As a general rule...people ask for advice only in order not to follow it; or if they do follow it, in order to have someone to blame for giving it.

Dumas’s remark is a sardonic observation about the social function of “seeking advice.” Rather than treating counsel as a genuine attempt to learn, he suggests many people use it to protect their autonomy and ego: they solicit opinions to appear prudent, then ignore them to preserve independence. If they do follow the advice and the outcome is poor, the adviser becomes a convenient scapegoat, shifting responsibility away from the decision-maker. The line thus critiques self-deception and the performative nature of consultation, implying that mature judgment requires owning one’s choices instead of outsourcing accountability.