Ask HN: What's your preferred approach to answering advice based questions?
It feels like there are two categories of answers - the Strong Opinion and the Nuanced Answer. Which do you prefer?
The Strong Opinion seems to answer directly given only the context of the question. The Nuanced Answer seems to answer indirectly by providing more possible context under which the asker can make a decision. I usually like "Strong Opinions, Loosely Held", however conversation with strangers about advice isn't really the place to loosely hold opinions, people will agree or not. Nuance at depth > 1 isn't an option. Therefore, I personally tend to respond with more nuanced answers, adding either my personal context and experience to a question or asking follow up questions and assuming a variety of answers for which I provide advice. The problem in this case is that agreement or disagreement from the peanut gallery is usually for or against the additional context, rather than the ensuing advice.
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