According to a popular English idiom, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Really? If you have never asked a question that hurt, like maybe on a topic that hurts you to discuss, please look up what that is like for some trauma victims, but please don’t ask them about it in case you might set off their trigger points.

Now what about getting answers? Can that hurt? That’s a much easier question to answer. Everyone has gotten an answer that has hurt them to some extent given all the possible kinds of rejections in life, from pay raises, to romantic dates, permissions, among many other things. Outside of rejections, answers involving trauma and other emotionally painful matters can also hurt, some more than physical pain for long-term impact.

Put together the incorrect convention wisdom that it doesn’t hurt to ask, and the negligence on the aftermath of potential hurt in getting an answer, and what you have is what I call an idiotic idiom. As a result, I felt I had to correct both, and did so with it might hurt to ask, as well as to get the answer.

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This post is one of 70 quotes I wrote, each with an accompanying essay, in my e-book and paperback Stars I Put in my Sky to Live By, on Amazon or Smashwords (choose your price including free!).