> Maybe I have just had bad experiences but a lot of developers do this thing where they answer a question with a snarky question.

Extends far further than the workplace. A few minutes in some of the more popular IRC channels on Freenode, you'll get the same experience. It's extremely frustrating, especially seeing it happen as an outsider to communities you like.

I feel like, in the same way that power generally corrupts people, "feeling smart" can corrupt the same way, coming down to the same attitude of feeling like you have an advantage over other people. Regardless of whether you actually are smart or not.