I have noticed that when people are giving you advice, they aren't particularly concerned about convincing you of some truth or the necessity to change your ways/etc. Often times, they are trying to convince themselves of something they are having difficulty accepting. If you agree with what they say, it validates their views and makes it more likely that they themselves will buy into the advice as well. It's a form of external validation.
It's frustrating to be in such a situation because you are essentially being used by the person for self validation. Even though you are the one seeking advice, they are still focusing on themselves, not you. You have to wonder then, how useful is their advice since they are thinking about themselves, whether they realize it or not.
