help them generate

[keannu]

Why is "them" used instead of "themselves"?

34. Connecting and combining ideas occurs organically when people of __________________ get together. Some people are so aware of this that they literally go out of their way to create a new association in their lives in order to stir up their thinking and help them generate new ideas

 

[MikeNewYork]

The reflexive pronoun is not needed there. The general rule is never use a reflexive pronoun where a regular pronoun will work.

 

[keannu]

I can't tell the difference between the two. Doesn't 2 imply "some people help "another type of people other than themselves""?

1. Some people help themselves generate new ideas.
2. Some people help them generate new ideas.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I don't understand your point.

 

[Barb_D]

It's possible grammatically, but it's so unlikely semantically. I'm going to seek out new associations so that the new people I am associated with can think of new ideas? Not likely. But we form associations together so together we think of new ideas.