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They say there are no stupid questions. Well, that depends on the setting. If it's a classroom full of eager-to-learn minds, then it might be true. But if we're talking about a conversation between two colleagues in front of the coffee machine...

So in an attempt to disprove this old saying, a now-deleted Reddit user asked everyone on the platform to share the dumbest things people have asked them. And they succeeded: the comment section was flooded with ridiculous submissions, stemming from ignorance in subjects like geography, religion, and the human body. Continue scrolling to see our hand-picked selection of the funniest ones!

#1

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious About 25 years ago I was explaining time zones to a 20ish year old intern at a large scientific agency. She wasn't getting it, so i got an orange I brought for lunch and used it as the Earth.

Me: Ok, pretend this is the Earth. The sun only shines on one side, so it's day on approximately half at any given time. Now since the Earth rotates (as i spin the orange)...

Intern: So wait. Hold on. So you're saying the Earth is round?

I wish i was joking.

zygomelonm , Sigmund Report

#2

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious "If you're an atheist, why don't you go around killing people?" I'm worried now that there are people out there who would just casually kill, but don't because they're scared of hell.

thesoundofchange , ajuprasetyo Report

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Skara Brae
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Which raises the question, how many people refrain from murder just because they are religious?

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#3

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Why are you spying on me?

I was working in a call center for Dish Network and a guy called in, very upset. He wanted to know why Dish Network was spying on him. I tried to let him know that we were not in fact spying on him. Which he countered with, "if you are not spying on me then why is there a camera in the damn box?" "Sir, a camera? There is no camera in the receiver" I respond. "Yes there is" he screams "I know there is because I can see everything happening in my room on the TV right now."

I sat there and pondered that statement, trying to figure out what was happening. I asked, "sir, is your TV off right now?" In the background I hear the clear sound of a TV being turned on. I then said, "sir, that is called a reflection. Is there anything else I can help you with?" He hung up.

tacsatduck , CDC Report

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Falcon
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This guy might call the police every time he walks past a mirror in the house. Damn spies in wall-boxes!

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#4

Why do we need farmers when we have supermarkets. Heard this in real life and blew my mind

Training_Exit_5849 Report

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Serial pacifist
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a steak and sausage farm, and I love how they wrap themselves up these days and ship each other to supermarkets. We virtually have nothing to do.

rkrause avatar
Rebekah Krause
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“why do we need to eat chickens when we can just go to the grocery store and buy it” I thought maybe this woman was talking about vegetarian or vegan chicken protein replacements, I was wrong. She actually thought somehow the actual chicken nearby the grocery store is somehow different from living chickens on farms.

humedebruyn avatar
Hume
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish people here in South Africa could understand that simple part. A certain group of people in this country really dislike farmers. (Because of their race). So many times farm murders go unchecked in this country. Do they not realize that South Africa depends on farming? We are not a first-world nation that could get away with just import and export. I bet they think the farmers have nothing at all to do with supermarkets.

ssnx01 avatar
Chich
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I heard this as a kid from "city" classmates and I'm in my 60's.

dariab_1 avatar
Daria B
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Much younger here (born in 1989), but I'm a city child too, and even I knew the products at the supermarket had to come from somewhere.... There's no excuse for some things....

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jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We are so busy cramming government-mandated information in kids' heads that they are not taught the most important thing of all, critical thinking.

kailitva avatar
Kai David
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In a way, this really is not funny. You would be surprised on how many people, especially young people believe food "grows in the store".

compbackup1234567 avatar
Penelope 2
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom has a garden [I'm in the U.S.] and in college it seemed such a surprise to me that people got their vegetables from the store, as we at times had them from her garden.

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Kimi Tomminello
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a retired farmer I've heard this question a lot- "Why would you want to work so hard and be a farmer when you can just go to the grocery store?" I had to remind people that shopped at our IGA market that I was one of the people putting food on their table and if I didn't farm they wouldn't have fresh tilapia available to them at all... I mean, seriously, if not for aquaculture farmers how the heck would you get fresh tropical water fish in New England? Did they really think there's a wild population?

blasphemousriots avatar
Rick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because then we wouldn’t be able to visit farms. Duh.

anaiswilson avatar
ANAIS WILSON
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly! Farmer don't grow the damn food in the supermarket anyway, so we don't need them The food is grown inside the store, in the storage boxes. DUHH!!

jakku71 avatar
Jayakumar Nair
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When they have children hospitals I wonder why we have wives and mothers. Hmmmm

grantclemons avatar
Grant Clemons
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would've immediately asked them where they think the food in the supermarkets comes from.

bugswayfrisk avatar
bugsway Frisk
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Somebody needed to take them to whole foods... and leave them there.. 🤦

rmoran_bmus avatar
Rohan Moran
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Extend this train of thought....the person who said this....probably has people who depend on them...who will learn from them

thirdmolar avatar
third molar
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Only those who farm are truly living, everyone else must pray to them and follow them if they need food and live" - an old Tamil saying.

