First published: 20 Mar

The bidirectional nature of seeking and receiving help is a fundamental human quality. It’s a quality that even chimps don’t seem to share with us. Indeed, a recent study found that preschool children cooperated with each other to collectively solve problems while our primate counterparts (Capuchin monkeys and chimps) did not cooperate or share with each other. Here is a quote from the study’s abstract:

The success of the children, but not of the chimpanzees or Capuchins, in reaching higher-level solutions was strongly associated with a package of sociocognitive processes—including teaching through verbal instruction, imitation, and prosociality—that were observed only in the children and covaried with performance.

So while humans are capable of many self-destructive behaviors, we are fundamentally a species that believes in sharing and caring for each other. Yes, Compassion is a more natural instinct for us humans than we give it credit for.
What’s this got to do with Ask Me Help Desk, you ask? At AMHD, which on the exterior looks like most other Q & A sites, we have the scaffolding that enables the sharing and collaboration for each other that you seldom see anywhere else on the ‘net. We go beyond simply answering questions, but rather we solve problems together and, in the process, form bonds and relationships that are enduring.

While Facebook walls might update you on what your friend is eating for dinner, our problems are pretty intense — How do I stop this leak? Should I agree to the expensive engine rebuild that my mechanic is suggesting for my old Honda Civic? How do I solve math problem 3.5a due tomorrow? How do I know if I’m pregnant? How can I get my son to help out with more housework? These are deeply personal questions, yet universal and, most important, utterly real. There are no hypothetical debates that ensue in these situations; these aren’t pseudo-intellectual dinner conversations on Quora; and we don’t engage in the pedantic banter that attracts the trolls who flock to Yahoo! Answers. And since we aren’t hyper-specialized (e.g. Stack Overflow) or exclusive about our topics or interests, anyone and everyone can participate.

We’re like an uncle or an aunt who knows a fair amount and has a lot of worldly experience but, most important to you, is concerned enough about you to take the time to figuratively roll up shirt sleeves, dig in, and puzzle it out with you. It’s not always about the answer in the textbook — it’s about solving your problem on your terms when you need it. It’s a fundamental human activity that we perform every day at Ask Me Help Desk.

Join our community and be more human.