These rare birds are the soul of self-help forums, answering every day in an expert and benevolent way to strangers who pass by. The world spoke to a dozen of these benefactors who each wrote several thousand responses to requests on energy renovation, over-indebtedness, acoustics, etc.
Many say they are concerned about the fate of their fellow human beings. “I wanted to feel less passive in the face of other people’s troubles”, testifies Chahumasy, pseudonym of the author of 25,000 publications on a bicycle forum. “L’aventureuse”, editor of 38,000 publications focusing mainly on contraception, sees nothing exceptional in her involvement: “I come from a leftist family, I was a teacher, helping and sharing knowledge is just normal for me “, explains the one who would have wanted to be a midwife.
Nathalie, the creator of a Facebook decoration group, started her activity in response to the economic situation. “With these prices, how can people get away with it? » She regrets that the world is “become give-and-take”.
Rich, disinterested and personalized information
The taste for mutual aid comes back in the speech of these big contributors. “The forums helped me out in my job as a graphic designer. Returning the favor is the minimum”argues Kabyll, pillar of a PC assembly forum. ” I find this beautiful. If everyone could do the same, the world would be better off.”he continues.
Not all big contributors are entirely benevolent, however. For Benoît, who often intervenes on a bike forum, some forum pillars respond curtly when the questions seem to them too closed or too often heard. And “Others find it difficult to take a step back from their own practice. They focus their answers too much on this one, not hesitating to “sweep away” what does not fit into their conception”.
Despite this, in the eyes of the stalwarts interviewed by The world, the forums remain irreplaceable: it is difficult to find richer, disinterested and personalized information elsewhere. Many rule out the idea of compensation for their advice. Nathalie also claims to have refused all sponsorship offers from her Facebook group, which has more than a million members.
Some also show deep concern for the planet. “I am angry with the throwaway societygets carried away a contributor of a forum on the bicycle who wished to remain anonymous. The repair has become so expensive that it remains possible only if we inject personal time voluntarily. »
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