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[Dr. Johbson]

I'm glad someone likes listening to other people's problems. I'm sick of it, everyone always chooses *me* to talk to about their stuff. 

I used to help people. Wasn't that bad for not knowing anything about this kind of stuff. I got two guys to stop cutting themselves, and one even made friends with other people. YAY FOR THEM/ME!

I don't mind listening to people I actually know, no, thats fine, that comes with friendship, but if we're just passing acquaintances, chances are I don't want to deal with your problems.

Short version- My problem is people like/trust me way too much.


Don't take this paragraph too seriously. I also mean no harm to those who have problems/like to deal with problems. Just a nice, slightly on-topic rant. Uh, also no offense to my stalkers here, that I may have helped the past.   

[kurokikaze]

I like to listen to other people's problems. Usually the kinds of problems that require them to make life-altering decisions. Not particularly sure why, but it excites me greatly to help steer people along or see their growth in action. For example:

I have a friend who came to me a few years ago for advice. She said she found a video on her brother's computer which basically showed her brother (younger than her, and she was 16 at the time) having relations with their piano teacher... in their house. When no one was at home. So, she wanted to know what to do with the information.

I, for example, have a rule for myself to never, never give answers in these kind of situations. And this is the lesson learned the hard way People's lives is their responsibility, and I don't want it.

Just listening is fine, though.

[Cthulhu]

Covertly move file somewhere it will be easily found. 
Let parents find it.
Pretend to be as shocked/appalled as they are.
???
Profit!

When I find porn/compromising materials around my house, I put them back where I found them and pretend I never saw them.  The status quo is my friend.

[IndonesiaWarMinister]

When I find porn/compromising materials around my house, I put them back where I found them and pretend I never saw them.  The status quo is my friend.

The status quo is my friend.

The status quo

my friend.

REFLECT ON YOUR CONSERVATIVE INEPTIDUDE? Y/N

N

Well... Let's play Conservative Crime Squad, you redneck! Slaughter those liberals!

[Nilocy]

IWM +1
Cthulhu -1

[JoshuaFH]

Uh, also no offense to my stalkers here, that I may have helped the past.  

It's alright, I don't feel offended.

[sonerohi]

The only problem solvering I've done is kind of a big deal for the other people. I talked one of my friends down from shooting himself, and then got him help and made sure he went to his appointments for the next month before his parents found out and took over. The only other time was helping a friend of mine report to the police and the school that she'd been raped.

[Neruz]

I often end up in the position of problem solver due to being the only one of my peers with more than half a brain in his head, i'm the one who points out that kicking a bottle full of flaming petrol and molten plastic (effectively napalm) because it was supposed to explode and it might explode if we kick it is a really fucking stupid idea, as the burns on one of my friend's legs will attest.

I'm also constantly amazed how many problems can be solved by just not being an idiot about it.

[chaoticag]

At times like those, I wonder whether or not letting evolution take its course would be more desirable. Of course, most of my friends have the descency to act idiotic away from me, like the guy that thought putting your hand in a glass with hydrochloric acid is a safe idea. In his defense though, that stunt caused his chemistry professor to give him full marks on his labwork. He wasn't seriously injured though.

[JoshuaFH]

At times like those, I wonder whether or not letting evolution take its course would be more desirable. Of course, most of my friends have the descency to act idiotic away from me, like the guy that thought putting your hand in a glass with hydrochloric acid is a safe idea. In his defense though, that stunt caused his chemistry professor to give him full marks on his labwork. He wasn't seriously injured though.

I know how to get good grades in chemistry now!

[Poltifar]

I like listening to people's problems not because I can give good advice to solve them (my advice is normally to be taken with a grain of salt unless its something obvious like 'dont stab yourself in the eye with a rusty pen'), but because I enjoy listening to how horrible life can get a tell myself 'Wow, my life has so much less problems than this guy's, yay!' and feel better.

Yes, I'm a terrible person. Sue me.

[Rashilul]

My mother does this for a living, listens to anything from teen angst to life-threatening diseases. She hates her job, but loves helping people.

Except 90% of the people she helps are suffering from "being too emotional" 9% have real problems, and 1% have life-changing/threatening problems.

[Leafsnail]

My mother does work with people with mental health difficulties.  She sometimes (although it's not a full job, just something occasional) attends a panel to decide whether someone should be released from a mental hospital, and be allowed to live more independantly.  It's apparently quite difficult - even if a person has severe problems, they shouldn't be in care unless they're a danger to themselves or other people.  I remember she told me about one case where she said:
"Well, actually most of the so called "mental health problems" could be explained by the fact she was Japanese"
I was very surprised by this, but she went on to explain how she had trouble communicating with other people and was often misunderstood due to not speaking the language very well.  I'm glad, since I'm not sure if I could handle racism from my own mother.

[Neruz]

At times like those, I wonder whether or not letting evolution take its course would be more desirable. Of course, most of my friends have the descency to act idiotic away from me, like the guy that thought putting your hand in a glass with hydrochloric acid is a safe idea. In his defense though, that stunt caused his chemistry professor to give him full marks on his labwork. He wasn't seriously injured though.

I know how to get good grades in chemistry now!

Natural selection in action!

[Spreggo]

I used to feel just like that, and then I realized it was essentially self-centered. Basically one starts to think that one's thought process is efficient and correct because you seem to be able to help people, and they are grateful for it. It's very self gratifying to make, er, 'help' people be happy.

The problem is that happiness isn't something you get by following the advice of other people. Really we can only help people if we can somehow imbue them with the ability to critically think and create a constructive method of understanding for themselves. Unfortunately, the one you or I have made doesn't fit someone else's brain.

So what can you do? People tell you their problems from their point of view, then you give them advice, using their subjective information, with another layer of abstraction from your own mind. The problem is compounded since people often talk about their problems in a very skewed way.

I concluded that the best thing to do is live your own life as close to your ever-evolving principles as possible, and just try to set a good example. I reserve all the mind-meddling for people who have minds which I actually have some understanding of beyond generalizations. For me, the only mind that fits that criteria is the one I've been sleeping next to for the past four years.

(Probably you won't agree with me - I might not have agreed with myself not so long ago, either.)