Before I did, I had parents in mind and I'm sure you'll be wondering why?
Amongst all the comments, the one by Richard Chilee caught my attention because I felt it was almost one of the reasons why the why question was seen as either insulting, challenging or rude and it reads thus;
"I think it stems from a culture that doesn't allow for questions especially from younger to older. Our culture accepts a hand-me-down approach to issues. We also want people to swallow our suggestions and opinion without asking. Hence asking 'why' is likened to insulting".
I also liked this Tommy Udoh's answer;
Cover for ignorance - when people don't have answers they feign anger so as to dissuade further probe.
***
It's been a big burden looking back at the reaction of most of our parents when they are asked to please explain the reasons for their telling us to take or not take some actions. It's almost like its a taboo to ask for clarification. I usually remember the old proverb they always told us "what an old man sees sitting down, a young man who climbs an iroko tree cannot see it" and if it's said now, I shake my head because in some cases, yes it's true but in many other scenarios, it's not so much like that.
It's funny but I do not blame them because in their time, that's how it worked. A lot of habits, belief, ideologies, were passed on to our parents with the assertion that they had to do it how they were taught or told because that's how it is supposed to be done or how it is done. It worked for them because they didn't have access to much information and that's why marriages could be easily arranged, courses could easily be selected for children, etc.
In this our time, that almost doesn't work.
I've seen a lot of people from my generation who had questions that couldn't be answered fall into the wrong things and get associated with wrong people just because they were really inquisitive and their parents weren't knowledgeable enough, were too self righteous or saw being asked those questions as being disrespectful.
It's a pity some people still suffer as a result of this mindset and some parents still try to control their children's thought process and decisions. Meanwhile by children I don't mean below 25. Truth is even if you are 40, you are still your parents child.
To avoid a very long write-up, I'll divide this thought process of mine in different articles.
Now to the crux of the matter, my note is to my generation of parents not our parents. We are one of the luckiest ones being that God blessed us to be the generation that will breakout from that "it's the norm" mindset to "things change plus we have the database of information we can dig into to answer almost anything".
Build your capacity as a parent to answer anything, be well informed because your child would not understand the "it's the norm" answer your parents gave to you. The rate at which the children of these days ask questions that looks irrelevant but looking at it critically, it is important, then you will understand the reason I am bringing it to your notice.
For this particular article I'll keep the message as BE AN INFORMED PARENT.
I rest my case
My Thoughts.
Ala O. Wilcox
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