Can all headlines that are questions be answered with No?
from merde@sh.itjust.works to nostupidquestions@lemmy.ca on 24 Mar 16:28
https://sh.itjust.works/post/34966959

i need this resolved. Let’s see the answers.

#nostupidquestions

threaded - newest

morgunkorn@discuss.tchncs.de on 24 Mar 16:35 next collapse

If you dare to be wrong, sure!

See Betteridge’s law of headlines: “Any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no.”

morgunkorn@discuss.tchncs.de on 24 Mar 16:37 collapse

From today’s BBC front page:

  • Why are thousands of people protesting in Turkey? NO!
  • How often should you wash your feet? NO!

<img alt="" src="https://discuss.tchncs.de/pictrs/image/c31fc2b6-345b-4656-b978-3cc2045ed304.png">

masterspace@lemmy.ca on 24 Mar 17:16 collapse

In the case of the first one, it’s really a statement phrased as a question. The headline would more accurately be:

Here’s why thousands of people are protesting in Turkey

In the case of the second the answer is still the negative / null case, i.e:

It doesn’t really matter how often you wash your feet

over_clox@lemmy.world on 24 Mar 16:38 next collapse

No.

lurch@sh.itjust.works on 24 Mar 16:43 next collapse

For news/article headlines, I estimate 90% are No, if they are Yes/No questions. The reason is, the author had nothing interesting/new to tell, but needs to bait people to visit the news site to make money.

However, this Wiki page has some actual studies about it, not just my personal estimate: …m.wikipedia.org/…/Betteridge's_law_of_headlines

Also, there’s a new trend of adding “Here’s why” to the end of headlines of really bad news articles.

magnetosphere@fedia.io on 24 Mar 17:48 collapse

“Here’s why” is basically a red flag for me. DO NOT READ THIS TRIPE!

morbidcactus@lemmy.ca on 25 Mar 10:24 collapse

“They thought they would be informed, then they read the headline”

Zachariah@lemmy.world on 24 Mar 16:44 next collapse

Yes.

HubertManne@piefed.social on 24 Mar 17:08 next collapse

No.

JokeDeity@lemm.ee on 24 Mar 17:31 next collapse

Can they? Yes. Will they all be accurate? No.

magnetosphere@fedia.io on 24 Mar 17:44 next collapse

It’s a fun game, but I’ve seen enough counter examples that I don’t rely on it as a definitive guide.

Yoga@lemmy.ca on 24 Mar 17:48 next collapse

Does this headline count?

Because ironically the answer to the question is also likely the answer to most of said headlines:

Mostly no but here’s the nuance…

Nollij@sopuli.xyz on 24 Mar 20:01 next collapse

I heard someone clarify that it’s not so much answering with the word no, as it is dismissing the implication of the headline. In most cases that’s a no, but it’s easy enough to flip the meaning.

If the heading is avoiding making a statement, it’s because the statement is false/unsupported.

xigoi@lemmy.sdf.org on 24 Mar 21:17 next collapse

I think the joke got lost on many commenters here.

GreatRam@lemmy.world on 24 Mar 22:48 next collapse

Another reason why a title might use a question is to prevent spoilers. For example: Has Ferrari let down their fans again in the Chinese GP? (Yes)

Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca on 24 Mar 22:51 next collapse

No.

TheDarkestShark@lemmy.world on 25 Mar 02:45 next collapse

Mostly No

ace_garp@lemmy.world on 25 Mar 23:36 collapse

mu

merde@sh.itjust.works on 26 Mar 13:15 collapse

:)