There are many in the world that feels powerless, lacking a voice or platform to express their view of the world from their own unique vantage point. To those individuals, if provided an opportunity to speak your truth to those who have once, currently, or will one day hold worldly power, what questions would you ask? Being allowed only four questions to anyone who ever lived, what would be your choice of questions?
A powerful question can reflect to its receiver an understanding of the questioner’s committed listening ability. A carefully composed question clarifies to the person asked, that consideration has been given to the opinions they hold. In a no confrontational approach, one or all of our four composed questions should stimulate thinking, which yields clarity of common ground between contrasting opinions. The way in which we choose to structure questions to our fellow humans can influence the result gotten through interchange. Careful consideration must be given to the best type, tone, and/or framing of questions that will reap the most beneficial outcome from an interaction.
Therefore, our questions should inspire those that we ask in a way that they enjoy answering. Typical questions that are non-confrontational yet hollow include fears, motivations, people admired, or things they would do differently. A meaningful question could seek to know what they cannot live without, inspires them the most, or what their final words would be.
An opportunity to express truth to power, and yet so many of us hold back from obtaining transparency from those with opposing views when provided a chance to do so. Many reasons for this exist, especially when people of great influence or power are before us. We can be intimidated or eager to impress them, and miss an opportunity to frame questions that yield results beneficial to more than just the questioner. Our questions cannot be framed as a demonstration of our own knowledge, but composed in a manner that obtains the most promising response, beneficial to the greatest amount of people at large. This is achieved when questions are ended with a question mark and not a period. Safe, nonthreatening questions of people admired can sometimes end with a period. However, a carefully structured question, leveraged for problem solving, engages the brain. The strong motivator of inquiry can be directed towards finding common purpose. We must realize the Ebb and Flow of a question in order to prevent the complete flood or complete drain of a matter. Consider passion and purpose as a push and pull inspiration towards a common goal. The passion will push us, while our purpose pulls us to a progressive realization of a predetermined worthwhile goal.
If we do not ask, we do not get. The power embedded in an opportunity to ask questions is unearthed from us spending time shaping our questions. Problems are solved when the proper questions are asked. Being allowed four questions of anyone throughout history, having an understanding that there are generally four types of questions that can be asked, we can select each of the basic four, or one framed in four different ways. Either way, prepare the questions to allow enough time, with an anticipation of receiving a truthful remedy.
Effective revolution is not determined by wealth, but by the quality of opportunities that wealth creates. So ask the right questions to focus conversation, pause to listen, for the mind cannot help itself, it needs an answer.
Matthew 7:6-8
6 “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”