Silly, yet arguable, questions
March 24, 2015 9:33 AM Subscribe
Can you help me compile a list of silly, yes/no style questions?
For a project that I'm working on, I need a variety of questions that have the following properties:
--They are yes/no questions, or can be answered in only one of two ways.
--They are on simple or silly topics, rather than very serious or emotional or politically-charged topics.
--They are answerable, rather than just thought-provoking jokes or the like.
--They are controversial, in the sense that there are at least some good reasons to support either of the two answers.
--They are not personal, in the sense that answering isn't a matter of stating one's personal opinion or history or the like.
So, here are two examples of the sort of question I'm looking for:
Which is the better superhero, Batman or Superman?
Is cereal a soup? (Thanks, AskMe, for this one!)
Here are some examples of questions that won't work for me:
Is abortion immoral? (WAY too significant a topic; far too emotionally charged for most people.)
Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways? (More like a joke rather than an actual question, and it doesn't lend itself to well-justified answers.)
Would you rather be a firefighter or an astronaut? (Answering is just a matter of stating one's personal opinion.)
Ideally, I would like a whole bunch of questions related to a bunch of different topics. I'd also like it if I had a variety of different forms (so they're not all just "Which of these two options is better?" style questions. Some would be good, but I want multiple types of questions. I'd love more like the "Is cereal a soup?" question, which is just weird and out-there, but still totally understandable and answerable.)
It's the desire for variety that has me coming to AskMe for assistance. I can come up with, say, a whole host of silly questions about superheroes--but, for the project I'm working on, I don't want to just have questions about superheroes. And I can also come up with a bunch of silly "Which is better?" style questions, but I don't want just that style of question. Google isn't helping me too much, because I just keep getting lists of "ponderable" style questions, like the drive/parkway example above. So, I'd love whatever ideas you can come up with!
For a project that I'm working on, I need a variety of questions that have the following properties:
--They are yes/no questions, or can be answered in only one of two ways.
--They are on simple or silly topics, rather than very serious or emotional or politically-charged topics.
--They are answerable, rather than just thought-provoking jokes or the like.
--They are controversial, in the sense that there are at least some good reasons to support either of the two answers.
--They are not personal, in the sense that answering isn't a matter of stating one's personal opinion or history or the like.
So, here are two examples of the sort of question I'm looking for:
Which is the better superhero, Batman or Superman?
Is cereal a soup? (Thanks, AskMe, for this one!)
Here are some examples of questions that won't work for me:
Is abortion immoral? (WAY too significant a topic; far too emotionally charged for most people.)
Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways? (More like a joke rather than an actual question, and it doesn't lend itself to well-justified answers.)
Would you rather be a firefighter or an astronaut? (Answering is just a matter of stating one's personal opinion.)
Ideally, I would like a whole bunch of questions related to a bunch of different topics. I'd also like it if I had a variety of different forms (so they're not all just "Which of these two options is better?" style questions. Some would be good, but I want multiple types of questions. I'd love more like the "Is cereal a soup?" question, which is just weird and out-there, but still totally understandable and answerable.)
It's the desire for variety that has me coming to AskMe for assistance. I can come up with, say, a whole host of silly questions about superheroes--but, for the project I'm working on, I don't want to just have questions about superheroes. And I can also come up with a bunch of silly "Which is better?" style questions, but I don't want just that style of question. Google isn't helping me too much, because I just keep getting lists of "ponderable" style questions, like the drive/parkway example above. So, I'd love whatever ideas you can come up with!
Is cereal a soup? (Thanks, AskMe, for this one!)
In a similar vein, and also previously taken up by AskMe: Is a hot dog a sandwich?
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:41 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
In a similar vein, and also previously taken up by AskMe: Is a hot dog a sandwich?
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:41 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was going to offer "is a burrito a sandwich?" which was the subject of a legal case in MA. I use it when I teach persuasive argument.
posted by trixie119 at 9:47 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by trixie119 at 9:47 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Toilet paper: Over or Under
Brushing teeth in the shower: Yes or no
Who would win in a fight? 1 500-lb duck or 500 1-lb ducks
Is carrot cake a vegetable?
posted by Mchelly at 9:58 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Brushing teeth in the shower: Yes or no
Who would win in a fight? 1 500-lb duck or 500 1-lb ducks
Is carrot cake a vegetable?
posted by Mchelly at 9:58 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
What is the correct way to put on socks and shoes,? Sock, sock, shoe, shoe or sock, shoe, sock, shoe?
posted by BoscosMom at 10:15 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by BoscosMom at 10:15 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is it better to put your socks or pants on first?
Should you wet your toothbrush before putting toothpaste on it?
Are bats bugs? (inspired by Calvin and Hobbes)
posted by foxjacket at 10:15 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Should you wet your toothbrush before putting toothpaste on it?
Are bats bugs? (inspired by Calvin and Hobbes)
posted by foxjacket at 10:15 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is Popeye a superhero?
Is the land mass of Europe/Asia/Africa an island?
Are the Americas an island?
Is Y a vowel? Is W a vowel?
posted by soelo at 10:17 AM on March 24, 2015
Is the land mass of Europe/Asia/Africa an island?
Are the Americas an island?
Is Y a vowel? Is W a vowel?
posted by soelo at 10:17 AM on March 24, 2015
DevilsAdvocate: "previously taken up by AskMe: Is a hot dog a sandwich?"
