Why?

When we were little kids we'd ask this of our parents all the time.

The ocean is blue. 'Why?'
Because thats what color water is. 'Why?'
I think it has something to do with lightwaves, or planketon or something. 'Why?'
Because God made it that way. 'Why?'
Because ...... ad nauseum.

The thing is eventually we came to a point in our lives where we developed critical thinking skills. We may still ask why, but we learn to think for ourselves and reason a problem out rather then simply asking 'Why?' 30 billion times until someone's head exploded. Apperently, however, the typical American consumer has developed a long an entire different evolutionary path. No matter how many times you present them with a reason, if the solution is not something they wish to hear, they will continue to ask 'Why?' like a 5 year old until either your head explodes, you tell them what they want to hear, or they simply decide your wrong and do what they wanted to do anyways.

Take to day for example. A customer came up to me with RAM that was on sale for $20.00. A fairly good deal. He asked me if this RAM would work in his new P4 desktop. One look at the box said it all, PC100.

M: No sir, I'm sorry. It won't.
H: Why not?
M: This is an older style of RAM sir, I'm sorry it won't function in your computer.

End of story, case closed. Or at least it should be.

H: Why not?
M: Because its an older type sir.
H: But my computer is new, it should work with the older stuff.
M: No sir, it won't work.
H: But why?
M: Because there's a different pin type sir.

If nothing else you'd think this would have finally gotten through to him, but no. The customer thinks they'll baffel me with their mastery of computer wizardry.

H: But my computer says it supports 400 type RAM and this is 100, and 400 is greater then 100 so it WILL run on my computer.
M: No sir, again, it is a completly different pin type, not to mention a whole different type of RAM.

Clutching on to his thin grasp on logic, much like a drowning man grabs a lifeboat he continues.

H: But 400 is bigger then 100.
M: Again sir, I'm sorry, but thats not the way it works.
H: But why?

Oh that hated question, and I'm tired of dealing with this guy.

M: I've already explained that to you sir, it is simply not going to work.
H: I think you're wrong, it'll work, 400 is bigger then 100.
M: You're welcome to think that sir, but again, it will not function in your computer.
H: You're wrong, I want this RAM.
M: Fine sir, checkout is over there.

Now, this exchange is bad enough in and of itself, but our story doesn't end there. No, that would be much to simple. Instead the customer comes back in four hours later, demanding a refund because the RAM doesn't work, duh. He doesn't just want a refund, however, he wants additional money back for the time he's wasted, and the gas it took him to bring the RAM back. At this time, I get brought into the whole mess, and he blames me for not telling him the RAM wouldn't work. I explain again, that I told him the pin types were incorrect, but he didn't want to listen. The last thing I remembered hearing before my eyes rolled back into my head, and my vision clouded was, 'But why?'