Why do people keep saying you can't ask 'dumb' questions here?

Every single day I see posts in this community getting downvoted into oblivion just because someone asked something basic like 'how do I boil an egg' or 'what does APR mean'. Last Tuesday a user asked if it was normal to pay $4.50 for a dozen eggs in Denver and people just roasted them in the replies instead of answering. The whole point of Ask Anything is that you can ask ANYTHING, that's literally the name of the community, so why are we gatekeeping what counts as a valid question? If someone doesn't know something simple, that's exactly who this place should help, not shame. Am I wrong for thinking the downvote button is being used as a 'you should already know this' button lately?