Definitions:elite | a person who has great, vast, huge knowledge about a certain topic |
noob | a person who seeks one of the elite for help in their field of expertise |
When the elite come down to help the noobs they should be prepared to explain the same thing over and over and over and over again. They will face the same questions with the same (obvious for the elite) answers several times a day, day in, day out.
A noob is a noob is a noob and therefore does not know the protocol of dealing with the elite yet. Hence, the elite need a lot of diplomacy. Helping these noobs takes effort: time and energy. And only seldomly will there be a reward.
These rules were made by the elite to give them the good feeling of helping, while at the same time reducing their efforts. Now the noob not only faces a problem, he or she also must follow an unknown protocol before help is graciously given. To see the wisdom of these rules requires experience, which the noobs by definition can not have.
If the elite doesn't have the time or energy to help, then they shouldn't try to. No one can force them to help. If the stupidity is too much, don't listen. If the questions just hurt your sense of logic, don't even consider answering. From a wrong sense of duty the elite created these rules to help, except they only help to easy the elite's pain and not solve the noob's problem.
I was once a noob and was treated badly by the elite I sought for help. After a while I had learned their protocol and got along with them, even behaved like them and, like them, looked down upon other noobs. One day I realised what I was doing and totally left that community for good. I will never return to them, instead I am doing what they are trying to do, except I do it my way. And I also spend a lot of time and energy to help -
if I choose to help, that is. Sometimes I am not in the mood, so I ignore all questions; and I don't feel bad about it at all: When I can't help properly I don't help at all. Otherwise it's a double-waste of time and energy: mine's and that of the noob.
Wow, I didn't think it would turn out this long. But this topic is important to me, I have seen noobs being treated so badly, I am still ashamed of it
It's been 5 years since or so, but I am still so ashamed...
* housetier submits this now before it gets longer yet