What kind of intriguing questions can I ask my friends?
May 29, 2015 9:20 AM Subscribe
One of the reasons I like Facebook (don't kill me) is that it connects me with a lot of my friends near and far. For the past week, I've been posting questions that start off with "Because I'm curious…." which has resulted in a lot of great banter, but it also helps me to get to know people too. Help me come up with more questions.
So far I've asked, "Because I'm curious…"
Your favorite smell and why?
What random act of kindness have you received or given?
What unlikely person do you have a crush on?
Your most hated household chore?
How long is your commute to work?
Where do you dream of visiting?
What song(s) are you embarrassed to admit you love?
Favorite comfort foods or secret cravings?
The question about random act of kindnesses was lovely because people shared some great personal stories. The one about the most hated household chore got the most responses.
These simple questions have actually gotten some great responses and resulted in some interesting discussions among folks. What other questions can I ask that would generate the same kind of results?
So far I've asked, "Because I'm curious…"
Your favorite smell and why?
What random act of kindness have you received or given?
What unlikely person do you have a crush on?
Your most hated household chore?
How long is your commute to work?
Where do you dream of visiting?
What song(s) are you embarrassed to admit you love?
Favorite comfort foods or secret cravings?
The question about random act of kindnesses was lovely because people shared some great personal stories. The one about the most hated household chore got the most responses.
These simple questions have actually gotten some great responses and resulted in some interesting discussions among folks. What other questions can I ask that would generate the same kind of results?
What music did you listen to in college?
posted by Dragonness at 9:24 AM on May 29, 2015
posted by Dragonness at 9:24 AM on May 29, 2015
How did you learn to do that?
posted by MrMoonPie at 9:36 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by MrMoonPie at 9:36 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: What's the strangest thing you've ever done?
What would I be most surprised to learn about you?
What historical era would you most like to live in?
What is your favorite movie that's at least 10 years old?
Do you like cats or dogs better? Why?
What color is your car? Why?
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:38 AM on May 29, 2015
What would I be most surprised to learn about you?
What historical era would you most like to live in?
What is your favorite movie that's at least 10 years old?
Do you like cats or dogs better? Why?
What color is your car? Why?
posted by OrangeDisk at 9:38 AM on May 29, 2015
Here are the top questions of all time for Ask Reddit, the subreddit in which people ask questions and sometimes regret the answers (but it's usually a source of great comedy).
If the question is tagged [serious] then only serious replies are accepted; others are moderated into the memory hole. The NSFW tag is also present for some threads.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:55 AM on May 29, 2015
If the question is tagged [serious] then only serious replies are accepted; others are moderated into the memory hole. The NSFW tag is also present for some threads.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:55 AM on May 29, 2015
Best answer: The very best thing I ever did on Facebook was pose the question "what literary characters would you sleep with if they were real?" Great response from people. Answers included Jesus, a bear, and Godot ("he never comes early!").
posted by pised at 10:15 AM on May 29, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by pised at 10:15 AM on May 29, 2015 [3 favorites]
What question do you most not want me to ask you?
posted by Tanizaki at 10:27 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Tanizaki at 10:27 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
"The best meal you've ever had" and "the best concert you've ever been to" are great for this type of thing.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:33 AM on May 29, 2015
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:33 AM on May 29, 2015
That's funny, I was just reading an Autostraddle post on questions like this.
My favorites from the post:
6. What do you think schools should be required to teach that they’re not currently required to teach?
11. What’s your dream Jeopardy category?
20. What’s the last video you watched on YouTube? (Tell the truth!)
posted by myelin sheath at 10:43 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
My favorites from the post:
6. What do you think schools should be required to teach that they’re not currently required to teach?
11. What’s your dream Jeopardy category?
20. What’s the last video you watched on YouTube? (Tell the truth!)
posted by myelin sheath at 10:43 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
A bit more general, but I do remember doing this in a French class in college and it sure inspired some conversations.
Proust Questionnaire.
posted by sciencegeek at 10:56 AM on May 29, 2015
Proust Questionnaire.
posted by sciencegeek at 10:56 AM on May 29, 2015
Best answer: Complete this statement: People think I'm ____, but actually I'm ____.
(Also, I hate "best" and "favorite" questions, and a lot of other people do, too--they result in complete answer paralysis for me. Depending on your friends, "a very memorable x" or "one of your top y" or "the x you're into right now" may result in more honest, spontaneous, and comfortable answers.)
posted by wintersweet at 11:04 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
(Also, I hate "best" and "favorite" questions, and a lot of other people do, too--they result in complete answer paralysis for me. Depending on your friends, "a very memorable x" or "one of your top y" or "the x you're into right now" may result in more honest, spontaneous, and comfortable answers.)
posted by wintersweet at 11:04 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: What do you collect?
What famous person do you most resemble?
If you won $1 million, what would you do first?
How did your parents think you would turn out?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?
posted by DrGail at 11:13 AM on May 29, 2015
What famous person do you most resemble?
If you won $1 million, what would you do first?
How did your parents think you would turn out?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?
posted by DrGail at 11:13 AM on May 29, 2015
My friend does something similar, only it's not a question, just a Simple Pleasures of the Day post - she names a few and others chime in, and it's a big old thread of gratitude. I guess you could pose it as, "What is a Simple Pleasure you've enjoyed recently?"
posted by ldthomps at 12:55 PM on May 29, 2015
posted by ldthomps at 12:55 PM on May 29, 2015
I do this on MetaChat every Friday, by pulling something interesting from The Book of Questions.
posted by bearwife at 2:58 PM on May 29, 2015
posted by bearwife at 2:58 PM on May 29, 2015
It's always fun to ask people to paste whatever is on their computer's clipboard.
Here are some I like to ask:
-If you were a career criminal, what crime would it be?
-What will you do during your midlife crisis?
-If you could go back in time and do anything (except something noble like "kill Hitler" or something to make money), what would you want to see?
-Are you more of a sailor or a pilot, and why?
-What was one really wonderful meal you had?
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:09 PM on May 30, 2015
Here are some I like to ask:
-If you were a career criminal, what crime would it be?
-What will you do during your midlife crisis?
-If you could go back in time and do anything (except something noble like "kill Hitler" or something to make money), what would you want to see?
-Are you more of a sailor or a pilot, and why?
-What was one really wonderful meal you had?
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:09 PM on May 30, 2015
"Please tell me about a particularly top-notch sandwich you've enjoyed during your time on Earth."
posted by davidjmcgee at 8:58 PM on June 2, 2015
posted by davidjmcgee at 8:58 PM on June 2, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sirion at 9:23 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]