I Create Questions For Others To Share Their Opinions

Some people collect stamps. Some people collect houseplants. I collect opinions.
Not in a creepy “I printed the comments and put them in binders” way, but in the
very Bored Panda way: I create questions so other people can share their stories,
hot takes, and “I probably shouldn’t say this out loud, but…” thoughts with the
world.

If you’ve ever scrolled through Bored Panda’s community sections like
Ask Pandas or their opinion-packed threads on “unpopular opinions,”
weird questions, or petty revenge stories, you already know the magic of a good
prompt. It turns a blank comment box into a confessional, a comedy club, and a
group therapy circle all at once. The right question doesn’t just ask for an answer
— it invites people to show who they are.

In this article, I’ll walk you through what it means to create questions for others
to share their opinions, why people love answering them, how I brainstorm prompts
that actually get responses, and what I’ve learned from watching thousands of
strangers pour their hearts out under a single sentence.

What It Means To Create Questions For Others To Share Their Opinions

On Bored Panda, especially in the Ask Pandas community, a lot of posts
start with one simple thing: a question. It might be something hilarious like,
“What’s the most unhinged question you’ve ever heard?” or more thoughtful, like,
“What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?” These prompts open the door,
and the community walks right through with stories, photos, and personal takes.

Being the person who creates these questions is a bit like being a party host.
You’re not the star of the evening; you’re the one making sure everyone else has
something to talk about. Done right, your question:

• Sets the tone (funny, serious, wholesome, chaotic, or all of the above).
• Signals that all kinds of answers are welcome.
• Makes people feel safe enough to be honest, weird, vulnerable, or blunt.

Bored Panda’s Q&A-style posts often feature crowdsourced replies from Reddit
threads, comment sections, and their own community, then highlight the most
interesting responses with context and sometimes expert commentary. The original
question is the spark that makes everything else possible.

Why People Love Sharing Their Opinions Online

Asking a question is easy. Getting people to answer it with real, thoughtful
opinions is the tricky part. So why do so many people jump in?

1. It Feels Good To Be Heard

A well-crafted, open-ended question makes people feel like their story matters.
When someone asks, “What’s a basic life skill way too many adults don’t have?” or
“What’s a tiny green flag you look for in a friend?”, it’s not just data collection;
it’s an invitation to share experience, frustration, humor, and insight. Even if
nobody knows your name, having strangers read and upvote your opinion can feel
surprisingly validating.

2. It Turns Strangers Into a Community

Threads where people share their unpopular opinions, biggest deal-breakers, or
weird workplace moments quickly turn into mini-communities. You’ll see people
replying to each other, debating gently (or not so gently), and realizing, “Oh,
it’s not just me who thinks this.” That sense of “I’m not alone” is powerful, and
the original question is what brought everyone into the same virtual room.

3. It’s Free Entertainment

Let’s be honest: sometimes we read opinion threads the way we watch reality TV.
Questions about “the dumbest question you’ve ever been asked,” “the worst red flags
in a job interview,” or “the most chaotic thing your pet has done” generate answers
that are equal parts shocking, relatable, and hilarious. You start reading for five
minutes, and suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’ve learned more about strangers’ lives
than your own neighbor’s.

The Power Of A Good, Open-Ended Question

The secret sauce in all of this is the open-ended question.
Instead of asking something that can be answered with “yes” or “no,” a good
Bored Panda-style prompt invites stories, explanations, and examples.

Communication experts consistently highlight a few benefits of open-ended questions:

They Enhance Dialogue

Open-ended questions turn a one-way interaction into a conversation. Instead of
“Do you like your job?” you get “What’s one thing your job does that makes you
feel respected — or disrespected?” The second version invites context,
nuance, and emotion, which is exactly what makes opinion threads binge-worthy.

They Build Trust And Connection

When someone asks, “What’s something you struggled with growing up that people
didn’t see?” they’re signaling genuine curiosity. In leadership and coaching
settings, researchers note that open questions help people feel heard and reduce
barriers between them. That translates surprisingly well to online spaces: even
among strangers, the right question can make people feel safe enough to share hard
truths or very personal stories.

They Encourage Creativity And New Perspectives

Questions like “What’s a ‘useless’ product that somehow still has loyal fans?” or
“What’s a tiny, petty hill you will absolutely die on?” push people to think
differently. They mix humor with reflection, and the answers often reveal insights
about culture, consumer habits, relationships, and everyday life that you wouldn’t
get from a multiple-choice poll.

