Why do people ask questions when they are already convinced their answer is the correct one?

I don’t know. Maybe they want the debate.

Mostly for reassurance.
Also to see another side of the situation in-case they may have overlooked something.

Edit; I’ve heard it both ways. My bad. :P

@Syger: I was going to avoid this question but did want to mention that it is “overlooked something.”

For discussion. Ideally they would be open to opposing views, but at least they’re discussing it.

It seems that some people do it simply to Troll. Other people do it as a vehicle for presenting a point of view. Usually it’s easy to tell the difference.

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” Plato

“You think just like me, right? I mean, if you think just like me, I must be right. Right?”

Right.

@The_Compassionate_Heretic, don’t you already know the answer to this one?

Yep! I’m right. Just ask me!

Kinda kills the QandA part of the site. I came for that. Now it is a forum. Thousands of those.

To squash others with their online superiority. duh

@Jeruba I don’t know, hence the question.

Outside reassurance and justification. People are very unsure of themselves usually.

@The_Compassionate_Heretic, it was sort of a joke because of your question itself. But I did think you might already have an opinion about it.

It seems like the obvious answer is that they want affirmation of the position they’ve taken. or want to marshal arguments against opposing views, or both. But of course only those who’d asked questions of that sort would really know.

This question beats the hell out of a lot others. My two cents :D

Oh look at your topics! You are so point on. No joke.

@Jeruba That was the response that occurred to me instantly, so I scrolled down, certain someone had already said it, and I was right. I’m glad it was you, though. GMTA.

Sometimes I’ll ask a question I have an opinion about because I want to hear whether other people have the same opinion. It’s not that I think I’m right. I really am looking for new ideas—things I may have overlooked, but if nobody comes up with anything new, then it’ll look like I asked one of those questions where I didn’t really want the answer; I just wanted to spout off on my own topic, and not one would ask it for me.

Because most answers lead to more questions which have answers which keeps humankind moving ahead.

because we are idiots.

My first thought was that people ask other’s opinions mostly so they can share their own.

Oh I forgot something. Sometimes, sometimes people ask a question in a different way or even the same way hoping to get some human experience generated feedback other than, ”... google says, wikipedia says, dictionary.com says, squidoo says…” Whatever.

I doubt my knowledge, almost always. I’m looking for a second opinion. I do my best to not “guide” a question towards what I think is the correct answer, though.

Some people just like to hear themselves talk.

@cak…hey! i resemble that remark.

@Blondesjon That’s okay. I like listening to you talk. :)

@Blondesjon, lurve for the Groucho quote.

Probably cause they want to shove it in other peoples faces.
At least that is how I see it cause I know someone like that