Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t.

Jong’s aphorism wryly reframes “seeking advice” as an emotional strategy rather than an information-gathering one. It suggests that people often consult others not because they lack clarity, but because they hope an outside voice will relieve them of responsibility, soften an unpleasant truth, or provide permission to avoid a difficult choice. The line captures a common dynamic in intimate and ethical decisions: we already sense what we must do, yet we want an alternative that spares us guilt, loss, or conflict. Its bite comes from exposing self-deception—advice becomes a way to postpone action and outsource certainty.