my take on 'advice'

[lauralh]

I am not a big fan of abstract thought or philosophy. I realize it is useful to have a baseline from which to extrapolate, but so many factors can come into play in reality as to render rule of thumbs completely useless. Now, when one is unaware of all of the factors, a general question is acceptable. But let's face it, the answer you receive is not going to be the best possible one.

Comments

Equally Vague

[perich.livejournal.com]

While your suggestion works as a general rule, there are specific circumstances under which it might not.

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

yuk it up

[sidspencer.livejournal.com]

you probably don't believe in physics either.

er, I guess I "believe"

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

but what does that have to do with anything?

Re: er, I guess I "believe"

[sidspencer.livejournal.com]

it's abstract thought trying to make sense of overly-complex reality! totally, and absolutely *useless*.

Advice

[terso.livejournal.com]

It's just that, take it or leave it. If you leave it, so be it. My thought's are, we are all capable of making our own decisions. As long as it's not a waste of your time. I wouldn't discount advice from those removed.

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

But the principles have their applications. Like, if you're in the girls' dorm late at night and you hear an RA, you can calculate how fast you'll be falling if you jump out the window.

[bewing.livejournal.com]

For most people, you are right. It IS possible to formulate a philosophy that will prove useful even in a complex reality, but most people can't get there.

I would say that advice does have a purpose sometimes, though. The main function of it is to take someone who is reacting entirely emotionally and irrationally to their situation -- and just shake their brains up enough to get them to start THINKING again.

Ollie Ollie Oxen Free

[satanseviltwin.livejournal.com]

I see advice as being an aspect of authority. If words are deployed under the auspices of 'advice,' that is to say if an individual asks someone for some, then I would say that I agree with your skepticism. Following advice blindly eradicates, an individuals independence. However when advice is asked for then the individual in need does set up the other person as an authority on whatever subject they are specifying. In the case of unprompted advice such as being interrupted in the middle of an extemporaneous personal statement or the contents of any so-called "advice" column I just treat these instances as trinkets that are as curious as they are harmless. Contempt is a natural and logical result of these instances. In the end I believe everyone has the capacity for a unique perspective into the complexities of existence. I only take issue with a persons perspective when they are compelled to establish it as a final authority on these complexities.

I am not a big fan of abstract thought or philosophy.

I don't see what either of these have to do with "advice." In fact, I find it a highly unfortunate statement altogether.