--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has always puzzled me, in my business…" description: "\"It has always puzzled me, in my business, that people think they have to answer questions, no matter how disagreeable or dangerous, just because they w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/judith-martin-1927_answers_it-has-always-puzzled-me-in-my-business_2303597.jpg" --- # It has always puzzled me, in my business, that people… ![“It has always puzzled me, in my business, that people think they have to answer questions, no matter how disagreeable or dangerous, just because they were asked. Of course, we journalists would be out of business if they didn't.” quote by Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/judith-martin-1927_answers_it-has-always-puzzled-me-in-my-business_2303597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/judith-martin-1927_answers_it-has-always-puzzled-me-in-my-business_2303597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/488/judith-martin-1927_answers_it-has-always-puzzled-me-in-my-business_2303597.jpg) > “It has always puzzled me, in my business, that people think they have to answer questions, no matter how disagreeable or dangerous, just because they were asked. Of course, we journalists would be out of business if they didn't.” [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often feel compelled to answer every question, even risky ones, because they fear losing relevance. **In simple terms:** Fear of irrelevance forces answering dangerous questions. Key Takeaway Consider when to decline harmful inquiries. Themes communication ethics professionalism Mood anxious reflective Type advice ethical When to use this quote - journalism - customer service - public speaking - negotiation Key Concepts social pressure risk management Questions to Reflect On - When should you refuse to answer? - How to balance honesty with safety? A Different Perspective Answering may cause harm or misinformation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Disagreeable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagreeable/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Journalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalists/) [Journalists Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalists-business-5451276/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Puzzled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puzzled/) [Puzzled Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puzzled-business-5451277/) [Questions Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions-matter-2246528/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Do not waste your time on Social Questions. What is the matter with the poor is Poverty; what is the matter with the rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/do-not-waste-your-time-on-social-questions-what-is-the-matter-with/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [One can do without solutions. Only the questions matter. We may share them or turn away from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/one-can-do-without-solutions-only-the-questions-matter-we-may-share/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [You can't just go and ask people the questions that matter most--that would be too easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ostrovski/you-can-t-just-go-and-ask-people-the-questions-that-matter-most-that/) [Emil Ostrovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ostrovski/) > [For the future, I would suggest avoiding subjects of too vast a scale. It would be useful to make out a list of fundamental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lehmann/for-the-future-i-would-suggest-avoiding-subjects-of-too-vast-a-scale/) [Karl Lehmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lehmann/) > [I love the early process of asking questions about a story and deciding which questions matter most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/i-love-the-early-process-of-asking-questions-about-a-story-and/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) > [Logical thinking will not be enough to get answers to the questions that matter most in life. We need revelation from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/logical-thinking-will-not-be-enough-to-get-answers-to-the-questions/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [I always thought my questions were wrong questions because no one else asked them. Maybe no one thought of them. Maybe darkness got there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-moon/i-always-thought-my-questions-were-wrong-questions-because-no-one/) [Elizabeth Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-moon/) > [Questions matter. In business, remarkable performers are brilliant at getting to the right question: the one that speeds them to the place they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/questions-matter-in-business-remarkable-performers-are-brilliant-at/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [There is no answer to any of these questions. It's a matter of time and timing, of seas and seasons, of breathing in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/there-is-no-answer-to-any-of-these-questions-it-s-a-matter-of-time/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [You do not have to do everything disagreeable that you have a right to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/you-do-not-have-to-do-everything-disagreeable-that-you-have-a-right/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [What is up,you never look down. What is down, you never look up. But you forgot there is always something missing,the missing piece that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-cliff/what-is-up-you-never-look-down-what-is-down-you-never-look-up-but-you/) [Ricky Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-cliff/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## More by Judith Martin > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/if-you-put-together-all-the-ingredients-that-naturally-attract/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Chaperons, even in their days of glory, were almost never able to enforce morality; what they did was to force immorality to be discreet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/chaperons-even-in-their-days-of-glory-were-almost-never-able-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [There are always proper responses, even to rude questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/there-are-always-proper-responses-even-to-rude-questions/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Perhaps the greatest rudenesses of our time come not from the callousness of strangers, but from the solicitousness of intimates who believe that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/perhaps-the-greatest-rudenesses-of-our-time-come-not-from-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [We are all entitled to our little harmless habits, but we are not entitled to demand approval for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/we-are-all-entitled-to-our-little-harmless-habits-but-we-are-not/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [“Lady” is not used before the lady’s first name unless she is the daughter of a duke, marquess or earl; those who come by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/lady-is-not-used-before-the-lady-s-first-name-unless-she-is-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Greece is a good place for rebirths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/greece-is-a-good-place-for-rebirths/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Adorable children are considered to be the general property of the human race. Rude children belong to their mothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/adorable-children-are-considered-to-be-the-general-property-of-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I have always believed that the key to a happy marriage was the ability to say with a straight face, 'Why, I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/i-have-always-believed-that-the-key-to-a-happy-marriage-was-the/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [It is, indeed, a trial to maintain the virtue of humility when one can't help being right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/it-is-indeed-a-trial-to-maintain-the-virtue-of-humility-when-one-can/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Honesty is a virtue, but not the only one. If you're in a courtroom you need the whole truth and nothing but the truth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/honesty-is-a-virtue-but-not-the-only-one-if-you-re-in-a-courtroom-you/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Only a person who considers himself too good for you is good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/only-a-person-who-considers-himself-too-good-for-you-is-good-enough/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Society cannot exist without etiquette ... It never has, and until our own century, everybody knew that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/society-cannot-exist-without-etiquette-it-never-has-and-until-our-own/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) [Explore all 197 Judith Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) [Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It has always puzzled me, in my business, that people think they have to answer questions, no matter how disagreeable or dangerous, just because they were asked. 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