An OS Intended for use by the Ill-Informed

The other day, I grabbed a link from my Twitter feed (File system), and after reading it, I was reminded of an issue that has been infesting the open-source community as long as I can remember.

Now I have been guilty of asking questions that would have probably been easily answered by a Google search or reading the given documentation. On the other hand, I have also been the first to say "RTFM." I understand both sides of the argument: sometimes it's easier when others do the work for you, and it is really irritating when you are asked the same question thirty times a day.

Here lies my issue, why is it that we either treat new users like lesser life forms, or take it as a personal assault when someone questions some part of our flavor of choice?

I can relate to telling someone that something is a bad idea. I get that using harsh terms help some people convey urgency. But, do we really need to berate and belittle people who might not be as far in their learning as we are? Does it make you feel bigger than they are, making you somehow more important or higher on the project's food chain? Really, what do you get from it?