Q : Questions that are silly #AtoZchallenge

Let us start with few questions which people ask just to make small talk and how should we really answer them:

Qusetion: Where are you travelling to? (In a flight from Mumbai to Chandigarh)

Answer you give: Chandigarh

Answer you should really give: I am travelling to nowhere. I was forced by a suspicious looking man to board the plane and follow you. 

The guy who questioned would squirm in his seat.

Question: What are you doing here? (In a cinema hall when you come across an acquaintance)

Answer you give: I have come to watch the film.

Answer you should really give: I am here to protest the ideology of the film. I will barge into the projection room and set the film on fire.

The acquaintance would report you to the authorities.

Question: Where are you? (When someone calls you on your office landline number)

Answer you give: I am in my office

Answer you should really give: I am everywhere. I have invented a chip and planted it in your phone. Whatever number you dial today, you will connect with me.

That caller would request you to plant the same chip in his girl friend's phone.

Of course, just like the questions asked, the answers I proposed are silly. It is fine, if people ask such silly questions to make small talk. But what happens when silly questions are asked in situations that are life altering.

Silly Questions asked during Job Interviews

The idea of a job interview is to understand the candidate and his/her credentials. It is to assess his / her potential for the job. I am not sure how following questions help in that. 

• Are you an honest person? 
• No, I am not today. Today I am a blue person. (Actual Answer: Yes, I have always depicted qualities that make me a dependable and trust worthy resource)

• What would your current boss say about you?
• That you deserve a better organisation. (Actual Answer : She would say that I am a committed and hard working person and bring value to the table)

• Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
• Definitely not in this place. (Actual Answer : I see myself in a role that challenges me and that serves your esteemed organisation in a relevant manner)

There are many such questions which interviewers ask. Most job seekers are prepared for such questions. They are not necessarily lying. But I believe that even if a person answers these questions well, it tells us nothing about the candidate, his / her fitment and relevance.

Silly Questions asked during Arranged Marriage Meetings

Arranged marriages are very common in India. After parents on both sides (boy and girl) meet each other and they see potential in an alliance, there is a customary meeting between the boy and the girl. This is the window in which both of them have to decide whether to really take the plunge. I am sure, some really smart questions need to be asked in this meeting to take a decision. But let us see what gets asked, in the first meeting itself.

• Girl to the boy: What is your height?
• Run away. She has a poor eye sight (Not sure how exact length of his torso is going to impact the decision)

• Boy to the girl: Can you cook and do the laundry?
• Ask him to download UrbanClap app or introduce him to your coy maid Sarita (Yes, food is the way to a man's heart, but why would that be an important question to understand whether your life partner is really right for you.)

• Boy to the girl: Would you work after marriage? (expecting a No)
• Definitely no. I did my MBA for a lark. I want you to work till your death and would you give me a credit card please? (Why would a boy meet a girl whose qualifications are higher than his and still expect her not to be serious about her career)

• Girl to the boy: Oh!You stay in Mumbai. Would you take me to the disco every weekend?
• Yeah. I stay in Mumbai. I will take you on the Mumbai Local every weekday as well. ("Sure", I said when I was faced with this particular query and never ever met her again)

The idea of the first meeting between a boy and girl should be to understand each other as a person. Whether you will be compatible or not? Do you really have a similar world-view? I don't think silly questions like the ones above take you anywhere near to that goal.

Silly Questions asked when you are drunk?

• Are you drunk? Hic Hic
• How many drinks you had? Hic Hic
• Why do you drink so much? Hic Hic
• Would you like to have one more? Definitely. Cheers.

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My last year's challenge post from letter Q was about few anecdotes that happened in Queues. Read it here.

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My theme for this year's #AtoZchallenge is all about writing stories, anecdotes and observations from my life in form of easy to read listicles. You can read the theme reveal post here.