Verbal Miscommunication

Verbal communication has taken a drastic decrease in the past twenty years. People are becoming more disconnected and detached with one another than they have ever been. One of the main communication tools that is slowly disappearing is asking questions. Asking questions is a necessity to communication, without it, our world can be shaped differently. The factors of the decline in asking questions is the fear of what others will think, the lack of a reward system for questions, and the increase in technology. A big reason on why people are holding back their questions is because of the fear of looking weak, ignorant, or unsure. It is very common for people today to keep their questions to themselves because they will feel judged and …show more content…
While most people growing up and attending school received the most recognition when they got correct answers, not questions. As life continues, this incentive continues. In a discussion between comedian Louis C.K. and the creator of the TED conference, Richard Saul Wurman, Wurman makes an interesting comment that, “In school, we are rewarded for having the answer, not for asking a good question. Which may explain why kids—who start off asking endless “why” and “what if” questions—gradually ask fewer and fewer of them as they progress through grade school.’” (Wurman). Children begin to learn at young ages that it is “more important” to have the right answers instead of the right questions. Therefore, children stop asking questions which then results in them not being able to gain deeper insights. This difficulty to gain deeper insights thus holds back children, who grow up to becoming adults, to become creators and to change the world. Without questions, people are not able to gain the knowledge required to accomplish such triumphs. On the other hand, asking too many questions can cause someone to be less independent on their own thinking. When someone asks questions, they become vulnerable. Becoming too vulnerable though can lead to being helpless and weak. In the education system, students may become dependent on their teachers and peers by constantly asking questions and not doing anything on their own. After high school, the individuals that become dependent on their peers for answers are usually not successful. The individuals will only be able to sustain mediocre jobs because they are not able to complete tasks without help. Over asking questions may make people become dependent on the people surrounding them. This is not accurate because asking questions help you grow with more knowledge. When you ask questions, you gain