Quora anyone?

25.  If There Are No Stupid Questions, Then How Do You Explain Quora?   The Tragedy of the Q&A site is the story of the internet.  From The Atlantic, by Jacob Stern.

This essay landed in my email as part of The Atlantic's weekly round-up.  Just reading the title was a confirming experience for me and in his essay Jacob Stern hits the nail on the head.  It's not that the writing is necessarily that great or writing I admire.  Doesn't need to be for this topic; just needs to be clear, concise and honest.  From my experience with Quora, Stern's essay is all three.

Like the author I, too, found myself receiving Quora Q&As in my email.  At first the Q&As I received were about India, Indians and also Scandinavia, especially Norway and Norwegians.  I had no idea why.  A few months prior to being inundated with the Quora emails, I had returned from a trip to India.  Coincidence?  I had also watched the Netflix film Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway based on a true story.  Even taking into account cinematic license, the experience of Mrs. Chatterjee, as described in the movie, seemed extraordinary and wildly egregious.  I wondered if it was true.  I Googled my question and found that Norway's equivalent of child protective services has its own Wikipedia page where a history of racist policies toward immigrants and their childcare are described.  The situation the film's protagonist experienced could have indeed occurred.

So is this why I was suddenly receiving email Quora Q&As about India and Norway in my email?  Seemed preposterous, but at the time, I couldn't figure out another connection.  Then when I considered how Google tracks and filters literally everything, it didn't seem so preposterous.  I recalled a question I Googled prior to preparing for another, earlier trip to India, "Can a woman wear shorts in India?"  When I asked colleagues their answers were divided; foolishly, I thought the internet would be more clarifying.  My Google question was answered in a Quora response addressing this same question.  Yes, woman could wear shorts in India, but only in cities like Mumbai.  I wasn't going to Mumbai, and although it was no more clarifying than my colleagues response, I used the Quora Q&A as a guide for packing my suitcase anyway.  As I admitted, I was foolish.  

Initially, I thought the questions seemed posed to really assist the questioner with a concern or help with a decision.  But how should one accurately respond to the following questions?

What is it like to be an Indian living in the USA?    

What is it like for an Indian to work in an American company?     

When questions are asked on Quora you cannot see who is asking; you can only see the name and credentials of the responder.   Other questions:

Which is the best Scandinavian country?

Which country is better, Norway, Sweden or Denmark? 

Looking at Quora Q&As with a more experienced filter, I became aware that none of these questions have a real or accurate answer.  I learned that, on Quora, a person can ask and answer their own questions.  After learning this I began to notice the anti-American biases from responders from Britain, Scandinavia and other EU countries.   

More recently, some of the questions coming my way have become really outlandish, seeking and expressing bald-faced biases and expressions of personal gripes and disgruntlements - at the cost of living, taxes, the American government, the American president, American culture, American arrogance, American ignorance and more.  It's not only directed at things American, but American things take the overarching brunt of the ridicule.  Mostly from questions for which there is no answer.

I cannot let Americans off the hook.  Another problem with Quora is that you have absolutely no idea who is asking the crazy question or from where it originated.  I began to notice one young, American woman with a fascination about India and, she said, an Indian fiancée, responding to questions like What do Americans think of India?  What is your favorite thing about [place in] India?  Occasionally, this young woman posts a photo of herself.  This elicited from commenters, (because comments to a response are part of the whole Quora shtick), observations of how beautiful she was and how lucky her fiancée was.  Soon after, this same individual responded to a crazy question with examples of insulting [to Indians] American behavior in an US Indian restaurant "in her town".  Her answer was as crazy as the question and the whole scenario seemed entirely made up.  My BS detector was pinging all over the place.  In a comment of my own I checked her on this.  When I looked back at the question a day or so later, my comment had been removed and the comments section had been disabled.   Now you tell me. 

I still read Quora Q&As but now with far more discerning mindset.  If a question seems real, and the response also seems authentic and honest and the topic is about something I know, I may comment with a clarification or opinion of my own.  Sometimes my comments are lengthy.  Very occasionally I'll receive a response to my comment.  Sometimes sincere, sometimes not.  Truthfully, I waste too much time on Quora.  But I use it to practice my writing and the art of making a clear argument or statement.  It seems safe enough to interact with it in this way.  But interacting with it also brings more of it.  Just in the time I've been writing this, amongst a couple of others, I received the following in my email: 

What are subtle behaviors that make a person more attractive?

How can you tell if a person with a low IQ is pretending to be more intelligent?

Well they are not questions about India or Norway, and the responses may be helpful to the questioner, but do you really need to ask?  Quora is nothing more than the standard internet junk that clutters our lives with useless nonsense.  Like Facebook or Twitter, oops I mean X, or any social media, if you feel compelled to interact with it, fair enough.  But, don't expect much.  Biogtry of all sorts - you name it:  racism, sexism, ageism, attention-seeking, extremism, etc. and other disinformation are in full bloom on Quora.  And, remember Quora is making a lot of money off of it/us.  

I'll conclude with this interesting question which appeared in my email this morning.

Who can help me with proof of fund for travel that is the only reason I have been denied after reviewing my GCMS note?

What does this even mean?