They Invite Detailed, Honest Feedback

In the world of surveys and customer feedback, open-ended questions are used to
gather richer, more textured insights. The downside is that they’re harder to
analyze. The upside: people can tell you exactly what they think in their own
words. On Bored Panda, that’s the whole point. We’re not trying to chart data;
we’re trying to showcase real voices.

How I Come Up With Questions That People Actually Answer

The fun (and sometimes exhausting) part of this job is idea generation. Coming up
with one good question is easy. Coming up with dozens that feel fresh, specific,
and irresistible — that’s the craft.

1. I Start With Everyday Life

Most of my prompts begin with something mundane that annoyed me, made me laugh, or
stuck in my brain. Maybe a customer asked a wild question at the checkout. Maybe I
noticed a tiny workplace red flag. Maybe I heard a piece of advice that sounded
ridiculous but turned out to be right.

I ask myself:

• “Has this happened to other people?”
• “If I complain about this online, will at least 10 strangers say ‘same’?”
• “Is there a way to frame this that invites both funny and serious answers?”

If the answer is yes, I probably have the seed of a good question.

2. I Borrow From Classic Icebreakers & Deep-Conversation Prompts

Offline, there are entire lists of icebreakers and conversation starters for kids,
families, coworkers, and classrooms. These questions tend to be simple but clever:
“What’s something you learned today that surprised you?” or “If you could invite
any fictional character to dinner, who would it be?”

I riff on this format and crank the dial toward the Bored Panda vibe:

• “What’s something you saw recently that made you lose a little faith in humanity?”
• “What’s the smallest act of kindness that changed your whole day?”
• “What’s advice you got as a kid that turned out to be hilariously wrong?”

The structure is familiar, but the tone is more internet-native: honest, a little
dramatic, and very shareable.

3. I Keep Questions Open, But Not Vague

“Tell me about your life” is too broad. Nobody knows where to start. “What’s one
moment you realized your parents were just people trying their best?” is open,
but focused. People can think of a specific story and feel confident their answer
belongs in the thread.

Good opinion questions are clear about:

• The situation (“in a job interview,” “on a first date,” “at school,” “online”).
• The lens (“red flag,” “green flag,” “unpopular opinion,” “funny moment”).
• The type of answer (story, example, piece of advice, confession).

Examples Of Opinion-Sparking Questions (And Why They Work)

Here are some types of questions I love creating — and why people respond
so strongly to them.

“What’s a tiny, harmless opinion you will defend like it’s a Supreme Court case?”

This style of question invites humor and drama without touching any truly toxic
topics. People share their hot takes on pineapple pizza, folding fitted sheets,
or the “correct” way to load a dishwasher. It’s low stakes, high relatability.

“What’s the biggest green flag you’ve noticed in other people?”

After a lot of threads about red flags and deal-breakers, it’s refreshing to flip
the script. This kind of question nudges people to think about kindness, empathy,
and respect. The answers often highlight small, wholesome behaviors that restore
your faith in humanity.

“What’s a question you wish people would stop asking?”

This one hits a nerve. People talk about intrusive questions (“When are you having
kids?”), insensitive ones (“Why aren’t you over it yet?”), and repetitive ones
that make them feel like a walking FAQ page. It opens up discussions about
boundaries, stereotypes, and social pressure.

“What’s a moment when you realized, ‘Oh, I’m the adult now’?”

These answers are a mix of funny (“When I bought my own vacuum and got excited
about it”) and painfully real (“When I signed the paperwork at the hospital”).
Questions that focus on transitions — growing up, changing jobs, moving out,
losing someone — tend to unlock deeply personal, emotionally rich stories.

Tips For Creating Your Own Questions That Invite Opinions

You don’t have to work for Bored Panda to be “that person” who asks great
questions online. Whether you’re posting in a community, running a small brand,
or just trying to get your group chat talking, you can use the same principles.

1. Use “What,” “How,” Or “Tell Me About…”

These beginnings practically force open-ended answers:

• “What’s something…”
• “How did you…”
• “Tell me about a time when…”

Avoid yes/no phrasing unless you’re using it as a hook followed by a deeper
question.

2. Aim For Specific, Not Complicated

Instead of “What do you think about modern life?”, narrow it down:

• “What’s one modern convenience you never want to live without?”
• “What’s something about modern life that secretly exhausts you?”

Specificity makes it easier for people to recall stories and share details.