nadinebamberger avatar
Nadine Bamberger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Don't know what the fuss about clean drinking water is all about, you can always drink juice."

ilachakravarthy_1 avatar
introspect.
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

oh god, i feel as though this person would be one to pay an artist with "exposure"

vincentwalsh_1 avatar
Meme Kitty
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we need farms to supply the grocery stores otherwise the go out of business

mwilliams2024 avatar
Kishibe Angelo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

thats like saying why do you fish if there is fish at the store

amanvarkkey avatar
Aman Varkkey
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why do I think this was said by someone young, rich and entitled?

michaelswanson avatar
UpQuarkDownQuark
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't get me wrong, I'm not fond of the wealthy, but there are plenty of stupid people on every economic rung of the ladder.

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#5

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Before I got married my doctor asked me...

Doctor: Are you sexually active?

Me: yes

Doctor: Are you married?

Me: no

Doctor: Then how can you be sexually active?

Cyber_duckie , National Cancer Institute Report

#6

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious I used to be a tour guide in a cave and one summer we had a running contest among the guides to see who could get the dumbest question. Keep in mind, we only accepted questions from adults for entry into the contest. Some of the finalists were:

"Is this cave underground?"

"Will the stalagmites bite me?"

"Are the steps natural?"

"What time is the 4.30 tour?"

And the winner: "Does the water go all the way around the island?"

Common-Bonus , Stephan Louis Report

#7

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Are you sure that's how you spell your name

luckycatty , Bewakoof.com Official Report

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troufaki13
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ι have seen people miss-spell their names so... (and no, they didn't want an alternative spelling)

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#8

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious one of my best friends came to visit me in the hospital when i had my baby. i was laying there with my newborn and there was a banana on a tray next to the bed. he asked, “has he had lunch yet? is that for him?” everyone in the room just cackled so hard that i almost felt bad

Entire-Gazelle-3478 , Aditya Romansa Report

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#9

I'm half Inuit. In 6th grade I did a social studies project on Inuit people/lifestyles. During my presentation, I brought up the fact that I'm half Inuit and pointed out different things my grandmother was teaching me. A boy in the class the goes "how can you be an indian?? I thought they were like.. extinct"

SnowyInuk Report

#10

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Someone asked me why I have a dark skinned baby if I'm white and couldn't comprehend how it is possible that my daughter is mixed race

[deleted] , Chayene Rafaela Report

#11

Was in a maternity class with my wife. One of the husbands was an endless source of amazing comments. My favorite was while on the topic of breastfeeding. “So do you just poke holes in them or what?” There was a very long, very shocked pause from the instructor before she explained it to him.

junkme551 Report

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Serial pacifist
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Obviously, someone poked a hole through his ears and left an empty space in there.

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#12

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious "Do you work here?"

No, ma'am, I just... felt like stealing a work vest and working this shoe pallet for giggles.

kannakantplay , Ahsanizatio Report

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#13

"What's that yellow stuff?"

Fire. It was fire.

PrudentFlamingo Report

#14

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Is the blue part on a map the sky or the water?

thestonez , Kelsey Knight Report

#15

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Repairing the scanner scale at a grocery store. I have the scale out of the checkstand, on it's side, bottom removed from the scale, one of the circuit boards removed from the scale and placed on the conveyor belt, I have JUST removed the board that the spinner part connects to (that spinning mirror thing in the bottom of the scanner scale), and someone walks up to the checkstand, places items onto the conveyor and asks "Are you open?"

I should be allowed to throw things at people this dumb.

GreatJanitor , maabsnco0 Report

#16

Working on a tourist sightseeing boat on the ocean in Alaska. Person asks me what elevation we are at. I look down at the ocean and back to them and say, about 10 feet

DryIcePhactory Report

#17

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious “Who is the man and who is the woman”in regards to a relationship between two gay men.

Hasenpfeffer , Maico Pereira Report

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#18

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Holding my cat while outside. “Is that a cat?” “Why yes, yes it is”

Tunapizzacat , Manki Kim Report

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September
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people live sheltered lives. Other people live animal sheltered lives.

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#19

I had the neighbors by for a quick chat a few years ago, and we happened to be standing by our goat pen, we had three at the time. For whatever reason, people don't really see goats as pets, and I'm often asked about their purpose, are they meat, etc.

Well, this guy asked if I milked them. I explained that they're all retired breeding males.

He followed that up by asking again if we milk them, and was so affronted by the look I could not help giving him that he left in a huff. I didn't mean to be rude, but I definitely looked at him as if he were an idiot and he was smart enough, at least, to figure that out.

