As a teacher I am aware that when I answer a student’s question, there is a chance that the student may not use my answer in the way in which I had intended. I used to overcompensate for this possibility by over-explaining my answers in an attempt to ensure the intent of my answers were understood by my students. Thirty years of experience has shown me that the intent behind my answer is irrelevant when compared to the intent behind the question.
Experience with divisive politics, and even the pandemic, shows us that people rarely ask a question without already being invested in their own opinion. People are not always looking for the answer, more often than not, they are looking for a specific answer and they structure their question in such a way to help funnel the answer toward their agenda.
Ego is not the friend of the truth, education, or mindful living. The truth is out there and so is the knowledge you seek. You just need to make sure that your intent is to acquire knowledge and truth, not just an answer.
“People are very open-minded about new things - as long as they're exactly like the old ones.” - Charles Kettering (1876 - 1958)
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