Why would characters spend time answering imaginary questions to fictional hypotheticals?

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I'm developing a simulation where characters, "users", are interacting over a virtual communication network. "Users" have the option to in engage in any activity they want at any time, as long as the international and local governing bodies permit such behavior. Each user has a different set of resources, however all users are limited by a single limited resource, "time". Therefore, each moment spent by a user engaging in a given activity "costs" them this limited resource. In this simulation the "users" choose to spend copious amounts of time using the virtual communication network to answer questions to esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions. I am trying to understand why. Thanks.

humans computers internet

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asked 1 hour ago

B-RAF

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B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Welcome to Worldbuilding, @B-RAF! Touche, you seem to have captured the nature of our community here.
  – Alexander
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. You may also want to review our meta post about open-ended questions. The problem with questions like this is they are not objective and you've provided no criteria for judging a best answer.
  – JBH
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Also, please note that we humans have a fixed amount of time, and yet we spend tremendous amounts of it discussing everything from philosophy to TV shows and movies. We do it for every reason under the sun (it's a profession to it's a hobby, because we're confused to because we're adamant and want to defend our belief). In other words, you might want to change your question from "I'm trying to understand" (off-topic, too broad) to "What are the top-5 reasons?" (limited response, in-scope).
  – JBH
  59 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A Worldbuilding question about a Worldbuilding community? :O
  – The Anathema
  30 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Everyone likes to be asked questions... The more unusual the better.
  – Richard
  23 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

favorite

I'm developing a simulation where characters, "users", are interacting over a virtual communication network. "Users" have the option to in engage in any activity they want at any time, as long as the international and local governing bodies permit such behavior. Each user has a different set of resources, however all users are limited by a single limited resource, "time". Therefore, each moment spent by a user engaging in a given activity "costs" them this limited resource. In this simulation the "users" choose to spend copious amounts of time using the virtual communication network to answer questions to esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions. I am trying to understand why. Thanks.

humans computers internet

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

B-RAF

161

New contributor

B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Welcome to Worldbuilding, @B-RAF! Touche, you seem to have captured the nature of our community here.
  – Alexander
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. You may also want to review our meta post about open-ended questions. The problem with questions like this is they are not objective and you've provided no criteria for judging a best answer.
  – JBH
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Also, please note that we humans have a fixed amount of time, and yet we spend tremendous amounts of it discussing everything from philosophy to TV shows and movies. We do it for every reason under the sun (it's a profession to it's a hobby, because we're confused to because we're adamant and want to defend our belief). In other words, you might want to change your question from "I'm trying to understand" (off-topic, too broad) to "What are the top-5 reasons?" (limited response, in-scope).
  – JBH
  59 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A Worldbuilding question about a Worldbuilding community? :O
  – The Anathema
  30 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Everyone likes to be asked questions... The more unusual the better.
  – Richard
  23 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
3
down vote

favorite

up vote
3
down vote

favorite

I'm developing a simulation where characters, "users", are interacting over a virtual communication network. "Users" have the option to in engage in any activity they want at any time, as long as the international and local governing bodies permit such behavior. Each user has a different set of resources, however all users are limited by a single limited resource, "time". Therefore, each moment spent by a user engaging in a given activity "costs" them this limited resource. In this simulation the "users" choose to spend copious amounts of time using the virtual communication network to answer questions to esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions. I am trying to understand why. Thanks.

humans computers internet

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

B-RAF

161

New contributor

B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

I'm developing a simulation where characters, "users", are interacting over a virtual communication network. "Users" have the option to in engage in any activity they want at any time, as long as the international and local governing bodies permit such behavior. Each user has a different set of resources, however all users are limited by a single limited resource, "time". Therefore, each moment spent by a user engaging in a given activity "costs" them this limited resource. In this simulation the "users" choose to spend copious amounts of time using the virtual communication network to answer questions to esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions. I am trying to understand why. Thanks.

