--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's best to give advice in only two…" description: "\"It's best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it's requested, and when it's a life threatening situation.\" — Andy Rooney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/andy-rooney-1253_advice_it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-cir_2480728.png" --- # It's best to give advice in only two circumstances; when… ![“It's best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it's requested, and when it's a life threatening situation.” quote by Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/andy-rooney-1253_advice_it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-cir_2480728.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/andy-rooney-1253_advice_it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-cir_2480728.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/andy-rooney-1253_advice_it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-cir_2480728.png) > “It's best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it's requested, and when it's a life threatening situation.” [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advice should be given only when asked or when lives are at stake. **In simple terms:** Give advice sparingly and responsibly. Key Takeaway Offer help only when needed or critical. Themes advice responsibility ethics communication Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type ethical practical When to use this quote - medical emergencies - legal counsel - personal crises Key Concepts moral philosophy social etiquette risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - When is it okay to give unsolicited advice? - How to balance help with autonomy? A Different Perspective Sometimes unsolicited advice can prevent harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [A little-recognized value of listening and inquiring relates to the realization that in human relationships, it is frequently not what the I've learned ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/a-little-recognized-value-of-listening-and-inquiring-relates-to-the/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [But most men regard their life as a poem that women threaten. They may not have two spondees to rub together but they still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/but-most-men-regard-their-life-as-a-poem-that-women-threaten-they-may/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [There are life-threatening issues related to diabetes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-wallem/there-are-life-threatening-issues-related-to-diabetes/) Stephen Wallem > [“If we weren't about to face another terrible passageway filled with life-threatening danger, I'd take you in my arms this instant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerri-maniscalco/if-we-weren-t-about-to-face-another-terrible-passageway-filled-with/) [Kerri Maniscalco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerri-maniscalco/) > [The question is not, will there be difficulties and threats to our existence, but how will we deal with them and what can we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/the-question-is-not-will-there-be-difficulties-and-threats-to-our/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [All has changed, thanks to Joe Eszterhas' life-threatening battle with throat cancer. He announced in "The New York Times" that he and Hollywood had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-eszterhas/all-has-changed-thanks-to-joe-eszterhas-life-threatening-battle-with/) [Joe Eszterhas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-eszterhas/) > [Being diagnosed with a possibly life-threatening disease is so jarring and for me to know that God had me in his hands, I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/being-diagnosed-with-a-possibly-life-threatening-disease-is-so/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [“Lilli . . . Lilli . . . Lilli.” Sweet Jesus, she was going to kill him. She’d just gotten to sleep. Now he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fanetti/lilli-lilli-lilli-sweet-jesus-she-was-going-to-kill-him-she-d-just/) [Susan Fanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fanetti/) > [For Lou Ann, life itself was a life-threatening enterprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/for-lou-ann-life-itself-was-a-life-threatening-enterprise/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Is it life threatening?” they asked. They said it slightly sotto voce, but you could hear the thirst for sensation right through it: when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/is-it-life-threatening-they-asked-they-said-it-slightly-sotto-voce/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [Fears are a complete waste of your time. Nine times out of ten, whatever you're afraid of is not dangerous or life threatening. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-stephenson/fears-are-a-complete-waste-of-your-time-nine-times-out-of-ten/) [Sean Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-stephenson/) > [There are drawbacks in being famous too, but you can live with those. They're not life-threatening. If the paparazzi are outside your restaurant or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/there-are-drawbacks-in-being-famous-too-but-you-can-live-with-those/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I've learned... that just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-just-one-person-saying-to-me-you-ve-made-my-day/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I've learned... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-it-s-those-small-daily-happenings-that-make-life-so/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I've learned… That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you... More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-when-you-plan-to-get-even-with-someone-you-are-only/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) ## More by Andy Rooney > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Almost all of us have an elevator or two in our lives somewhere. We wait for them, we ride on them. We're annoyed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/almost-all-of-us-have-an-elevator-or-two-in-our-lives-somewhere-we/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Last night we had three small zucchini for dinner that were grown within fifty feet of our back door. I estimate they cost somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/last-night-we-had-three-small-zucchini-for-dinner-that-were-grown/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Sooner or later the world will have to return to the good old days when we fought wars and killed people the old-fashioned way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/sooner-or-later-the-world-will-have-to-return-to-the-good-old-days/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I've learned that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-no-matter-how-serious-your-life-requires-you-to-be/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Unfortunately, propaganda works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/unfortunately-propaganda-works/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [You're almost always better off keeping your mouth shut, but don't let that stop you from popping off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-re-almost-always-better-off-keeping-your-mouth-shut-but-don-t-let/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [The fastest thing computers do is go obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/the-fastest-thing-computers-do-is-go-obsolete/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Every one starts out being an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/every-one-starts-out-being-an-atheist/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-you-don-t-enjoy-getting-up-and-working-and-finishing-your-work-and/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [As an old reporter, we have a few secrets, and the first thing is we try the phone book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/as-an-old-reporter-we-have-a-few-secrets-and-the-first-thing-is-we/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I've learned... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-it-s-those-small-daily-happenings-that-make-life-so/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [... all of us talk faster than we listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/all-of-us-talk-faster-than-we-listen/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [You can't be a good writer without being a good thinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-can-t-be-a-good-writer-without-being-a-good-thinker/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [A great many people do not have the right to their own opinion because they don't know what they are talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/a-great-many-people-do-not-have-the-right-to-their-own-opinion/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) [Explore all 264 Andy Rooney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it's requested, and when it's a life threatening situation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andy Rooney" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-circumstances-when-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-circumstances-when-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/andy-rooney-1253_advice_it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-cir_2480728.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/andy-rooney-1253_advice_it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-cir_2480728.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/andy-rooney-1253_advice_it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-cir_2480728.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it's requested, and when it's a life threatening…” — Andy Rooney", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Andy Rooney", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's best to give advice in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-circumstances-when-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/it-s-best-to-give-advice-in-only-two-circumstances-when-it-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```