Do you shy away from answering questions that begin "What's the best..."?

I figure they’re just looking for opinions, not fact. They likely just want to know which ‘whatever’ we consider the best, so I’m okay with attempting an answer (unless I have zero clue about the item they’re asking about.)

I can never answer ‘what is the best…’ questions well either. I also find ‘what is your favourite…’ questions hard (I think I have asked a couple though). My favourite or ideas about the ‘best’ change depending on my mood or, as you say, a range of criteria. Best in terms of what? Price, advanced technology, style, quality of writing, story idea, acting quality, score…?

Well, maybe you’re kind of looking into it too much. I don’t think that because someone asks what is ’‘best’’ about some product or option or what have you, that they’re automatically willing to dismiss every single other option that may exist/be presented in regard to what they’re seeking, if they aren’t ’‘the best’’.
I also don’t think that they’ve already made some preconceived choice, and have already dismissed what may fall under best. It may be a language thing one shouldn’t take too literally, and I don’t find it hard to, as criteria often is presented with these questions. Not all the time, but more than often enough.
Maybe the person isn’t really looking for the one and only best product of its type or best way to do something but just one that’s worth recommending.

The wording on ’‘what’s the best’’ could probably be better, granted, but I think you summed up the truth of the matter, in general, with that last sentence. Probably they just want some decent recommendations.

No. If someone asks for my opinion, I give it if I have one on that topic.

Yay – a @Jeruba question!!!

Edit: I got so excited I forgot to answer.

* SIGH *

I think that any answer to a “What’s the best….” question would be completely relative to the person that was answering, no matter what their answer.

You say, “What’s the best hot dog you ever ate?”
I say, “A Chicago dog at the Hot Dog Hut in Ormond Beach, FL.”

20–30 people are going to offer their differing opinions, so I think the “what’s the best” questions are answered according to opinions, for the most part. IMO, lol.

@laurenkem Haha cool answer, it’s funny sometimes how the concept of the best should be ultimate, but is only defined by taste and opinion. :D

I don’t shy away. It’s my opinion of what is best. Maybe because you are the best jelly when it comes to the English language words like best, worst, always, never, you use very rigidly compared to other people.

I’ll be happy to tell you what I think is the best. Now what would you like to know the best of?

Unless it’s…..What’s the best way to overcome my acute bashfulness?
To “shy away” would be just plain rude ;¬}

No I don’t shy away from questions like these. I assume that the person asking the question means “what is the best in your opinion?” even if they miss out those last three words.

I just give whatever answer is the best in my own personal experience or range of knowledge. It doesn’t have to be the best solution ever, just the best I’ve encountered. Otherwise there would only ever be one answer to such questions.

I shy away from @Jeruba as she’s impossibly beautiful and perfect. * SIGH *

Occasionally there can be a reasonable question.

“What’s the best time of day to get a really bad sunburn on the beach in Cannes?”

@zensky I shy towards @Jeruba because she’s impossibly beautiful and perfect.

Am I reading too much into these questions?

Sounds like it.

If it’s a subject I have knowledge or experience about, I’ll give my opinion since that’s what I think is actually being asked, regardless of how it’s worded.

Are you perhaps overthinking it a bit? Yeah, that’s a common problem for us verbivores for whom precision of language is meaningful. We just have to keep in mind that this precision is not necessarily uppermost in the minds of most people who are wanting opinions on a particular topic :)

The “best” is almost always difficult to quantify number-wise in order to create a hierarchical list. Witness all the yearly “Best Of” lists compiled by various local newspapers and magazines each year.

The Best of Philly lists published each year by Pholadelphia Magazine were always best sellers (dollar-wise) and for new restaurants especially, always provided a handy list of new places to try.

And if a particular established eating place had won Best Of for several years running, you knew of was a pretty safe bet to find good food (unless ownership or staff had changed much).

So the word “best” is extremely relative to many criteria and hardly ever that literally accurate :)

But it does usually provide one with a variety of decent choices. Yay.

I like those kinds of questions. And you’re right, none of us has the be all, end all correct answer, so we get tons of answers and that’s the whole fun of it. But each answer is technically correct, because we are all giving the best answer for our own tastes and opinions. It would be a huge drag if someone asked, “What is the best dessert on the planet?” and we got only one answer. We usually get hundreds of answers and everyone ends up hungry at the end. It’s all good.

I also like those top ten lists that talk show hosts are always producing.

^^^ The Gobi gets my vote.