Whether you’re in a classroom or at a party, an interesting conversation might end suddenly, with hurt or offended parties and no one wiser for the exchange. While you may be sincerely curious to know and learn alternate points of view, you have to first develop the skill of asking open ended questions. Well meaning people can ruin everyone’s chances of learning more about a subject of social controversy, simply because they lack this skill. Good and careful use of rhetoric, coupled with an open ended question strategy, can open the door to a lively and thorough discussion from which everyone benefits. For example, let’s say you’re at a party, anxious to meet some new and interesting people.