When people ask you for advice do they really just want you to agree with their opinion?

I've been thinking about it, and well that's what it's like.


People will say something along the lines of ';Such and such is an ********, I wan't to break up with them. What do you think?'; and then if you push for details and tell them you disagree with them they get REALLY defensive.


I just can't understand what people want.


Do they really want advice or do they want a sound board that bounces back what they've said to them.


I've only used one example but the majority of people I know, if not all, act to a certain degree this way.


What's up with that?When people ask you for advice do they really just want you to agree with their opinion?
There was a Seinfeld episode that did just that..(your example), and Jerry and Elaine agreed that the girl was not good for Kramer. Then Kramer got back on with her, and Jerry and Elaine had to backtrack and Kramer was pi**ed that they said mean things about her even though they were only agreeing with him.





To answer the question; I think it's because they want you to agree with them, no matter what. I have plenty of arguments with friends because I don't always agree. I will say what I think about the situation even if I know I'll get blasted.When people ask you for advice do they really just want you to agree with their opinion?
It depends on your relationship with the one asking for advice .But generally people like to hear themselves talk and they may ask for advice or relate a scenario where advice is the only reaction one can give in the conversation but it's almost like they can't wait for you to finish your last sentence so they can keep speaking on something or about something that involves them and their world.
Yes, I think at times, people are just looking for confirmation that they're right. Personally, I think if you don't want an honest answer, you shouldn't outright ask someone's opinion. There's a difference between just getting something off your chest and asking ';what do you think?';. Some people don't seem to grasp that though. I've had people get mad at me after asking for and receiving my advice, and I think it's ridiculous - If all they wanted was an ear and some meaningless words to make them feel good, they shouldn't have asked me -
Most people don't need advice.





What they really need is a listening ear.





Hence, your job is mostly to listen and occasionally help the other parties to frame their thoughts in a coherently manner and then let them make their own decisions.





Friendship is more important in such times than good solutions because we are dealing with emotional wounds and not a broken bicycle.
decades of life have shown me that one can find either kind.


there are people who are really interested in advice, and will


accept it, even if they don't like what they are told and there


are people who just want confirmation of their own ideas and


react badly to contradiction.





however - i think that everybody has a few touchy spots and


does not want to have advice on just those.


ask yourself.
Sometimes they just want you to listen and understand. Try saying, ';I understand, that's rough'; instead of trying to solve their problem or advise them. They're looking to relate with you, not argue. Hope I helped. :)
I am like that myself when I tell someone about my problems I prefer if they just listen to me or agree.


If I ask for advice I still prefer if they agree and I do get defensive when they disagree. Mostly because I don't want to be the person wrong in the problem I am having, but if I'm truly at a loss I'll listen to what they other person says because there's nothing else I could, but I still dislike it when they say I do something wrong.


Even when people ask for advice they don't really want to be told they did something wrong, they want to know what they can do to do it right. If they didn't actually ask for the advice they just want you to listen and to be able to tell you their problems.