In a competition based society such as ours, why should we help others with our tips, advice, and knowledge?

Question

I know this is a selfish attitude, but if helping others means that I would be at a disadvantage, why should I do it?

For example, I have had to spend lots of time, money, and effort into gaining a certain experience. Why should I share it with others, especially if I am not well off financially and need to compete with other people?

I am not talking about helping someone with carrying their grocery bags or such trivial things. These are common courtesies.

But there are so many websites that teach people about all sorts of things, such as fixing computers to fixing their cars. Why do people teach others about the skills that they had to learn themselves the hard way? Doesn't it make the other people better able to get ahead as they don't have to spend the time, and can proceed to learning stuff that the teacher didn't have the time for?

It makes sense if one is completely financially secure, but what about all the other people?

Don't reply by saying I am a heartless and selfish individual; I am just looking at the situation objectively and logically.

Answer 1

Just because they teach doesn't mean you will be able to learn it. They get paid, form advertising there products or services while at the same time teaching you a new trick or task or whatever. Just because it says it is free doesn't mean your not paying some how shape or way. Me for instance I can tell people how to wear and tailor a new suit, but just because i tell someone that doesn't mean they are going to open a suit business to compete with me odds are they are going to remember who gave them advice and come back for more. At least that is theory i think.  

Answer 2

Payment isnt always money.

You are not heartless. Your opinion is your opinion, we all have them, you are entitlted to have it.

But to some people, it doesnt matter that they get paid in money, because the enjoyment they get from helping others is payment enough.

For some people, it is truelly their hobby, their passion, not their 'job'.

Not everyone is in competition with everyone else.

AND, sometimes there are hidden agendas.  You scratch my back, I scratch yours.  I help you now, you help me later, vice versa.  I help you with this for free, you come back to me willing to pay more than what you ever would have had I charged you in the first place.  You use my product that I gave you for free, it gets my name out.  You are giving me business by using my product.  Yeah, I helped you get ahead by giving it to you for free, but you helped me soo much more in the business that has been sent my way by your customers seeing my name.

Answer 3

We're angry, evil being. But as much as we can hate, we can love too.

Somewhere deep down, underneath jealousy and want and sin, we still have the ability to care for our fellow man.

Answer 4

First, one of the best ways to learn something (or to improve your knowledge and competence) is to try to teach it to someone else.

Second, there's truth in the saying "What goes around, comes around."  When you need help, others will remember whether you offered them help or turned away.

Then there's the story of the guy who was up for promotion, but lost it because he'd never trained anyone else to do his job.

Answer 5

There are a lot of ways to approach your question,  but I will mention just one - free is the new business model.  To give away something for free to a certain point, and then charge for more extensive services is taking hold and becoming a standard marketing and business approach.  For example, you can get a lot of services at Google, but if you want to store more data than their basic amount,  you can pay for more space.  Giving away something establishes a relationship and one-to-one marketing is another standard business practice: finding and maintaining one customer at a time.

  

Answer 6

The giving hand is the upper hand. As long as you have something to offer that others want, you are the superior in the relationship.