But is it really a quick question? Not usually. Is the reference ‘quick question’ relative to the question itself or is the intent looking for a ‘quick answer’? What if I didn’t want a quick question coming my way, then what? Am I obligated to answer your quick question just because you asked? Am I to think that you are being considerate of my time and busy schedule, and therefore to avoid a lengthy question and often lengthier answer you poise your words as something ‘quick’? If you are looking for a quick answer to your quick question, I am probably already burdened with being put in a situation of having to provide a ‘quick answer’. Generally one question generates a follow-up question. Then what?
Those two words have such a powerful passive-aggressive pathway of forced communication. Yet those two words are so often, and I do mean often, used as an exchanged lead-in for “I would like to talk to you about this topic…now.”
I wonder how many times I have been approached with ‘quick question…’, and then the resulting answer becomes a warranted involved dialog. I think the lead-in ‘quick question…’, has now graduated into my lifetime tray of annoyances. For me, it goes right along with the very irritating clackety-clack sound-effect that was so overused on radio and television airwaves of the late 80’s through early 2000’s to simulate computer keyboard use. Computer keyboard technology became a lot quieter before the CLACKETY-CLACK annoyance was for the most part put to rest.
So I’m thinking that the ‘quick question’ approach is a selfish introduction to a discussion that someone else wants to have. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me.
‘Get off my lawn!’
Petdad 