Well meaning or not. My observations. One of the downsides of seeking online advice, in case of a fall out with other members, not only you get to hear cutting remarks about your issues, that you once shared in the passssssst, but also get blamed for them too. The entire issues list turns into a charge sheet. And funnily enough some of those people doing that are the same ones who were some time back offering 'sincere' advice to the poster.
Secondly, the person seeking advice, their relatives and even themselves are so unnecessarily badly criticized. The poor soul who posts here to seek advice is now in less of a position to engage in barb-exchanges. Perhaps bears that silently, and i hope that after his/her venting session, he is pretty much left with more of a heat building up in his head.
and madz is right, that comment about nadz was unnecessary. Its in Allah's hands to decide fates, we cannot make such comments, and even those geniuses who make such comments, one doesn't deserve to become a parent, i saw this comment in parenting or some other forum, so i am saying. Because if someday we go on a rigorous self-reflection session perhaps we will also not find ourselves worthy of majority of blessings bestowed upon us.
In my opinion a lot of things posted on forums is just venting. Which is good and therapeutic. But we do have to realize many who are giving advice are in a way venting too. Some say things here that they wouldn't ( or couldn't ) in real life; some are just out to cause mischief. Ultimately it is up to the person seeking it to sort it all out and take what makes sense.
I wouldn't go so far as to say online interaction is similar to personal interaction. Its easier to read and understand a person when you are face-to-face. You can pick up signs of dishonesty relatively easily. This goes for both advice seekers and dispensers.
The person giving advice has a different set of priorities, values, and life experiences than you. So yes, it is up to you to decide if the advice fits in with your own value system. In real life when you seek advice, you only go to people that you respect. You don't have that privilege on an open forum like this. I guess when I state an opinion/give advice on something I'm assuming that the OP (not you Demesne, just in general) will take it with a grain of salt and weight it against his/her own life situation, and not just blindly act on it.
Personally, this forum helps me understand other perspectives on a matter. I don't necessarily take all the advice given, but it does help me understand the many ways of perceiving a situation.