Question
What does a good answer on Quora look like? What does it mean to "be helpful"?
Answer
A good Quora answer is not the same as a good answer.
If the question exhibits bad faith, a good answer is no answer. DNFTT.
If the question seems to exhibit good faith, a good answer reframes the question as much as necessary to cast it into the strongest form that aligns with the assumed best faith intentions behind it (not necessary if the question is well-posed to start with). Then it answers it in a manner that is both authoritative and opinionated, and responsive to both the question and the broader social context. It contains elements of humanity -- humor in particular -- where possible, because those flavors are what make the whole thing worthwhile.
Sometimes a good answer is also a good Quora answer. The two sets have gradually drifted apart since Quora's birth, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. A good Quora answer can be worthwhile on its own even if it is a bad answer.
A good Quora answer that is not a good answer typically relies on either a bad-ass biography (cop, big game hunter, gun nut, chef) or a well-crafted persona evolved over several answers. Both if possible. It need not actually answer the question at all, so long as it develops the character being enacted into existence as performance art. The holy grail is a style so distinctive, it is recognizable when Anon, even in topics far from home turf for the person.
And unlike good answers, good Quora answers to bad faith questions may not be "no answer." DNFTT is not a reliable heuristic there. Sometimes you should feed the troll if the gains in developing your persona justify it.
That's why you often see atheists who know better feeding religious trolls around here.
I try to only write good answers to the extent possible. Besides occassionally feeding religious trolls, I avoid writing good Quora answers. I am also a member of the "Keep Humor Alive Despite Darth Bodnick's Efforts To Stamp It Out" underground secessionist movement.
Heads will roll when we topple the Ancien Regime.
If the question exhibits bad faith, a good answer is no answer. DNFTT.
If the question seems to exhibit good faith, a good answer reframes the question as much as necessary to cast it into the strongest form that aligns with the assumed best faith intentions behind it (not necessary if the question is well-posed to start with). Then it answers it in a manner that is both authoritative and opinionated, and responsive to both the question and the broader social context. It contains elements of humanity -- humor in particular -- where possible, because those flavors are what make the whole thing worthwhile.
Sometimes a good answer is also a good Quora answer. The two sets have gradually drifted apart since Quora's birth, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. A good Quora answer can be worthwhile on its own even if it is a bad answer.
A good Quora answer that is not a good answer typically relies on either a bad-ass biography (cop, big game hunter, gun nut, chef) or a well-crafted persona evolved over several answers. Both if possible. It need not actually answer the question at all, so long as it develops the character being enacted into existence as performance art. The holy grail is a style so distinctive, it is recognizable when Anon, even in topics far from home turf for the person.
And unlike good answers, good Quora answers to bad faith questions may not be "no answer." DNFTT is not a reliable heuristic there. Sometimes you should feed the troll if the gains in developing your persona justify it.
That's why you often see atheists who know better feeding religious trolls around here.
I try to only write good answers to the extent possible. Besides occassionally feeding religious trolls, I avoid writing good Quora answers. I am also a member of the "Keep Humor Alive Despite Darth Bodnick's Efforts To Stamp It Out" underground secessionist movement.
Heads will roll when we topple the Ancien Regime.