# What are people's motives for answering questions on SDMB? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 24, 2018, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347 "2018-01-24T04:58:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/21 "2018-01-24T16:13:54Z")
My questions get answered … in return I answer questions that I can … _quid pro quo_ … ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2018, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/22 "2018-01-24T16:25:02Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > I also post sometimes for the purpose of introducing an aspect to a discussion that has not been addressed, which I think is salient to an overall conclusion. Not for the purpose of shifting a consensus toward my position, but to ensure that all angles are accounted for. I actually do that a lot, half the time I get accused of being a right winger or something of the sort - I just ignore those comments and enjoy the responses from posters who are informed and can speak intelligently on the subject at hand. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/23 "2018-01-24T16:44:03Z")
A lot of the questions I answer are about physics or math. Why? Because I like talking about physics and math. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/24 "2018-01-24T19:46:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > A lot of the questions I answer are about physics or math. Why? Because I like talking about physics and math. I think this is high on the list of reasons for most of us. We get to talk about things we really enjoy discussing. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/25 "2018-01-25T15:22:16Z")
As a brain in a jar, my ability to communicate with the outside world is fairly limited. This helps pass the time between predicting future crimes. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/26 "2018-01-25T17:40:57Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > As a brain in a jar, my ability to communicate with the outside world is fairly limited. This helps pass the time between predicting future crimes. And waiting for someone named Igor to wander past -------- shopping around. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/27 "2018-01-25T18:04:18Z")
I post answers to become smarter. If my answer is incomplete or completely wrong, then someone else’s correction is a learning experience for me. If my answer is correct(it happens from time to time), it might still stimulate a conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/28 "2018-01-25T18:24:52Z")
Schrodinger’s Cat, _Pussums_, posts here. If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me. ETA \*I gave it away, she’s alive. \* ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/29 "2018-01-25T19:00:15Z")
Fortune and glory, Kid. Fortune and glory. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/30 "2018-01-25T19:24:24Z")
Because I can. Because helping people is good Karma. Because it makes me feel smart. Because if I help people, they are likely to help me when I need it. Because it’s there. Because. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/31 "2018-01-25T19:32:13Z")
_Now–if you haven’t got an answer Then you haven’t got a question And if you never had a question Then you’d never have a problem But if you never had a problem Well, everyone would be happy But if everyone was happy There’d never be a love song_ –Harry Nilsson ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/32 "2018-01-25T19:37:08Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Schrodinger’s Cat, _Pussums_, posts here. If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me. > ETA > \*I gave it away, she’s alive. \* That doesn’t prove anything, as the prevalence of zombie posts demonstrates. FWIW, I hope Pussums is fine and alive and cute and all, because [zombie cats are just scary and wrong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_Sematary). ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/33 "2018-01-25T20:01:32Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > I’ve heard it said that the Greeks defined happiness as using one’s talents to help others, and that rings true with me. In the summer, I enjoy roaming touristy parts of Chicago just hoping someone will need directions. > > As it happens, I have amassed a fair amount of knowledge about a wide variety of things, but to just expound on random things smacks of Cliff Clavin. But if someone has asked a question, then it doesn’t seem boorish or arrogant to jump in. Are you the sonofabeep that gave me the bad directions on my very first trip to Chicago? I was wearing a Cubs hat and jersey, and the #$%##@ gave me directions to the home of the White Sox instead of Wrigley. I always said that, if I found that guy again, I was going to punch him in the dick. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/34 "2018-01-25T20:29:09Z")
Because I miss the training, teaching, and writing aspects of my job that were taken away during the last shake up. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/35 "2018-01-25T21:13:46Z")
When I answer someone’s question on this board it is either because I actually know something about the subject, or I’m intrigued enough to do a bunch of research on it just for fun. Sometimes I just enjoy following rabbit holes of information and I’ll end up reading through 20 articles based off links from other articles. For example, I looked up Donnie Yen yesterday because of some damned FB meme (I’ve always liked his work) and probably ended up reading at least a dozen other pages based on the links on pages about him. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/36 "2018-01-26T08:13:56Z")
I do it for the Whuffie. ---
**Author:** ![squish7](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squish7/32/104_2.png) [@squish7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squish7)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/37 "2018-02-03T08:23:34Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Because I miss the training, teaching, and writing aspects of my job that were taken away during the last shake up. _hug_ ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/38 "2018-02-03T13:23:29Z")
You could ask the same question about Wikipedia. AFAIK, contributors don’t get paid, don’t get credit, and just like here, they might get criticized or corrected. Why bother make the world a better place indeed? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/39 "2018-02-03T14:15:54Z")
Because I enjoy it. Why? Probably for the same reasons I switched careers to become a teacher. I enjoy learning new things, and helping others learn new things, and figuring out how to help others learn new things. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347/40 "2018-02-03T16:37:09Z")
I’m happy to answer questions on the Dope for the adulation and ego-boosting, plus the huge monthly $hillbuck checks from Merck, Monsanto and the Russians. I even get [a free wardrobe.](https://www.redbubble.com/people/funnytshirtemp/works/25904625-troll-army-warrior-internet-russian-hack?cat_context=u-tees&grid_pos=6&p=t-shirt&rbs=c3da267d-d090-4a1a-b0d3-56325f5e3246&ref=shop_grid&style=vneck) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-peoples-motives-for-answering-questions-on-sdmb/807347.md?page=3)