Wondering about the conflict between these two guidelines I often see on TRP.

  1. Don't ask many questions, but if you have to, phrase them in an assertive/commanding way (eg. Tell me your major. > What's your major?)

  2. Ask questions about them to probe and populate the conversation, and when they answer, ask more questions about the answer. (eg. "What's your major?" "Basketweaving." "So you're a basket case?")

Is this just another balancing act and boils down to context? Similar to how many of the 48 laws contradict each other?

I'm asking particularly for plate theory, specifically for night game (initial meeting and after party) and the following week or so after meeting...I am a good conversationalist and can be engaging when I use targeted questions to gnaw at their emotional side--just wondering if that would be erring on too many questions.

Thoughts?