Even more previously, there's the question of "Is pizza a (open-faced) sandwich?" Honestly, it's really not the best question because I think only the most maniacal of maniacs would claim that it's a sandwich. However, contained in that askme is the more interesting question of whether or not a burrito is a sandwich. This actually turned out to be the subject of a lawsuit, I think brought by some mall food court restaurant that was promised exclusivity over sandwiches in that food court but was then mad when the mall put in a burrito place.
posted by mhum at 10:36 AM on March 24, 2015
Even more previously, there's the question of "Is pizza a (open-faced) sandwich?" Honestly, it's really not the best question because I think only the most maniacal of maniacs would claim that it's a sandwich. However, contained in that askme is the more interesting question of whether or not a burrito is a sandwich. This actually turned out to be the subject of a lawsuit, I think brought by some mall food court restaurant that was promised exclusivity over sandwiches in that food court but was then mad when the mall put in a burrito place.
posted by mhum at 10:36 AM on March 24, 2015
Is chess a sport?
Is cheerleading a sport?
Do vampires prefer summer to winter?
Is it better to be dead than red?
Is it healthier to live in the city than the country?
Is the spring the best season?
Are cats better pets than dogs?
posted by Bardolph at 10:44 AM on March 24, 2015
Is cheerleading a sport?
Do vampires prefer summer to winter?
Is it better to be dead than red?
Is it healthier to live in the city than the country?
Is the spring the best season?
Are cats better pets than dogs?
posted by Bardolph at 10:44 AM on March 24, 2015
Jaffa Cake. Biscuit or Cake? (this is now provable, so may not be suitable)
Do you have free will?
Which is more pie Pizza or Shepards Pie?
I've replaced the handle 4 times and the axehead 3 times. Is it the same Axe?
Which Is the most Salad, fruit Salad or Potato Salad?
Serve in Heaven or Reign in Hell?
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Do you have free will?
Which is more pie Pizza or Shepards Pie?
I've replaced the handle 4 times and the axehead 3 times. Is it the same Axe?
Which Is the most Salad, fruit Salad or Potato Salad?
Serve in Heaven or Reign in Hell?
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Standing or sitting? Folded or wadded? Other toilet-related ideas in this thread. Not sure what your end goal is and if plagiarism is kosher, but Buzzfeed has legions of these types of things (check their quizzes section).
posted by desjardins at 11:27 AM on March 24, 2015
posted by desjardins at 11:27 AM on March 24, 2015
Which is smarter, a sheep or a cow?
Are race car drivers athletes? How about golfers?
posted by scratch at 11:34 AM on March 24, 2015
Are race car drivers athletes? How about golfers?
posted by scratch at 11:34 AM on March 24, 2015
If you were up to your neck in a barrel of shit and I threw a baseball at your head, would you duck?
posted by Rob Rockets at 12:11 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by Rob Rockets at 12:11 PM on March 24, 2015
Would you rather be a fabulously wealthy person who had to live in Antarctica for the rest of your life, or a destitute person in your hometown?
NASA is taking volunteers for a one-way trip to colonize the Mars. Do you go?
If your family will be made rich as compensation for your absence, does that change your answer?
At the time of your death, you are given a choice: fade away into non-existence or live forever as a ghost, able to see and hear the living but not interact with them. What do you choose?
You have the power to either end all disease, forever, or permanently destroy, with no possibility of re-manufacture, all firearms and explosives. Which do you choose?
posted by Pater Aletheias at 12:40 PM on March 24, 2015
NASA is taking volunteers for a one-way trip to colonize the Mars. Do you go?
If your family will be made rich as compensation for your absence, does that change your answer?
At the time of your death, you are given a choice: fade away into non-existence or live forever as a ghost, able to see and hear the living but not interact with them. What do you choose?
You have the power to either end all disease, forever, or permanently destroy, with no possibility of re-manufacture, all firearms and explosives. Which do you choose?
posted by Pater Aletheias at 12:40 PM on March 24, 2015
Dust first or vacuum?
Better to be nearsighted or farsighteaf?
Deaf or blind.
posted by BoscosMom at 1:01 PM on March 24, 2015
Better to be nearsighted or farsighteaf?
Deaf or blind.
posted by BoscosMom at 1:01 PM on March 24, 2015
I can't believe no one else thought of this (me included):
Was the dress blue and black or white and gold?
posted by foxjacket at 1:49 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Was the dress blue and black or white and gold?
posted by foxjacket at 1:49 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Is the turning lane in the middle of the road for turning into or turning out of? (The answer in Kansas is different from the answer in Oregon.)
Would you rather die from dehydration or hypothermia?
Which character is the better Harrison Ford role: Han Solo or Indiana Jones?
Would you rather have a time machine that lets you skip forward one minute at a time or a time machine that skips backward one minute at a time?
posted by tacodave at 2:29 PM on March 24, 2015
Would you rather die from dehydration or hypothermia?
Which character is the better Harrison Ford role: Han Solo or Indiana Jones?
Would you rather have a time machine that lets you skip forward one minute at a time or a time machine that skips backward one minute at a time?
posted by tacodave at 2:29 PM on March 24, 2015
Is it wrong to tell white lies? (Or sample a grape at the grocery store, go into a store barefoot, jaywalk, go to a party when you have a cold, etc.)
Is it important to wash your hands before eating?
Is it possible to be wrong about whether something is beautiful?
posted by Redstart at 3:54 PM on March 24, 2015
Is it important to wash your hands before eating?
Is it possible to be wrong about whether something is beautiful?
posted by Redstart at 3:54 PM on March 24, 2015
Is cheesecake actually cheese pie?
posted by carmicha at 6:18 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by carmicha at 6:18 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is having loved and lost better than having never loved at all?
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 8:05 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 8:05 PM on March 24, 2015
Is a banana a berry?
posted by Midnight Skulker at 8:24 AM on March 25, 2015
posted by Midnight Skulker at 8:24 AM on March 25, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Wretch729 at 9:38 AM on March 24, 2015