Cunningham's Law
The fastest way to get the right answer online is to post the wrong one.
Ward Cunningham, inventor of the wiki, observed that asking a question rarely gets you a good answer online. Posting a wrong answer to the same question almost always provokes corrections. The correction reflex is stronger than the helpfulness reflex.
The principle has a real practical application beyond internet trolling. In meetings, on teams, in any group where people don't speak up, putting forward a clearly wrong proposal often surfaces opinions that direct questions wouldn't.
For operators, the discipline is to use this carefully. Strategic provocation can flush out hidden positions. Used too much, it erodes trust. Used sparingly and honestly ("I think we should do X; what am I missing?"), it's one of the most effective ways to get real input.
Examples in the wild
Stating a definite (even if half-considered) opinion in a meeting often produces more useful pushback than asking 'what do people think.' The first triggers correction; the second triggers silence.
Posting a clear thesis publicly invites detailed counter-arguments that improve the thesis. Asking 'what should I think about this stock' produces vague responses.
Asking a partner 'where do you want to eat' produces nothing. Saying 'let's go to X' produces 'no, let's do Y.' The Cunningham dynamic at work.
Cunningham's Law is one of the mental models we apply through real cases inside the Pareto MBA — a part-time program for professionals who want to think clearly about business.