humans computers internet

humans computers internet

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

B-RAF

161

New contributor

B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

B-RAF

161

New contributor

B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

asked 1 hour ago

B-RAF

161

New contributor

B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 1 hour ago

B-RAF

161

asked 1 hour ago

B-RAF

161

161

New contributor

B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

New contributor

B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

B-RAF is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Welcome to Worldbuilding, @B-RAF! Touche, you seem to have captured the nature of our community here.
  – Alexander
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. You may also want to review our meta post about open-ended questions. The problem with questions like this is they are not objective and you've provided no criteria for judging a best answer.
  – JBH
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Also, please note that we humans have a fixed amount of time, and yet we spend tremendous amounts of it discussing everything from philosophy to TV shows and movies. We do it for every reason under the sun (it's a profession to it's a hobby, because we're confused to because we're adamant and want to defend our belief). In other words, you might want to change your question from "I'm trying to understand" (off-topic, too broad) to "What are the top-5 reasons?" (limited response, in-scope).
  – JBH
  59 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A Worldbuilding question about a Worldbuilding community? :O
  – The Anathema
  30 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Everyone likes to be asked questions... The more unusual the better.
  – Richard
  23 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Welcome to Worldbuilding, @B-RAF! Touche, you seem to have captured the nature of our community here.
  – Alexander
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. You may also want to review our meta post about open-ended questions. The problem with questions like this is they are not objective and you've provided no criteria for judging a best answer.
  – JBH
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Also, please note that we humans have a fixed amount of time, and yet we spend tremendous amounts of it discussing everything from philosophy to TV shows and movies. We do it for every reason under the sun (it's a profession to it's a hobby, because we're confused to because we're adamant and want to defend our belief). In other words, you might want to change your question from "I'm trying to understand" (off-topic, too broad) to "What are the top-5 reasons?" (limited response, in-scope).
  – JBH
  59 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  A Worldbuilding question about a Worldbuilding community? :O
  – The Anathema
  30 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Everyone likes to be asked questions... The more unusual the better.
  – Richard
  23 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

5

5

Welcome to Worldbuilding, @B-RAF! Touche, you seem to have captured the nature of our community here.
– Alexander
1 hour ago

Welcome to Worldbuilding, @B-RAF! Touche, you seem to have captured the nature of our community here.
– Alexander
1 hour ago

2

2

Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. You may also want to review our meta post about open-ended questions. The problem with questions like this is they are not objective and you've provided no criteria for judging a best answer.
– JBH
1 hour ago

Welcome to Worldbuilding.SE! We're glad you could join us! When you have a moment, please click here to learn more about our culture and take our tour. You may also want to review our meta post about open-ended questions. The problem with questions like this is they are not objective and you've provided no criteria for judging a best answer.
– JBH
1 hour ago

1

1

Also, please note that we humans have a fixed amount of time, and yet we spend tremendous amounts of it discussing everything from philosophy to TV shows and movies. We do it for every reason under the sun (it's a profession to it's a hobby, because we're confused to because we're adamant and want to defend our belief). In other words, you might want to change your question from "I'm trying to understand" (off-topic, too broad) to "What are the top-5 reasons?" (limited response, in-scope).
– JBH
59 mins ago

Also, please note that we humans have a fixed amount of time, and yet we spend tremendous amounts of it discussing everything from philosophy to TV shows and movies. We do it for every reason under the sun (it's a profession to it's a hobby, because we're confused to because we're adamant and want to defend our belief). In other words, you might want to change your question from "I'm trying to understand" (off-topic, too broad) to "What are the top-5 reasons?" (limited response, in-scope).
– JBH
59 mins ago

A Worldbuilding question about a Worldbuilding community? :O
– The Anathema
30 mins ago

A Worldbuilding question about a Worldbuilding community? :O
– The Anathema
30 mins ago

Everyone likes to be asked questions... The more unusual the better.
– Richard
23 mins ago

Everyone likes to be asked questions... The more unusual the better.
– Richard
23 mins ago

add a comment | 

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

up vote
4
down vote

My personal reason: Mental exercise.

I love being mentally challenged in new ways, especially in ways that require creative out-of-the-box thinking. "Esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions" (as you described them) stimulate my problem-solving skills in new ways. And that's just plain fun.

Thousands of people across the internet feel the same way.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

BrettFromLA

3,4011118

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yup it's a skill, it adheres to "use it or lose it".
  – Ash
  50 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

Kindness. I personally answer questions on here because it would be pretty awful to have a question with no good responses, or no responses at all. Plus, it's helpful.

share|improve this answer

answered 54 mins ago

AzaleaGarden

56913

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

Gamification.

