Response to Incomplete Manifesto for Growth by Bruce Mau

Ask Stupid Questions.

I felt that this statement from Bruce Mau as a personal belief was very important in not only the approach to projects but in many aspects of life. It is A useful point for this purpose. I think that for most of us as we go through life we have these moments when we feel like we should already know something even though we don't and even feel embarrassed that maybe everyone else understands except for us. So instead of asking what we thought was a "stupid question" we keep silent, losing out on the opportunity to truly understand and learn something new. Most of the time as we usually find out after the opportunity has passed that we were far from alone and really many others are just as lost with unanswered questions due to the pressure of society that has told us to not show our weaknesses, don't let people know we don't understand everything and if you don't understand just act like you do. So many things would be clearer and more thought out if only we took the time to ask questions instead of pretending like we already know, or don't want to know.

When pursuing a new project this point is especially valuable. Asking stupid questions can not only open the problem up fully to one's mind but can also open a whole realm of questions that previously were unanswered. This could change the aspect of the project completely to something maybe not thought of before. Asking the stupid questions also allows you to slow down and look at your project from other points of view. Yes, you made the project so of course you know about it, but have you made it easy to understand for someone who knows nothing of what you know. Can everyone relate to it? Do other people understand what the heck you are getting at? Asking not only makes your work more complete but also makes it more available to others that otherwise may not have understood or cared about it.

In our lives we are told by people of authority over and over to not ask stupid questions. Who decides what a stupid question is? Are there really different levels of questions that we need to be aware of when asking them. My opinion on this is really...who cares! Ask all the questions you want especially when someone tells you not to. We should focus on learning all we can whenever possible. Another great side of asking stupid questions, which is probably my favorite part of it is the answers you get, or don't get in return. More than ever before it is important to ask stupid questions because today more then ever, people who we have put in authority over us whether personally, professionally, academically or even politically either don't have the answers for us or more importantly don't want us asking or knowing the answers to those questions. We should never settle with others thoughts and answers, we should never stop asking questions.