Why do these questioners ask questions in such a manner?

I mean like, Anyone live in New York? Or Has anyone read Jane Eyre? These books, places and things these people are supposedly asking about have been around for hundreds of years. How are we supposed to answer the question without being cynical? No, no one lives here, it is just a name on the map or no, no one has ever read this book, it has just been reprinted 50,000 times because we, the publishers like to waste our money. Can't these people even think how to use their brains for something besides a hat rack?