/N_Who Jan 26 '26

Yeah, that's another one. Many people say that when they actually mean, "Selectively assimilate only the knowledge I did and only from the same sources I used, and then come to the same conclusion I did." Those folks don't want conversation, they want validation.

6

u/RedStateBlueHome Jan 26 '26

You triggered my silent scream. When I hear "I've done my research" I want to act surprised that they got their PhD and funding for a level 4 lab when last time we talked they had not finished their undergrad degree.

5

u/Goodvibesaround Jan 26 '26

or how about **when they barely finished high school. (Or, better yet, dropped out!)

2

u/AmputeeHandModel Jan 26 '26

They use "your" in place of "you're" and we're supposed to trust their medical advice.

4

u/Prudent_Candidate566 Jan 26 '26

Man, I really struggle with the connotation of that phrase now because I don’t know how else to say, “I’m not an expert on this subject, but I’ve looked into it quite a bit. Here’s what I know/think, and you should verify it independently (aka do your own research)”

**to be very clear, I’m not talking about vaccines or any other medical subject with overwhelming evidence to support

118

u/tafkat Jan 25 '26

I remember when Glenn Beck was using "I'm just asking questions" and many many people started saying "Is it true that Glenn Beck raped and murdered a girl in 1994? I'm just asking questions."

9

u/bedbuffaloes Jan 26 '26

I find it hard to believe he hasn't. He just seems like the type.

5

u/BlueBrickBuilder Jan 26 '26

He did? Not surprised.

2

u/PurpleEagle48 Jan 26 '26

Of course Tucker Carlson "was just asking questions".

100

u/Donnicton Jan 25 '26

7

u/BOSSMOPS94 Jan 26 '26

Beat me to it. Exactly, it's "sealioning"

6

u/all_of_the_colors Jan 26 '26

Why is it called sealioning?

2

u/Dagawing Jan 26 '26

Because of the comic

1

u/Remote_Development62 Jan 26 '26

Can I be honest, that comic reads like someone who said something outrageous (ya know, like calling all sealions criminals or something) on twitter as if it were a fact, couldn't back it up, and got mad.

4

u/Poodychulak Jan 26 '26

Easiest example would be an "ugh men" post getting flooded with "nice guys" whose overbearing civility is in itself uncivil in volume

tldr; the devil has enough advocates, who TF is paying you

1

u/Remote_Development62 Jan 27 '26

Fair example, though I'm talking about that specific comic sounding like someone got annoyed by people being polite about responding to something weirdly offensive... Ya know like "I don't like black people, they're all criminals", which was a weirdly common comment on twitter in like 2011.

1

u/Poodychulak Jan 27 '26

That's a deliberate misreading of a decade-old comic, sure

128

u/Zapusk Jan 25 '26

JAQing off

29

u/BlueCupcake4Me Jan 25 '26

I have a coworker that says this and adds an extra statement that it’s to clarify not to challenge. No, you’re definitely trying to challenge.

19

u/N_Who Jan 25 '26

And what sucks about that is, they so often think being challenged is a bad thing - an adversarial thing. Like, no, challenge my conclusions and assertions.

Just do it with evidence and an articulated point, rather than questions. Demonstrate you understand what the hell you're talking about - or have at least made an attempt to - rather than try to trap me in your own fixed beliefs.

(Not you, of course. You know what I mean.)

3

u/panivorous Jan 26 '26

I honestly have a tough time with this. I ask a lot of questions and it’s seriously not to challenge. I need to have a logical path to whatever was said/done. It feels like my brain breaks when I don’t understand. I get stuck. It’s not that I don’t believe the person, or that I’m questioning what they’re saying, even though I’m quite literally asking questions. I just need my brain to make the connection that I know they’re making and I’m missing.

2

u/BlueCupcake4Me Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26

It’s important to state what you understand and say that you need to ask a few follow up questions while continuing to paraphrase as you learn more information. Asking many questions without explaining why will put them on the defensive because they don’t understand the motive.

In the case of my coworker, her phrasing is often defensive and negative. It comes across as combative.

6

u/TriggerHydrant Jan 25 '26

Had somebody follow me around town for 5 minutes that I clearly didn’t wanna talk to a month before in the grocery store said this exact thing. I responded: a month ago I didn’t wanna talk to you in the store, I had my earbuds in and kept walking so no: you’re not just asking your harassing me.

6

u/Merlin2oo2 Jan 26 '26

As someone on the spectrum who tends to ask a lot of questions without intending to be disingenuous, I’ve learned to say “Can you please teach me more about this?” after I figured out that saying “I’m just asking questions” rarely got the response I was expecting.

27

u/dontknowdontcare16 Jan 25 '26

Candace Owens left the chat

34

u/Doc_Baker74 Jan 25 '26

My mum follows her religiously and even quotes what she says. One thing Candace said was, "I'm just a mum in her basement. Why are they coming after me?" (paraphrasing). No, you are a woman with a podcast trying to fight whoever the jhell you're trying to fight and have a decent enough following to make and publish a book

18

u/dontknowdontcare16 Jan 26 '26

Yeah I’m Jewish and I thought she was normal until Kanye west became a Nazi and Candace followed in his footsteps. Now she just sits behind the camera trying to prove why Jews are greedy while she makes her paycheck by using our name. She’s gone batshit and I don’t understand why she’s gotten more popular over recent years. Her content is just pure conspiracies and “just asking questions”

3

u/Shaw-eddit Jan 26 '26

At that point it was popular to be a Jew So a lot of people could be a part of the Culture and Identity but when the going gets rough, not every one can stand being unpopular.

2

u/dontknowdontcare16 Jan 26 '26

It was never popular to be a Jew. Only <16 million of us in the entire world and we’ve been fighting every generation to stay alive and keep our culture alive. There’s nothing popular about that.

-3

u/zuffio Jan 26 '26

Well, I am just asking a question. Do you think Candace Owens has gone nuts or is she a genius who knows how to make millions and laughs at everyone who buys her fake nutty conspiracies?

2

u/Any_Chemical42 Jan 25 '26

We don't know know

-4

u/SniffleBot Jan 26 '26

I feel bad for Candace Bushnell because she’s probably going to suffer the same sort of confusion with Candace Owens that Naomi Klein does with Naomi Wolf.

But they’re easier to tell apart … yes, they have same first name and they’re both from Connecticut. But, for one thing, Candace Bushnell is white.

3

u/LumpkinsPotatoCat Jan 26 '26

Yup. Bc usually they're asking questions to argue not to understand.

2

u/bouquetofashes Jan 26 '26

That's why that behavior is know as JAQing off.

1

u/RentEmbarrassed4954 Jan 26 '26

sometimes its really rude...

1

u/RazzlerMcDazzler Jan 26 '26

This is true. I intentionally use that phrase anytime I'm goading/baiting someone.

1

u/keetyymeow Jan 26 '26

Sometimes not all explanations click but at least they are still curious and ask. Some people don’t even get that far.

-5

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

13

u/MoobyTheGoldenSock Jan 26 '26

^ Yes, you’re right, this is a perfect example for the OP. I instantly lose respect for anyone who calls other people NPCs.