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I am a tool but I do not really exist

I am always used, even when I am not

The people that truly benefit from me are those that have trouble using me

I am found everywhere, but I haven't always been the same

I am never the same, but I am always constant

Everyone understands me, even those that don't know me

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6
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I will go with

LANGUAGE

I am a tool but I do not really exist

I am doubtful about the term existence here. Languages exist, but they have no physical existence.

I am always used, even when I am not

Even if you don't use a specific language, you still use a language. Or even your body language!

The people that truly benefit from me are those that have trouble using me

When you go to a country who speaks a foreign language, and you have trouble speaking that language, you benefit from understanding more than most of the people because you need to understand. Also, as pointed out by Sam Hazleton, the flexibility of language (it is only a protocol for interpretation after all) can greatly benefit those who are impaired in a given form of communication (e.g. braille, sign language)

I am found everywhere, but I haven't always been the same

Language indeed is found everywhere, but it is different for each country, and even each region in a country.

I am never the same, but I am always constant

English, for instance, evolved, improved, but we still call it English.

Everyone understands me, even those that don't know me

Babies, dogs, cats can't speak, but they can somehow understand you when you speak.

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  • 2
    $\begingroup$ I accidentally posted the same answer as you did because I missed this when I was scrolling through. I might add this additional perspective for clue number 3: the flexibility of language (it is only a protocol for interpretation after all) can greatly benefit those who are impaired in a given form of communication (e.g. braille, sign language). $\endgroup$ – Sam Hazleton Dec 12 '17 at 17:08
  • $\begingroup$ @SamHazleton oh I did not even realize :) thanks for the addendum, though. $\endgroup$ – padawan Dec 12 '17 at 17:27
  • $\begingroup$ Well done this is correct. :) @SamHazleton's additional insight is also where I was leaning towards! $\endgroup$ – silenceislife Dec 13 '17 at 4:06
  • $\begingroup$ I was going to go for speech but language is a better fit $\endgroup$ – Master Yoda Dec 13 '17 at 10:12
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Is it ...

Experience

I am a tool but I do not really exist

Experience is widely used, but is not a real object

I am always used, even when I am not

If you have no experience of something, then it cannot be used, but experience is acquired and then used to increase itself.

The people that truly benefit from me are those that have trouble using me

Learning by experience is often difficult, but benefits those who do

I am found everywhere, but I haven't always been the same

Wherever you are, you acquire experience, but the experience will be different depending on where you are and what you are doing.

I am never the same, but I am always constant

Experience grows, but it is always experience and constantly with you

Everyone understands me, even those that don't know me

Everyone understands the value of the experience of others, even if they do not directly know it.

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  • $\begingroup$ Interesting ideas, but not what I had in mind. I don't think everyone understands the value of the experience of others either. Nonetheless quite close though! $\endgroup$ – silenceislife Dec 13 '17 at 4:08
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I believe I've been told that it's bad form to give this as an answer to a riddle but it sounds to me like the answer could only be

time

I am a tool but I do not really exist

time is a conceptual tool

I am always used, even when I am not

time passes even when you're not making use of the concept

The people that truly benefit from me are those that have trouble using me

people who have trouble keeping time because they are busy are often the ones who benefit most from timekeeping

I am found everywhere, but I haven't always been the same

everyone measures time but there have been various calendars etc.

I am never the same, but I am always constant

the same second never goes by twice but time is ever flowing (as far as I'm aware but "I hate temporal mechanics")

Everyone understands me, even those that don't know me

not everyone is aware of common timekeeping methodology but even animals of low intelligence like me have some concept of time passing

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  • $\begingroup$ This was very close! $\endgroup$ – silenceislife Dec 13 '17 at 4:07
  • $\begingroup$ @silenceislife I don't see how this is close to the accepted answer... $\endgroup$ – Brent Hackers Dec 13 '17 at 8:42
  • $\begingroup$ Unless you meant that it was a close fit. But I believe this is one of those answers that would apply to a lot of otherwise non-broad riddles, hence my comment about using this answer being considered 'bad form' by some $\endgroup$ – Brent Hackers Dec 13 '17 at 8:49
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Is it -

evolution.

I am a tool but I do not really exist

evolution is tool for survival for species , but that species don't realize evolution is happening as it is a slow process .

I am always used, even when I am not

All species evolve , without thinking about it / it is not under there control.

The people that truly benefit from me are those that have trouble using me

Mess up with your DNA some times you gain superpowers .

I am found everywhere, but I haven't always been the same

some places evolution takes different path based on natural selection

I am never the same, but I am always constant

evolution is not same for all species or places but always occurs .

Everyone understands me, even those that don't know me

Over the years people will realize they have changed from there ancestors .

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  • $\begingroup$ Not what I had in mind but an interesting perspective nonetheless :) $\endgroup$ – silenceislife Dec 13 '17 at 4:07
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Is it :

Stars?

I am a tool but I do not really exist

They are used in all astronomic sciences , but most of them died millions of years ago.

I am always used, even when I am not

The sun enlights the earth all the time

I am found everywhere, but I haven't always been the same

This one doesn't really need an explanation

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  • $\begingroup$ Can't figure out how the last line would fit with this $\endgroup$ – RnRoger Dec 12 '17 at 9:24
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It could be

Un-volunteered reflexive action of brain

As,

It is a tool, helpful for us to do most of useful actions, though physically it does not exist.
The said mechanism usually works when we are about to entering into a troubled situation
These reflexes are of different types.
Everyone knows/is aware of these reflexes but some may not aware of what it actually is.

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