Reddit isn’t the worst place to ask
When you have no other place to go
r/AskMen, r/AskWomen, r/AskReddit, r/TooAfraidToAsk.
What’s in common with all of these subreddits?
They are all subreddits dedicated to asking questions. While a majority of these “r/Ask…” subreddits are geared towards a specific population group, there are others like r/TooAfraidToAsk which exist to allow those who would otherwise never ask their question to ask. It’s dedicated to kids who don’t have supportive parents. It’s dedicated to adults who have wild thoughts and fantasies. It’s dedicated to asking the hypotheticals of situations that are too taboo or controversial.
Granted, most of these subreddits exist for those with questions to gain access to the advice, wisdom, or opinions of a specific group they wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to ask. I would never shame someone for using Reddit as a resource. It exists as a forum for a pocket of the internet and a subset of the general population.
Perhaps someone feels out of place in their local community and through Reddit is able to get the advice of others who can open their eyes to other options and opportunities. Others may seek support and community through Reddit. I’ve personally used many of these “r/Ask” subreddits as a way to gain insight via answers to questions from a wider population outside of the people around me. It gives me an easy way to escape manipulation and confirm claims made by others. Whether these questions are borne out of a desire to find validation or to ease insecurities, these “r/Ask” communities are filled with active users who offer their experience and knowledge as answers.