We live in a curious world, and there are a couple of questions that every human would be absolutely thrilled to know the answers to; where did we come from, how many universes are there, and is there a plan for us, or is the future yet to be written?
"There is no such thing as a stupid question" – a common phrase that suggests that just because one person may know less than others, they should not be afraid to ask questions, even if they sound rather odd.
“What is the dumbest question someone legitimately asked you?” – this online user took it to one of the most well-liked Reddit communities to find out what kinds of foolish questions the online members have gotten. The post has received nearly 35K upvotes and 31.4K worth of entertaining comments.
More info: Reddit
#1
One day one of my students said “Ew, I have to work today.” To which I replied, “So do I.”
He looked at me and asked, honestly, “Oh really? Where do you work?”
“Here...I work here...right where I am standing. I don’t do this as a service to your parents.”
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434points
#2
American: "Do you have airplanes in South America?"
Me: "No, I got here swinging on vines that hang from our trees"
383points
#3
“Don’t you find it stupid that Obama is the only president without a last name?”
373points
#4
Boss: "Could you print out that file, scan it, and email it to me?"
Me: "I could just email it to you."
Boss: ...
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364points
#5
Going through the border -- from Canada into the U.S.:
Border Guard: "What's your citizenship?"
Me: [hands over passport, which notes my birthplace as Vancouver, British Columbia] "Canadian."
Border Guard: "No, what's your citizenship?"
Me: *louder* "I'm Canadian."
Border Guard: *yelling* "What's your citizenship?!"
Me: "I don't know what you're asking me!"
Border Guard: "Where were you born? Was it Colombia?"
Me: "British Columbia is a province in Canada."
Border Guard: *waves me through*
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352points
#6
“Are you gay?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Hm I don’t know Jerry, just not feelin’ it today.
347points
#7
My friend once asked, “What if they made a sea world but instead it’s centered around the land?”
I responded with “So basically, a zoo?”
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320points
#8
My wife at the time saw the headline “Buffalo buried in 5 feet of snow” (I don’t remember the exact measurement). She asked “Why don’t they just dig the poor guy out?” There was a picture of the city under the headline.
314points
#9
What nationality are you?
*canadian*
No, i mean, what nationality?
*ummm, do you mean heritage? Polish I guess*
No no, listen, na-tional-ity
*I don’t know what you’re asking?*
Whispers: Nationality, like, are you white, black, etc?
*just look at me, I’m white as snow, and that’s not nation...*
Cool I didn’t want to assume anything.
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312points
#10
Having a conversation about traveling.
Me: I’ve always wanted to road trip up to Alaska and see the northern lights
Her: (looking at me like I’m a moron*) oh yeah? How are you going to drive to Alaska??
Me: in my car...
Her: You can’t DRIVE there
And then I realized she thought Alaska was an island... I had to explain to her that although Alaska and Hawaii were always in little boxes next to the mainland of USA maps that doesn’t mean they’re both islands.
10 years later I married her...
306points
#11
My eyes are two different colors, and the question I'm most often asked about them is , "Did you know your eyes are two different colors?" I'm amused when someone asks me whether I see different colors out of each eye, or - even better - whether I "see in 3D."
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288points
#12
Isn’t it a shame unicorns went extinct?
This person was an adult and thought unicorns exists during medieval times.
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286points
#13
(I used to work at a bakery) a customer once asked me:
"When the bread isn't warm anymore, that means it's not fresh anymore, so I can have it for free right?"
-_- "no"
270points
#14
Not anything super mind-boggling, but I worked as a server at a infamous "Italian" restaurant during college. Here's my interaction with a guest one evening:
G: "I'd like to order the spaghetti with marinara sauce, but can I get fettuccine noodles instead?"
M: "Sure thing."
G: "Oh, and I'd like to please substitute the marinara with Alfredo sauce. And please add chicken."
M: ".... I would have to charge you for the chicken Alfredo, then." (Note there was a few dollars in price difference between the two dishes, Alfredo being more expensive).
G: "But I ordered the spaghetti with marinara."
M: "Sure thing."
G: "Oh, and I'd like to please substitute the marinara with Alfredo sauce. And please add chicken."
M: ".... I would have to charge you for the chicken Alfredo, then." (Note there was a few dollars in price difference between the two dishes, Alfredo being more expensive).
G: "But I ordered the spaghetti with marinara."
I legitimately had to argue with this person for few moments as to why I couldn't magically substitute out the entire entree for a different one with no price difference. Guest ended up being super crabby for the remainder of the time and I'm fairly certain didn't tip at all.
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263points
#15
A coworker at the library was asked for aerial photos of the Colosseum in Rome.
Before it was in ruins.
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246points
#16
"So Trump is our president, right? Does that mean he's in charge of our state or the whole world? Sorry but I've never understood this whole president thing..."
This was asked to me by a fellow high school senior... in civics class.
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244points
#17
A girl asked me if honey came from bears. I’ll never forget it.
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242points
#18
my own sister asked me how we were related to my grandparents
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238points
#19
Not me, but overheard someone asking a restaurant server "Your coupon says it's valid 7 days a week, does this include weekends?"
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237points
#20
My stepmom once asked if islands float around in the ocean.
My brother burst out laughing, and I just looked flatly at my dad and said, "You married this woman." We still give her grief about it.
233points