That's really good stuff, and made me think. I think us men, especially, are natural "fixers," being the Martians that we are. It's hard for us NOT to offer something specific, some "expertise," to a situation.
I have seen others post sometimes on the boards something like the following, and I think it's good from time-to-time:
"So-and-so, are you just looking to VENT, or are you wanting our specific advice? How can we help?" -- or similar. Or some posters will start some of their posts with "VENT" notation, sometimes coupled with a "not necessarily looking for advice." In fact, some posters' entire body of stuff on the forums is venting, and they've said that they specifically DON'T want advice -- just "support." (Poet comes to mind, but there are others).
I think this is all perfectly fine.
Even in conversing with you in the alt., I find there are times when I try to be Advisor, and times I try to be Companion. Some of us are better at one than at the other, and some of us have a hard time toggling back and forth between the two. Our signals can get crossed and we can clash, when someone is looking for the One, and they get the Other.
