So you were just told to RTFM because you asked a technical question and clearly displayed you had done absolutely fuck-all research on your own. Poor thing. Were your feelings hurt?
I am going to explain why you should RTFM as much as possible and exactly how to go about doing this in a fashion where as much as possible information stays in your brain.
IRC channels, Usenet groups and other forums. Some people correctly see these as an opportunity to exchange information. Others see it as places to be spoon-fed or handheld through the smallest of problems. These forums appear to save them time as they do not have to go digging through a large manual to find their answer. As you will see below, these people are not saving time.
You should RTFM because it makes you understand. You will no longer be counting on your own ability to remember a certain detail that is not connected to anything else in your mind. You will have significant knowledge of the subject and many answers will appear obvious to you. Of course, this knowledge will fade over time as well, but you will find that the briefest of scans through a man page will bring your memory back.
You should RTFM by reading the material calmly and fully. Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea. Relax. Put your feet up. If you have problems reading more than a few screens, print the man page or buy a book. If there is a section you do not understand, read it again. Even if you do not understand every single line, you will later have a fair recollection of what was covered and you will be able to return to the section and re-read it.
It is extremely difficult to calmly sit and read a man page or book when your mind is occupied with how to solve a particular problem. Your eyes will be scanning for that "magic" configuration keyword. Being in a hurry prevents you from understanding fully. Again, you are much better off simply reading about the subject before you run into problems that will distract you when you are searching for answers.
When you have done all this, you will be able to solve many problems on your own. You will no longer have to think of how to explain your problems to someone else, and you will not be forced to wait for their response. When you do run into a problem you can not solve, people can tell that you indeed have done your homework and that you are making a real effort at learning and improving. I am much more inclined to help someone skilled who wants to grow and I suspect the same goes for many others as well. I have never tried to hide the fact that when individuals who have not RTFM ask me for help, I will either waste his or her time, or ask them counter-questions until the answer to the original question pops into his or her mind.
Finally, if all the searching in man pages, FAQs, mail archives and online forums such as IRC or Usenet come up blank, you have one resort left: Read The Fucking Code!
(Eric S. Raymond feels the same way, except he is more nice about it, and uses many more words. How To Ask Questions The Smart Way.)