There is rarely harm in asking for information from honest people. If you’re worried about a negative reaction, that’s usually your gut telling you that the people you’re dealing with don’t have your best interests in mind.
As an example, imagine you’re buying a car and you ask to look under the hood. What kind of salesperson would react poorly to such a request? Only someone who didn’t want you to see what a mess the engine was! Anyone selling a reasonable vehicle would be happy to abide by an equally reasonable request.
Curiosity doesn’t just gain you information. It gains you insight. How people respond to curiosity in others tells you a lot about them!
The Opportunity Machine 