(Un)willingness to help other people can tell a lot about a person. Sometimes, the way they react in a certain situation can make you see them in a different light completely, for better or worse.

That’s what happened withthis redditorand her boyfriend. They were waiting for their ride after aChristmasparty when the OP saw a woman standing alone on the street and a drunken guy wandering around her. The redditor didn’t hesitate to come to her help and make sure she got into her car okay, but her boyfriend didn’t seem as keen to help, which significantly influenced the way she saw him after that.

Scroll down to find the full story below, where you will also findBored Panda’sinterview with the author of several award-winning books and the founder of Humanist Learning Systems,Jennifer Hancock, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about helping others.

RELATED:

It’s important not to turn a blind eye when someone might be in need of help

Couple standing close at night, looking at a phone; woman reflects on her boyfriend’s actions.

Image credits:GaudiLab / Envato (not the actual photo)

This couple saw a woman standing alone on the street and a drunken guy next to her, but only one of the partners decided to come to her help

Woman reflecting on boyfriend’s behavior, seated at a table and appearing thoughtful and concerned.

Image credits:Image-Source / Envato (not the actual photo)

Image credits:Prefer2beanon2

Every month, billions of people find themselves having to ask strangers for help

Most of us know that we can trust our closefriendsandfamily. But can we trust strangers to lend a helping hand when we need it the most? That seems to be a matter of luck as you never know what kind of people are roaming the same areas that you do.

You might be happy to learn that, according to the World Giving Index,billions of peoplehelp someone they don’t know every month. The2014 editionof the report found that back in 2013, for instance, as many as 2.3 billion worldwide did, marking a 226 million increase since 2012.

The report noted that men were more likely than women to help strangers, thoughother studiessuggest that empathy in everyday life is higher for women rather than their male counterparts. According to the World Giving Index, the age group ranging from 30 to 49 years of age is the most likely to help a stranger.

Man in a cap and denim shirt smiling, standing in a sunlit urban area with blurred people in the background.

When the woman on the street approached the OP and her boyfriend, asking if she could stay with them for a moment, the redditor didn’t hesitate to say yes. She saw that the person was in an unfavorable situation and wanted to make sure she got out of it safely. However, her boyfriend wasn’t on the same page, or at least wasn’t equally willing to act on it; and some redditors saw why – being confrontational as a man and a woman is not always received the same way.

Woman leans against a wall, looking at her phone, while a man stands in the background.

Image credits:teksomolika / Freepik (not the actual photo)

“Whether or not anyone else does – you should do what you think is right,” expert says

According to the expert, it’s extremely important not to be apathetic to those in need of help. “If you can help someone in need, you should help them. Take the time if you can. Apathy is emotionally draining and discouraging to experience. When you choose to pay attention and to act with compassion to people in need, you feel connected, you feel alive, you feel good about yourself and about the person you helped.

“Can you help everyone? No. No one can. But if you can help an individual, help them. You will be glad you did. The hardest part of this is to find the courage to do it,” Hancock said, adding that the more you act courageously, the easier it becomes.

Some netizens sided with the OP

Reddit comment on relationship opinions: “Those bartenders sound nice.

Reddit comment discussing diminished perception of manliness and lack of empathy.

Comment criticizing lack of help from boyfriend.

Jack London story about pioneers in Alaska and a woman reevaluating her husband after a stranger saves her from icy water.

Text conversation about changing opinions on boyfriend’s behavior.

Reddit user expresses disappointment in men, saying none have protected her in 46 years.

Reddit comment discussing gender roles and lack of male intervention in protecting women.

Text about a woman’s frustration with her boyfriend’s selfish behavior.

Others said it wasn’t smart of her to confront the drunken man

Opinion change about boyfriend after his refusal to help; text discussing safety and relationship tension.

Text response discussing a situation where a woman changes her opinion about her boyfriend after he refused to intervene.

Reddit comment discussing a woman’s changed opinion about her boyfriend after he refused to help.

Comment discussing relationship dynamics and safety concerns in a critical tone.

Woman questions boyfriend’s masculinity after he refuses to help in emergency, considers it a deal breaker.

Text comment discussing male intervention and female bouncers preventing violence.

Text image discussing perspectives on gender and confrontation dynamics.

Image of a Reddit comment discussing a woman’s changed opinion about her boyfriend not helping in a conflict.

People shared similar stories, too

Text from a Reddit comment about a boyfriend refusing help, discussing male expectations and safety concerns.

Text post about a woman’s changing opinion of her boyfriend due to his actions to help a girl at a bus stop.

Text discussing a woman’s altered perception of a boyfriend who refused to help children at a bus stop.

Text describing a woman’s change in perception of her boyfriend after he refused to help.

Thanks! Check out the results:You May LikeMan Has The Audacity To Ask For Help After Abandoning A Kid For 15 Years, Gets A Reality CheckViktorija OšikaitėWoman Aggressively Attacks BF’s Ex After Seeing Her In The Pub, The Man Dumps Her For Doing SoMonika PašukonytėGuy Ends Up In Trouble With HR After Helping Out A Coworker In An Emergency, Ignores Her In ReturnMonika Pašukonytė

Viktorija Ošikaitė

Monika Pašukonytė

Relationships