--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And does Alan have a last name?\" I asked…" description: "\"“And does Alan have a last name?\" I asked. \"Probably,\" said Curtis, \"but we have a 'if you have to ask, you don't need to know because I don't want to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/aldous-mercer-17193_asked_and-does-alan-have-a-last-name-i-asked-p_3034049.jpg" --- # And does Alan have a last name?" I asked. "Probably," said… ![“And does Alan have a last name?" I asked. "Probably," said Curtis, "but we have a 'if you have to ask, you don't need to know because I don't want to friend you on Facebook' policy.” quote by Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/aldous-mercer-17193_asked_and-does-alan-have-a-last-name-i-asked-p_3034049.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/aldous-mercer-17193_asked_and-does-alan-have-a-last-name-i-asked-p_3034049.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/aldous-mercer-17193_asked_and-does-alan-have-a-last-name-i-asked-p_3034049.jpg) > ““And does Alan have a last name?" I asked. "Probably," said Curtis, "but we have a 'if you have to ask, you don't need to know because I don't want to friend you on Facebook' policy.”” [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous policy warns that asking for a friend's name signals unnecessary curiosity. **In simple terms:** Don’t ask unnecessary personal details. Key Takeaway Respect digital boundaries. Themes humor privacy technology Mood lighthearted witty Type satirical contemporary When to use this quote - social media - friendship - digital communication Key Concepts social etiquette online behavior Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to ask personal info? - How do you maintain privacy online? A Different Perspective It may trivialize genuine concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alan Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alan-asked-3829375/) [Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) [Curtis Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curtis-ask-4970390/) [Does Alan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-alan-4970392/) [Facebook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facebook/) [Facebook Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facebook-policy-4970391/) [Need-to-know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-to-know-129785/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Surnames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surnames/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/) ## Related quotes > [“Alan:I asked him what cat we should get, and he said it was my choice, so I got this little black one called Minnie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-merrow/alan-i-asked-him-what-cat-we-should-get-and-he-said-it-was-my-choice/) [J.L. Merrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-merrow/) > [“Speak with caution. Even if someone forgives harsh words you've spoken, they may be too hurt to ever forget them. Don't leave a legacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/speak-with-caution-even-if-someone-forgives-harsh-words-you-ve-spoken/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“If you are on social media, and you are not learning, not laughing, not being inspired or not networking, then you are using it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/if-you-are-on-social-media-and-you-are-not-learning-not-laughing-not/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“Freedom of Speech doesn't justify online bullying. Words have power, be careful how you use them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/freedom-of-speech-doesn-t-justify-online-bullying-words-have-power-be/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [I'm aware people will think I've had an easy way into a dream career. My view is, if anyone has opportunities, they'll take them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-ecclestone/i-m-aware-people-will-think-i-ve-had-an-easy-way-into-a-dream-career/) [Tamara Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-ecclestone/) > [Fathers, sons, brothers, men everywhere: Your legacy will not perish if you take your partner's surname, or she keeps hers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-saldana/fathers-sons-brothers-men-everywhere-your-legacy-will-not-perish-if/) [Zoe Saldana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-saldana/) > [After that, we had a short conversation about how your body can sometimes seem totally separate. She said her body can feel like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/after-that-we-had-a-short-conversation-about-how-your-body-can/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [There are many times where even I, at certain points in the evening, after a few drinks, can't pronounce my own surname.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/there-are-many-times-where-even-i-at-certain-points-in-the-evening/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [In South Korea, some 20 million people share just five surnames. Every one of Denmark's top 20 surnames ends in '-sen,' meaning 'son of,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/in-south-korea-some-20-million-people-share-just-five-surnames-every/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Harriet Jones: When they fart, if you'll pardon the word, it doesn't smell like a fart, pardon the word, it's like something else. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-t-davies/harriet-jones-when-they-fart-if-you-ll-pardon-the-word-it-doesn-t/) [Russell T Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-t-davies/) > [And this is Nymphadora-" "Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus," said the young witch with a shudder. "It's Tonks." "-Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-this-is-nymphadora-don-t-call-me-nymphadora-remus-said-the-young/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't just trot out a brown face or a Spanish surname and expect people are going to vote for your party or your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-villaraigosa/you-can-t-just-trot-out-a-brown-face-or-a-spanish-surname-and-expect/) [Antonio Villaraigosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-villaraigosa/) > [“Her full name is Eva Morelli Stein Hathaway. She retains her surnames not because they define her, but because she defines