Virtual scores are the nicotine of the 21st century.

Also thid should be moved to meta.

share

answered 6 mins ago

Renan

34.5k879177

add a comment | 

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3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
4
down vote

My personal reason: Mental exercise.

I love being mentally challenged in new ways, especially in ways that require creative out-of-the-box thinking. "Esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions" (as you described them) stimulate my problem-solving skills in new ways. And that's just plain fun.

Thousands of people across the internet feel the same way.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

BrettFromLA

3,4011118

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yup it's a skill, it adheres to "use it or lose it".
  – Ash
  50 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

My personal reason: Mental exercise.

I love being mentally challenged in new ways, especially in ways that require creative out-of-the-box thinking. "Esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions" (as you described them) stimulate my problem-solving skills in new ways. And that's just plain fun.

Thousands of people across the internet feel the same way.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

BrettFromLA

3,4011118

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yup it's a skill, it adheres to "use it or lose it".
  – Ash
  50 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
4
down vote

up vote
4
down vote

My personal reason: Mental exercise.

I love being mentally challenged in new ways, especially in ways that require creative out-of-the-box thinking. "Esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions" (as you described them) stimulate my problem-solving skills in new ways. And that's just plain fun.

Thousands of people across the internet feel the same way.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

BrettFromLA

3,4011118

My personal reason: Mental exercise.

I love being mentally challenged in new ways, especially in ways that require creative out-of-the-box thinking. "Esoteric, hypothetical, imaginary questions" (as you described them) stimulate my problem-solving skills in new ways. And that's just plain fun.

Thousands of people across the internet feel the same way.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

BrettFromLA

3,4011118

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

BrettFromLA

3,4011118

answered 1 hour ago

BrettFromLA

3,4011118

answered 1 hour ago

BrettFromLA

3,4011118

3,4011118

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yup it's a skill, it adheres to "use it or lose it".
  – Ash
  50 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Yup it's a skill, it adheres to "use it or lose it".
  – Ash
  50 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

Yup it's a skill, it adheres to "use it or lose it".
– Ash
50 mins ago

Yup it's a skill, it adheres to "use it or lose it".
– Ash
50 mins ago

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

Kindness. I personally answer questions on here because it would be pretty awful to have a question with no good responses, or no responses at all. Plus, it's helpful.

share|improve this answer

answered 54 mins ago

AzaleaGarden

56913

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

Kindness. I personally answer questions on here because it would be pretty awful to have a question with no good responses, or no responses at all. Plus, it's helpful.

share|improve this answer

answered 54 mins ago

AzaleaGarden

56913

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

up vote
0
down vote

Kindness. I personally answer questions on here because it would be pretty awful to have a question with no good responses, or no responses at all. Plus, it's helpful.

share|improve this answer

answered 54 mins ago

AzaleaGarden

56913

Kindness. I personally answer questions on here because it would be pretty awful to have a question with no good responses, or no responses at all. Plus, it's helpful.

share|improve this answer

answered 54 mins ago

AzaleaGarden

56913

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered 54 mins ago

AzaleaGarden

56913

answered 54 mins ago

AzaleaGarden

56913

answered 54 mins ago

AzaleaGarden

56913

56913

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

Gamification.

Virtual scores are the nicotine of the 21st century.

Also thid should be moved to meta.

share

answered 6 mins ago

Renan

34.5k879177

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

Gamification.

Virtual scores are the nicotine of the 21st century.

Also thid should be moved to meta.

share

answered 6 mins ago

Renan

34.5k879177

add a comment | 

up vote
0
down vote

up vote
0
down vote

Gamification.

Virtual scores are the nicotine of the 21st century.

Also thid should be moved to meta.

share

answered 6 mins ago

Renan

34.5k879177

Gamification.

Virtual scores are the nicotine of the 21st century.

Also thid should be moved to meta.

share

answered 6 mins ago

Renan

34.5k879177

share

share

answered 6 mins ago

Renan

34.5k879177

answered 6 mins ago

Renan

34.5k879177

answered 6 mins ago

Renan

34.5k879177

34.5k879177

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

B-RAF is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.

 

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