Thoughtful Questions
Occasionally I need to entertain myself when I don’t have my usual methods around. When the need arises, I find myself turning to what I have begun to call “Thought Questions”. These questions are usually prefaced by giving a scenario that is different from the world we know every day. My dad is often the source of these questions as well.
An example that my dad asked first and that I have asked many people in my life because I find it silly: If fish had fur instead of scales, how would they take care of their fur? Since the idea is all hypothetical, any answer can be valid.
A few answers that I have received are:
They would go to a beauty shop run by the Octopi.
They would have to convince land dwelling animals to assist them in procuring hair care products such as combs and brushes. This would also require the fish to assist each other due to the small size of many species’ fins.
They would use coral or other surrounding vegetation to serve as a comb.
They would have multiple fur dreads or mats.
Another thought question that has amused me quite often is: If you were to steal something from another person’s house, but only mildly upset the person by doing so, not actually hurt them, what would you take? Several of the answers that I have heard have made me laugh.
The plate out of the microwave
Their left shoes/half of each pair of socks
The backs to their remotes/the batteries out of them
The shoelaces out of all the shoes
Their forks/spoons
These are just a few of the questions that I have entertained myself with. Surely there are plenty more out there and I would love to hear them. Maybe it is my ADHD, but I really enjoy hearing how other people think things through and I feel like you can learn something about the person based on the answer they provide, or even if they refuse to play along.
I have found that the majority of people that I surround myself with will play along with me, and I think that is a good sign for the type of people in my life. They are willing to be silly and play a small game. What I really love is when they get passionate about their answer and discussing other people’s answers with each other.
Overall I think thought questions are a great way to learn about others, and entertain not only yourself when your options are limited.