why do people like to ask silly questions (including me)?
550262
Because it's fun to see what humor creative minds might come up with.
1105033
Some people rush through their answers in order to rack up the points. I personally like to answer questions to the best of my ability. If I want to horse around I sometimes ask a funny and weird question.
1034154
Because of curiosity, being stupid themselves, and wanting to see what other people respond to as (see curiosity).  Although I personally dont think you should ask stupid questions because it certainly isnt worth losing 5 points, although points dont matter.\n\nBut the good thing is, I just got 2 free points for answering this question!\n\nBWAHAHA I'm so evil.\n\nWell then everyone who answered any questions is evil.\n\nAhem ahem, cough cough.
653250
I like the daft questions and I like your style, keep asking the silly questions.\n\nThanks, it makes me laugh.
35488
Yes. I think they do it to keep people from asking idle questions.  If you know it'll cost you a point, most people will refrain from asking things like, "Would you kiss my pet gerbil?" or some other nonsense.
892885
people asking stupid questions?
139306
To get opinions.... or just to feel like there are real people out there answering your questions.\n\nWhy did you ask this question?
340481
Well, that is why people do this...to sharpen sarcasm skills. But I have come to find that only I think that I am funny, so I try to be honest and thoughtful most of the time. Besides, I do not like reading trashy questions over and over again on my Questions and Answers History,  thus, I have to really consider the questions I answer.  (I like your question; I will not mind seeing it on my history.)
1030649
It's good to ask questions and have people with different point of views to answer them, healthy for the mind. Makes you wiser. but some people can ask some stupid questions like that.
1175281
When ppl consistently ask stupid questions over and over to the point where it pisses me off, I just give stupid answers that i hope will do the same to them.\n\nBecuz I beleive that when life throws you lemons, \nyou throw them right back and add a few of your own.
846638
To make literalists ask silly questions.
305422
Its no different than the questions I get asked from day to day in my line of work. Some of the questions seem silly but many people are dead serious when they ask em.  People without God or a limited sense of God have these goofy ideas about him.  All you can do is answer em and hope like heck that they get an understanding.\nNow you do get some smart mouth fools just trying to get a rise, so they ask really dumb insincere questions.  When you get these you just gotta answer em as if they are real questions.
309722
newest stupid question i have seen: Why do people ask such ridiculously stupid questions? \n\n\nWow you are right, what kind of person wastes peoples' time with these questions...better yet, what kind of person actually bothers to read those questions or answer them or to copy them down for their own question....yep, i think you right you are stupid...
360712
People who ask silly questions aren't really interested in this, in how it works and why-- they're just bored people vegging out in front of the computer instead of the TV.  If they're doing this and still bored then it's not something to do for fun or to learn things but a way to kill time-- dead!  They turn into zombies in front of the computers and ask no important questions (to them or anyone else) and give few or no good questions to others' answers, then complain of boredom.  That's because they aren't really thinking or becoming involved in what they're doing, they're just vegging, like I said-- or more like becoming zombified.  By the way, my favorite stupid question was when someone just asked, "Hello......?"
200556
Stupid questions (such as this one) are asked repeatedly because the person asking wants attention. Basically their 15 minutes of fame. Giving them some sort of euphoric "High" when they see all the answers they receive.\n\nAsking a question costs you 5 points, so points would not be the motivation for asking a question.\n\nPeople answer the stupid questions ( and by the way, it's a crock that there is no such thing as a stupid question) because they get a feeling of superiority over the asker of the stupid question and they also enjoy their little bit of fame and attention. Some people DO answer the questions just for the 2 points and the possibility of getting chosen as the best and receiving 10 more points. They can then get up to 50 points more if people rate their best answer as the best.\nThe extra points allow them to move to higher levels and they are then able to Ask, Answer, Comment, Rate and Vote for more questions. \n\nThere are some people that answer the questions to be helpful. I try to answer serious questions to the best of my ability. It makes me happy to think that I may have helped another person with their problem. \n\nSilly, funny, rude or stupid questions....I answer them the way they should be answered. =-)
617485
There are, of course, many humourous and also silly questions. But the interesting part of "Answers" is to ask something you really want to know, be it a clear answer or just opinions, and thus get inputs which are interesting or of help to you.\n\nTalking about my experience, I have asked several questions about something I wanted to know precisely, and got  the right answer, which was really helpful and I appreciated.\n\nAs far as the answer one gives to other's questions is concerned, for me its the same procedure. To me it makes no sense at all to want to impose one's opinion to others. For such purpose you would need a chat procedure having a dialogue, and not just your answer to the question.
371316
I've also seen many inappropriate answers to serious questions...\n\nWhen the question is jovial, jocular or just plain funny you expect some funny answers.  \n\nMany people really have a need when they ask a question.\n\nI believe that those mocking the serious should be tagged as abusers and their answer pool examined for any "redeeming social value,"  if none is found then they should be banned from further answering without a serious review period.\n\nI think anyone can examine a list of peoples answers just by clicking on their nickname as displayed to see if they are just answering to make noise (I like your "disinformation participants" description) or to add to the subject from their vast knowledge, talent, or experiences.\n\nAnother poster said "Sad."  I agree, however, you have to endure some bad to have the good.\n\nA percentage guess?  I'm seeing about 20-40% garbage.  Some intentional, some just ignorance.  It nearly enrages me to hear (read) someone spouting reams of misinformation based on hearsay, wives tales and myth. When someone asks a serious question, they probably want to learn something from the answer--when they ask a funny one, then it's time to engage in some entertaining prose.