To think that if you ask an honest question about other people's lives, you shouldn't always be told it's none of your business?

[HerrenatheHHHarridan]

I've seen more than a few threads here where the OP is wondering how or why other people in different set-ups to their own (poorer/richer/more or less family interaction/different schooling methods/whatever) live the way they do.

Sometimes the question is rather obviously an excuse to rant and be judgey, but sometimes it's an honest question - like 'AIBU to wonder how families with such-and-such an issue deal with it?'

In many cases the OP is simply told it's none of their business and to f* off.

The thing is, sometimes I wonder these things about people outside my own circle of family and friends, whose situations are different to mine. For me, most of the time it's simple curiosity. I sometimes watch reality TV shows (which are proverbially none of anyone's business, IMO) for the same reason.

So AIBU to think that if you're asking a general question to a general audience out of honest curiosity, you should be able to hope for an informative respnse rather than 200 lots of 'None of your business'?

If you ask a question on AIBU, you run the risk of being told so.

YABU.

But it is none of your business. How I live, so long as I don't break any laws, is how I live. Why should you care?

Echt is right in theory.

But i don't think YABU. Even if you do want to rant and be judgy, thats what AIBU is for!

Is there such a thing as a dishonest question?

There is such a thing as a personal question, and an intrusive question; both of which are quite likely to be met with a 'none of your business' response

Oh and the type of question that is asked in order to challenge the respondent is likely to be met with a fuck off type of response of the respondent does not wish to be drawn into such a challenge

I think on an Internet forum, anything goes. Nobody is forced to respond. So YANBU.

I think that some people assume that a question is asked with hostile intent, when it is not.

Sometimes a question pokes a sore spot about which someone is really weary of explaining quite why the OP is being unreasonable. I'm thinking here of people who have DCs with special needs, for instance.

Sometimes a seemingly innocent question is actually trollery, and the longer you are on here, the better you get at spotting it.

I agree with Rhubarb. If you go up to your friends or nieghbours and start asking intrusive questions, then you can absolutely expect to be told it's none of your business. If I see a thread asking about something I don't want to talk about, or reveal personal information on the internet, then I just don't answer it. No-one is backing you into a corner, you just look at another thread instead.

And sometimes an OP is so ignorant you can't be arsed to respond in any detailed way. That said, I have never told an OP to f off, or told them something wasn't any of their business.

I see what you are getting at OP. But you must realise that AIBU is for bunfighting. No-one can change that.

Good point Rhubarb and BackforGood

op, made the same observation today and asked same ??? on another thread

blardy boring when you see loads of replies to that effect

whats the point of saying it on a thread then continue posting,surley if you dont bother with anybody elses buisness why would you bother posting on a thread when clearly you mind your own buisness

hope you understand what i mean

Oh, I do realise that AIBU is for bunfighting! I think maybe a lot of the questions/rants would garner a more interesting discussion if they were posted in Chat instead.

As some posters have said, if a question is asked that you find uncomfortable then you don't have to answer it!!

Often I ask questions just because the issue hasn't occured to me before and I'm intrigued. That's a good enough reason for children to ask questions, so why not adults? Why does the question 'why do you care?' always come up?

I understand that it's not always polite/appropriate to ask these questions in RL but I kind of thought that was what internet forums were for... so those who are inclined/qualified to answer can do so.