them; that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryann-d-agincourt/her-full-name-is-eva-morelli-stein-hathaway-she-retains-her-surnames/) [Maryann D'Agincourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryann-d-agincourt/) > [“The phrase "the violent bear it away" fascinated the 20th century Irish-American storyteller Flannery O'Connor, who used it as the title of one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-cahill/the-phrase-the-violent-bear-it-away-fascinated-the-20th-century-irish/) [Thomas Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-cahill/) > [There's a scientific hypothesis that every person's name is a primary suggestive command that contains the entire script of their life in highly concentrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-pelevin/there-s-a-scientific-hypothesis-that-every-person-s-name-is-a-primary/) [Victor Pelevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-pelevin/) ## More by Aldous Mercer > [“Betrayal and love are not mutually exclusive." (Mordred)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/betrayal-and-love-are-not-mutually-exclusive-mordred/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“You are summoning Demons-" "No, I'm summoning angels ." The same claptrap Justin had been spewing earlier. Where did they get their ideas? There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/you-are-summoning-demons-no-i-m-summoning-angels-the-same-claptrap/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“Every pre-FTL civilization we know of has alcohol. I mean, imagine you're stuck to a single planet, it takes decades to cross just your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/every-pre-ftl-civilization-we-know-of-has-alcohol-i-mean-imagine-you/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“Baldessh has no intelligence apparatus. No spies, no automated surveillance, nothing. I have it on very good authority." <"Maybe they're just so good that we haven't heard of them?" "Don't be stupid." --Transcript, Kovan Flagship:"Exchange between Head of Military Intelligence and Kovan Warlord, FTL, Space. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/baldessh-has-no-intelligence-apparatus-no-spies-no-automated/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“Maybe he could convince Les that they needed to have sex for cover purposes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/maybe-he-could-convince-les-that-they-needed-to-have-sex-for-cover/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“It hurts, being human," I agreed sagely. "Wouldn't wish that on anyone. Wouldn't want to give it up." (Mordred)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/it-hurts-being-human-i-agreed-sagely-wouldn-t-wish-that-on-anyone/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“Chaos doesn't need permission to propagate!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/chaos-doesn-t-need-permission-to-propagate/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“Am I screaming? I hope so, but I can't tell, not until I figure out the audio. I don't have a voice box.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/am-i-screaming-i-hope-so-but-i-can-t-tell-not-until-i-figure-out-the/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“ Gravity set the path of the Sun at the moment this Universe was born. The moon was set to spin the day it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/gravity-set-the-path-of-the-sun-at-the-moment-this-universe-was-born/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“Fuck," he said. I couldn't have put it better myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/fuck-he-said-i-couldn-t-have-put-it-better-myself/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“ Who does the sky weep for, when it rains?" Baldasshi Koan "If we knew, the sky would not weep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/who-does-the-sky-weep-for-when-it-rains-baldasshi-koan-if-we-knew-the/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“Leave me alone. I locked the door for a reason." Guaranteed solitude? Soothing porn? Did it matter?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/leave-me-alone-i-locked-the-door-for-a-reason-guaranteed-solitude/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“I thought you didn't love me anymore." Royce's brows furrowed. "What does sex have to do with love?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/i-thought-you-didn-t-love-me-anymore-royce-s-brows-furrowed-what-does/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“He laughed, a sinister sound that made some of the people outside the restaurant shudder without knowing why.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/he-laughed-a-sinister-sound-that-made-some-of-the-people-outside-the/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [“I rose to my feet and extended my hand. "Mr.Vijayagopalan," I said. "Please," he said, shaking my hand with both of his, "call me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/i-rose-to-my-feet-and-extended-my-hand-mr-vijayagopalan-i-said-please/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) [Explore all 37 Aldous Mercer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) ## More Asked quotes > [“Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. "Because if I had the chance... I would spend every moment of every day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/are-you-sure-he-asked-in-a-low-voice-because-if-i-had-the-chance-i/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Who tricked me into this whole thing and leaves me standing here? Who am I? How did I get into the world? Why was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/who-tricked-me-into-this-whole-thing-and-leaves-me-standing-here-who/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“The best questions are ones never asked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cory-molloy/the-best-questions-are-ones-never-asked/) [Robert Cory Molloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cory-molloy/) > [A lot of people think I'm snotty. So what? They never asked me out when I was serving cheeseburgers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-moriarty/a-lot-of-people-think-i-m-snotty-so-what-they-never-asked-me-out-when/) [Cathy Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-moriarty/) > [I've been so lucky with the people I've worked with, but I'm such a fan girl. 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