This is usually how I view things as a millennial. With the infinite amount of information that's available at ones fingertips it seems almost ignorant sometimes to not seek out information on your own terms instead of asking someone.

However I will say I have had to develop the skill of knowing when to stop searching my own and just ask someone

Sometimes you get an answer even faster when you ask for help

At the expense of the other person's concentration and time, which is selfish.

Thank you. That's exactly why I avoid bothering people. Sure I might take 5mn to find out on my own, but I don't think it's worth saving 2mn if I'm taking up 3mn of somebody else's time, the total time wasted increases and now I'm involving innocents.

I live in a very congested European capital and I actually do like to give advice to people from outside the city on which tram or bus they should take and from where exactly. Often times I give my advice even if not directly asked, i.e. when I overhear someone in my vicinity asking for directions. We are social creatures and thinking otherwise is the real selfish thing to do.

Almost everything you do is 'at the expense of the other person's concentration and time'.

This comment, for example.

Humans are a social species. These "interruptions" are close to the only thing we exist to do.

Unlike interrupting somebody on the street, your comment is only taking concentration and time from people who voluntarily choose to read the comments.

If your concentration is that important you can almost always ignore the person asking for your help.

Then my guilt for being rude would disrupt my concentration terribly.

I'm always happy to give directions to someone. It barely takes any time, and it makes me feel useful.

So am I! But I try to be considerate of others by looking things up myself rather than asking questions that could be easily Googled.

Sometimes you get stuck in long conversations; sometimes the other person doesn't even know the answer; sometimes the other person can't even understand the question.

Don't forget when someone very confidently gives you the answer that is completely wrong.