SaltyDangerHands Report

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Marianne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminds me of the lady who asked my father why his cows are in a stable and not in the meadows. He told her that they were bulls and too aggressive to run free. Then she said: "But there are cows in there, too! Look, this one has an udder!" And he goes: "No, that thing is not an udder..."

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#20

I was having a disagreement with a customer in the workplace. At one point she said “why would I be arguing with you if I was wrong?”.
I mean….what do you say after that?

Legendary_New_song Report

#21

When people notice one of my tattoos "You know they are permanent Right?" Like sh*t I had no idea, if only I had known you before I got it

lil_sma · Report

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IlovemydogShilo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A tattoo artist friend once told me he lost count years ago how many "cover up" tattoos he did were on people who thought the tattoos they got would eventually fade away and completely disappear after a few years.

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#22

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Context I’m a lesbian:

So do you like get turned on looking in a mirror?

chubbybunnybean , Vladimir Fedotov Report

#23

In retail "Where is the paint in this stupid store? I was sent down here and they lied! " "Right behind you (literally dozens of paint cans 8 feet behind her) " "No they're not!" I walk past her and put my hand on the can, took her a good 10 seconds of ranting to accept the paint was infact there.

rolonotmyrealname Report

#24

"Where does wood come from?"

This person was 19

RealLameUserName Report

#25

This is second hand from a diving guide in Bermuda: "how far do you have to dive to get under the island?"

Sarke1 Report

#26

What can I take for internal bleeding?

Answer: Hospital man. We’re just a f*cking pharmacy, not a trauma unit.

sheldonowns Report

#27

I have been asked and witnessed stupid questions but I am struggling to think of a good gem.

All I can remember is, "how does the paper get to the other fax machine?"

I tried explaining fax machines merely scan a copy and the image travels through wires and it prints a copy but they weren't getting it.

Another one, a girl was offering me soy sauce and I reminded her I am allergic to soy. "Oh. There's soy in soy sauce?"

bitterherpes Report

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Id row
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Back in the early 90's, I said something so stupid that it still makes me cringe. I asked this guy to use his fax machine and said that I'd supply any a paper I used.

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#28

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious After trying to pull my hair off:

Stranger: It's not a wig!?

Me: Uhhh no, it's my hair

Stranger: I thought maybe it was a wig because of cancer or something.

pm_pic_of_spiderman , Hans Mendoza Report

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OCD Mom
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

First, how can you touch someone's hair? Second, even if you do get their permission, how can you just pull their hair? Third, so it's okay if the wig comes off? Are you pulling their hair with that intention? In that case, your aim is to embarrass them, which is disgusting, and you are a prick.

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#29

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious “Do the chicken lettuce wraps have chicken in them?”

TheSalty , pzphone Report

#30

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious A friend of a friend found out during a party that I was serving in the US Army Reserve asked me if I had ever killed anyone.

Sigh

No, I'm not combat arms and I've never even deployed.

Seriously stop asking ANY service member this stupid ass question unless you want a stupid ass answer back.

xerif3743 , Clovis Wood Photography Report

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IlovemydogShilo
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would just say, "No, not yet." Then look them straight in the eye and finish with, "but the night's still young."

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#31

Once my mom had to have part of a lung removed due to cancer. Afterwards, the doctor showed us the imaging that showed the remaining cancer spread through the rest of her lungs, which we already knew about. My dad asked him why they didn't remove all of her lungs.

ecsa0014 Report

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#32

“What was it like to grow up in a third world country?” My step grandmother the first time I met her after moving to the the US from Canada...

caffieneandsarcasm Report

#33

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious ”Why don’t they schedule New Year’s Eve so that it’ll always be on a Monday?”

wallyballou55 , Andreas Dress Report

#34

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious "Continents would float away if they weren't anchored down, right?"

Edit: This was asked by an 18 y/o girl in a top-level secondary school.

mysterybiscuit , NASA Report

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Wistiti
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well..... if you use the word anchor and float in the broadest of terms and only on a geological scale, she's right-ish.

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#35

Is Thailand in alaska.

broadwayboi2 Report

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Serial pacifist
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, they just have one ethnic minority in common, the bigfoot, you must have heard.

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#36

How my son was conceived. I'm in a wheelchair.

Zwada84 Report

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September
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well you see there's these cables in the bedroom that turn my wheelchair into a swing...

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#37

I worked at an ice cream store and someone came in, looked at the ice cream cone I was handing to someone then looked at me and asked "what kind of soups do you have"

riphitter Report

#38

“Is that your baby?” I was breastfeeding at the time.

Rell2078 Report

#39

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious Why does apple juice taste like apples?

yashasangel , Shelley Pauls Report

#40

40 People Share The One Question They Got That Was So Dumb, They Thought The Person Must Be Joking, But They Were 100% Serious A lady asked if the bubble lights on the Christmas tree were "filled with colored champagne."

Back2Bach , jochen van Wylick Report

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