Anyone who has ever been a kid in a car has uttered the cranky words “Are we there yet?” You know you’re not there yet, and your parents know you know, and so they respond in a tone as cranky as yours. What you really meant was “I’m feeling restless” or “I wish we were there” or “This is a long trip for me.” Any of these would likely elicit a more productive response from Mom and Dad. This illustrates an important rule about inquiry: If you don’t have a question, don’t ask a question. Never dress up an assertion as a question. Doing so creates confusion and resentment, because such questions
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