But, on the other hand, we do not know what a person has inside when they have a critical moment, a "bifurcation point," when just one more word from us can change them and their whole life.
If the million words over years didn't make the difference, it is unlikely one more will. The next word is statistically more useful used elsewhere.
In my opinion, it is about relationship collaboration and while it is never 1:! reciprocity, there has to be some mutual benefit. the good feeling of helping someone can be felt by helping anyone, so in regards to resource allocation, it is very much like a marketplace of products, where people are looking to maximize their buying power (at least in their head) rather than throw resources away.
It also comes down to the type of relationship that people have and online, those relationships are tenuous at best and, the real situation is largely hidden.