Where it stops, nobody knows....

"Why do you have books about bugs?" asked one of my friends who works at the local library. "We're not supposed to notice, except it's you, but why do you have books about bugs?"

("Bugs as in insects or bugs as in listening devices? I could see you having books about either," says my BFF.)

As you might imagine, my choice of reading material is almost as diverse as the topics on this blog. At any given time, a question will pop into my head, and I'll hunt down information in an attempt to answer the question. So, at any given time, I might have books on knitting or crocheting or quilting or historical battle tactics or canning or cakes or the rise of Nazi Germany or how to repair a lawn mower or biological warfare or eugenics or the life of St. Therese of Lisieux. Or any one of a number of other subjects. And they could be in any one of a variety of languages. I've already told the library ladies that I don't care if they notice because, while there's always a purpose to what I'm looking up, it might be quite a challenge for people to figure it out, and I don't mind providing entertainment.

Not enough people ask questions. Of any kind. They take the information that is spoon-fed to them on TV or in the newspaper or on the radio, and go no further. They don't wonder, they just accept. And in my less than humble opinion, that's a shame.

Questions are what lead us to answers, and by getting answers, we grow: in knowledge, in skills, in maturity. Sometimes we don't like the answers. Sometimes the questions are even more important because they can uncover something that is dangerous overall. People need to ask more questions, to think critically, to consider the sources from which they get their information. Any media outlet puts a spin on the facts they present, intentionally or otherwise. They will strategically mention or neglect to mention something in order to emphasize their own opinion, to use a fact to their own purpose.

Beware of not thinking critically. Beware of those who blindly follow without asking questions.

The answer to that original question, coming up later. I know, inquiring minds want to know....