This is something I'm only just recently coming to understand has been a lifelong source of interpersonal problems for me, and omfg it seems so fucking omnipresent.
Why does everyone get so mad when I ask why/how about something?!
I learned a few years ago that sometimes people feel judged by my questions (????!?!?), and so I've tried to super, ultra sugarcoat them. I've tried even harder since getting medicated for ADHD, because I have the mental space now to preface my carefully stated questions with assurances that I am only trying to understand, not indict.
It doesn't feel like it's getting me anywhere, and I'm starting to wonder if it's an unreasonable expectation? Is it silly to think that questioning motives or reasoning could ever be non-offensive? It doesn't bother me to explain my motives or reasoning - fuck, it's a fucking relief, please oh fuck let me explain - but I know I'm NotLikeOtherGirls™
This happens most when the person I'm asking has no good answer - it's like my asking "but why?" makes them realize there was no reasoning at all, which wasn't the smartest course, and then feel guilty about not thinking it through.
That is never what I expect to happen - I don't ask why if I think there's no reason. If I'm asking, it's not because I think you're stupid, it's because I think I'm stupid for not catching on. I respect you and your judgement, so if you're doing something that seems confusing to me, I assume there's a good reason that I just don't understand yet, and I really really want to understand!
I'm just hoping to get clued in. I genuinely keep thinking there is some reason for whatever confusing behavior or action. I am just asking so I can get on the same page.
The very act of asking is unfortunately not giving me any answers; it seems to be antagonizing instead. "I don't have a good reason and fuck you for making me admit it!" ???!?
Anybody relate?
What do?
I think I've been on both sides here. When I'm frustrated with someone else's questions, it's because I'm irritated that they're not being effective with our time. I feel that they're missing the forest for the trees, and asking questions about stuff that has no bearing on the outcome of the conversation (which has a purpose of some kind).
Like talking about getting a car washed by a certain time, and the other person wonders if it's a Nissan or a Toyota. Then, I have to take the responsibility of either following them down that path, or take the responsibility of redirecting them to the main point. Don't know if this is what your questions are like, but these really get my goat.
The main issue is just that interacting with that person is making me do more work, guaranteed, so then I end up avoiding them. I don't hate them, I'm just not willing to do more work for no reason.
I get aggravated by those kinds of questions too, so I save all non-urgent questions for a moment when time is not of the essence. I'll step in with a "why this instead of that?" if it looks like it could avoid an imminent problem - "why are you taking this exit at 3:00, there will be a ton of school traffic, let's go the other way" kinda stuff - but otherwise, I wait until later to try to understand why things happened the way they did.