More Unanswered Questions about Genealogy and the World in General

A couple of years ago, I posted a list of Unanswered Questions. Interestingly, no one has answered (or even tried to answer) any of my questions. In that post, I said I might think about commenting on some of those questions, but I never did. I think it is time to update the list and perhaps make a few comments. Here is my introductory statement from the previous post:

When I do a presentation, I usually ask everyone before I start whether or not they have any questions about the known or unknown universe. Occasionally, I will get a question or two but usually everyone just sits there and stares. They are likely weighing my sanity. But often I explain that I always have questions and here are some of the ones that I cannot answer (or have not yet answered).

[Disclaimer: Some of these questions are not serious, but some of them are]

I am still beginning a lot of my classes with the same inquiry as to whether the participants have any questions about the known or unknown universe. I still get almost no responses. The class members still sit there and stare at me. They are still likely weighing my sanity. Most of the time I add that I have lots of questions. Here are a few more I would like to add to my previous list.

1. Will all the paper documents in the world ever all be digitized?

2. If we are all related to Adam, why don't we all have him in our family trees?

3. Do the large online genealogy companies really expect me to incorporate all those record hints into my own family records?

4. What is genealogy anyway?

5. Why do copyright laws exist?

6. Why do people insist on adding individuals to their family tree without any documentation showing a relationship?

7. How may genealogists does it take to change a light bulb?

8. If DNA is the solution, what is the problem?

9. When will people stop putting surnames in all caps?

10. If Personal Ancestral File is such a great program, why are we still trying to recover files from old 3.5 inch floppy disks?

11. If the entire world is now on Facebook and Instagram, why am I still writing a blog?

12. Is doing your genealogy like Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel?

Having thought about my previous questions, I do have a few comments. I will quote the previous question and then add my comment.

1. If genealogy can be learned in five minutes, why are there 25 five-minute-episodes so far in FamilySearch.org's Learning Center? 

Comment: There are now 57 five minute episodes in the Learning Center. It looks like 5 minutes is not quite enough time to explain genealogy.

2. Which of Adam's children are you descended from? Can you document your sources?

Comment: I was interested to read recently someone's view that Adam only had two children. I am guessing that the person was not a genealogist and that the person had not read the Genesis Chapter 4.

10. Why did so many immigrants change their names when they came to America? Have you read anything about Arizona in the newspapers (or online) recently?

Comment: I had to think about these two questions for a minute to remember my point. But then I have moved to Utah and there is an election going on this year. 

11. How long will it be until I no longer hear, "I don't have any computer skills?"

Comment: I will not live long enough to see this question answered.

12. Why do more people do genealogy in the Winter than in the Summer?

Comment: This question also is partially answered by having spent a winter in the Frozen North rather than the low desert. 

As time goes by, I am sure that I will have a lot more questions and I am getting old enough that I am pretty sure not all of them will be answered during my lifetime.