ChatterBank3 mins ago
Stupid Questions
28 Answers
Can something not be done about the pathetic, pointless and completely un-humorous questions that are appearing all over the site. Particularly in body and soul of course. I enjoy coming on to AB to look at the genuine questions but these always get pushed out of the way in favour of rubbish such as, What is the best way to chat up a goat. And please don't say, if you don't like it don't read it because when a whole page is full of them it's pretty hard to avoid them. To me it seems like the internet equivalent of people liking the sound of their own voices.
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Nonsense scotchollie - there is no possible tautology in the original question - it would hardly be asked in that way if there was any possibility that it could be interpreted in the way you suggest.
The 'not' in the question only empasises the point that something 'should' be done. I am sorry but if you take any question that begins 'cannot something be done' to mean the possibilty that no action is required, when it ALWAYS means the exact opposite, then you are wrong.
As for humour in your second post, sorry but there simply isn't any - you were trying to be clever at milly143's expense and have failed completely due to your miscomprehension of modern English and the lack of the double negative that your post was supposedly based on.
The 'not' in the question only empasises the point that something 'should' be done. I am sorry but if you take any question that begins 'cannot something be done' to mean the possibilty that no action is required, when it ALWAYS means the exact opposite, then you are wrong.
As for humour in your second post, sorry but there simply isn't any - you were trying to be clever at milly143's expense and have failed completely due to your miscomprehension of modern English and the lack of the double negative that your post was supposedly based on.
Town Crier - far from having fun at Milly143's expense, I have not personalised any comment hereto, unlike some of the comments directed at myself.
As it happens Milly143 makes a very valid point and I am delighted that we are having an open and earnest debate on the subject.
That said, Town Crier, Milly143 did not say 'cannot something be done' as you have written.
The question clearly says: 'Can something not be done...'
Thus, your construct is based on mis-quoting the original question, which merely adds to the confusion.
Ironically therefore, I find myself agreeing with you:
There is no possible tautology in the original question.
As it happens Milly143 makes a very valid point and I am delighted that we are having an open and earnest debate on the subject.
That said, Town Crier, Milly143 did not say 'cannot something be done' as you have written.
The question clearly says: 'Can something not be done...'
Thus, your construct is based on mis-quoting the original question, which merely adds to the confusion.
Ironically therefore, I find myself agreeing with you:
There is no possible tautology in the original question.
I like it Ludwig!
As a final point, a goatherd comes to work and finds the following notices pinned to his noticeboard by his boss:
Can goats not be herded?
Can goats be herded?
What should the goatherd do?
On that note, and out of respect to Milly 143's note about 'people likng the sound of their own voices', I'll bow out of this one.
Thank you Milly143. It's been a most interesting discussion and proves the point that one man's meat is another man's pet goat.
As a final point, a goatherd comes to work and finds the following notices pinned to his noticeboard by his boss:
Can goats not be herded?
Can goats be herded?
What should the goatherd do?
On that note, and out of respect to Milly 143's note about 'people likng the sound of their own voices', I'll bow out of this one.
Thank you Milly143. It's been a most interesting discussion and proves the point that one man's meat is another man's pet goat.
No no scotchollie - saying 'Can something not be done' is exactly the same as 'cannot something be done - and therefore there is no tautology in either.
If you were not trying to trying to have fun at milly143's expense, what was your post intended to do? You say it was a humorous post, based upon a double negative - but as there is no double negative where is the humour?
There is no doubt in the next posters mind that you were making fun of milly143 as she says 'lmao how sad true olly' .
Tell me scotchollie - are you going to suggest that ludwig's question is not valid? He/she has, very humorously, put the question in the same way as milly143. You say you like it but according to you it is invalid. It looks ugly, yes, but it is still perfectly acceptable and it is very clear what the question means.
I too bow out of this thread now. I am completely with milly143 - and finding others clearly making fun of her for asking her question in the way she has is incomprehensible to me.
If you were not trying to trying to have fun at milly143's expense, what was your post intended to do? You say it was a humorous post, based upon a double negative - but as there is no double negative where is the humour?
There is no doubt in the next posters mind that you were making fun of milly143 as she says 'lmao how sad true olly' .
Tell me scotchollie - are you going to suggest that ludwig's question is not valid? He/she has, very humorously, put the question in the same way as milly143. You say you like it but according to you it is invalid. It looks ugly, yes, but it is still perfectly acceptable and it is very clear what the question means.
I too bow out of this thread now. I am completely with milly143 - and finding others clearly making fun of her for asking her question in the way she has is incomprehensible to me.
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