# What's the point By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-08-27 Answers follow questions not only in [[sequence]] but also in parameters. How a question is asked influences both thinking and response. The title of this post is a case in point. Notice some key elements to the question what's the point? First, the focus is on a singular point rather than a collection of points. Second, the definite article _the_ is used rather than the indefinite article _a_. As asked, the person responding could feel pressure to boil down all one’s thinking to a single entity, with that single entity being the most essential of all competing entities Asking questions of this [[nature]], while common, is reductionist. The answer provided, while accurate, may lack important nuance which could be useful for [[understanding]] and solidarity. Changing slightly the wording of this question one might be able to observe better the thinking behind the response. However, doing so requires an element of intentionality and care that are uncommon in the hurried [[discussions]] of our day-to-day lives. The original question could be transformed into something like, what are the points of your current constellation of thinking? This isn’t simply rewording the question. The focus is changed through the rewording. First, one is examining multiple points rather than a singular point. Second, the points are networked in a constellation. The response to this type of question might prove to be more useful. It is possible that two people would disagree as to what the most essential point is but find a significant degree of strategic alignment among the constellation of key points. It is this strategic alignment that forms the basis for solidarity. Questions are asked for a variety of purposes. When they are asked for understanding it is useful to take the extra effort to phrase the questions in such a way that we don’t preclude the types of [[insights]] that enable us to connect and collaborate. After all, isn’t that the point? #### Related Items [[Solidarity]] [[Reductionist]] [[Thinking]] [[Questions]] [[Collaboration]] [[Language]]