3. Mix Serious And Silly

The Bored Panda tone often balances heartfelt content with humor. You can ask:

• “What’s the worst advice you’ve ever received?” (funny)
• “What’s the best advice that quietly changed your life?” (serious)

Alternating between lighter and deeper prompts helps keep people engaged without
dragging the mood in only one direction.

4. Make It Safe To Disagree

If you’re asking for controversial or unpopular opinions, it helps to set a tone
of curiosity, not combat. A simple line like “Be honest but kind in the comments”
can discourage pile-ons and encourage more nuanced responses. People are more
willing to share if they don’t feel like they’re walking into a lion’s den.

My Experiences Creating Questions For Others To Share Their Opinions

When I say “I create questions,” it might sound like I sit in a quiet room,
thoughtfully crafting prompts with a fountain pen and a cup of herbal tea.
Sometimes it’s more like: I’m half-asleep, scrolling through a chaotic comment
section, and I stumble onto a theme that refuses to leave my brain. That’s when
I know there’s a question hiding in it.

One of the first prompts I ever posted was about deal-breakers in
relationships and friendships. I expected a handful of funny replies about bad
hygiene or loud chewing. Instead, people shared experiences about partners who
never apologized, friends who turned every conversation into a competition, and
family members who weaponized guilt. It turned into a raw, eye-opening list of
behaviors that quietly destroy trust.

Reading through those answers changed how I see everyday interactions. Now, when I
write questions, I think about the invisible weight people carry: childhood
baggage, bad bosses, manipulative exes, tiny acts of kindness that kept them going
on bad days. A simple sentence like “What’s a small thing someone did that you
still think about years later?” can unlock stories you’d never expect someone to
share in public — but they do, because the question gave them a frame.

Another time, I wrote a question around job interview red flags. Again, I figured
it would mostly be jokes about “we’re like a family here” and unpaid “trial
shifts.” There were plenty of those, but there were also stories about interviewers
who mocked candidates, offices where everyone looked terrified, and companies that
treated basic labor protections like optional extras. The answers weren’t just
entertaining; they were a crowd-sourced survival guide for anyone entering the
job market.

That’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned: when you create questions for
others to share their opinions, you’re not just fishing for funny comments. You’re
building informal libraries of experience. Future readers stumble in, skim the
answers, and walk away with new perspectives, warnings, comfort, or ideas.

I’ve also seen how the tone of the question shapes the tone of the answers. If I
ask, “What’s the dumbest thing someone has ever asked you?” I know I’m inviting
comedic frustration and maybe a bit of snark. If I ask, “What’s a question you
wish more people would ask before judging someone?”, the comments shift toward
empathy, mental health, and compassion.

Over time, I’ve become more intentional. Before I hit “post,” I ask myself:

• Is this question punching down, or does it give space to punch up at systems and bad behavior?
• Could this prompt accidentally invite cruelty, mockery, or harassment?
• Is there a way to phrase it that protects vulnerable people while still being honest and engaging?

I won’t pretend I always get it perfectly right, but I’ve seen enough threads go
off the rails to know that wording matters. Adding a single word like “kind,”
“harmless,” or “wholesome” can guide people toward stories that make others feel
seen instead of attacked.

On the flip side, some of the most powerful answers come from prompts that lean
into vulnerability. Questions about regret, forgiveness, or moments when people
changed their beliefs can lead to long, beautifully written responses that feel
almost like mini essays. These aren’t just opinions; they’re snapshots of
transformation.

The coolest part of this role, though, is how it quietly reshaped my view of the
internet. When you spend your time reading comment sections built around open
questions, you stop seeing “the audience” as a faceless mass. You start recognizing
patterns: how many people share the same insecurities, how often they mention
small kindnesses, how much they crave fairness and connection.

Creating questions for others to share their opinions has made me a better listener
offline, too. I’ve become more likely to ask, “How did that make you feel?” instead
of “Did that bother you?” More likely to ask, “What do you wish people understood
about that experience?” rather than “Why didn’t you just do X?” The skills that
make for a great Bored Panda prompt — curiosity, specificity, empathy, and a
little humor — turn out to be pretty useful in real life as well.

At the end of the day, my job isn’t to have the loudest opinion in the room. It’s
to build the kind of questions that make everyone else feel like theirs is worth
sharing. And if I can keep doing that — one weird, thoughtful, or slightly
chaotic prompt at a time — then I’m happy to keep collecting opinions like
other people collect houseplants: carefully, enthusiastically, and with a lot of
joyful chaos.