Sometimes a real answer is too complicated to explain, hence the plain-old, “Because.” But, that answer, in and of itself, begs for a redress, due to its simplicity and accompanying lack of reasoning.

In fact, there have been studies on how to best gain compliance from people, in a variety of settings. It has been proven that answers that include “because” statements are best followed by some sort of logical explanation, in order to gain compliance. For example, if you want to cut into a line of people, people are more likely to allow you to do so if you say, “Because I’m running late for work [or whatever],” rather than just saying, “Because.”

So, now I tend to tell my kid she can’t have whatever she’s asking for by saying, “Because I am your mom, and what I say is law in this house.” (This works infrequently, by the way.)

The truth is that people want logical answers in order to be convinced of anything. We want empirical evidence over the dismissive ‘because.” We have to have a reason for everything.

Because, by itself, means that we don’t care to fully explain ourselves, and we are therefore not likely to care what you think about our shabby response. In that way, it is a dismissive answer.

I suggest that you follow your friend’s lead when he says “because” by instead saying, “You must not expect me to believe that.”

I hope this helps.

It’s the classic standard response a parent might give a child when they don’t want to explain or justify their reasoning for something.

An answer implies a complete response to a question or inquiry, or a response that could be completely understood or at least invite additional questions that could more easily define a complete answer. If someone simply says, “because”, they are definitely not inviting further inquiry, and in fact, they are making it clear that further inquiry will not be given or welcomed.

All of this is my humble opinion….

Your friend is giving you an answer when saying ‘Because.’ It is an INcomplete answer.

It’s the answer given by someone who is either too lazy or not well enough informed to give the correct answer.

It shows their ignorance.

-MM