Carolyn Hax

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe most of her questions are real. I think she makes up a lot of them. No way are real people writing with all those extremely oddball issues.

You need to get out more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When she first began -- nearly 20 years ago, mind you -- she was a fresh alternative to the Dear Abby type advice columns. A few things that distinguished her included:

-- A willingness to tackle subjects that other advice columnists would not, especially things like homosexuality, getting along with exes, roommate relationships, etc. These topics were more on the forefront of her audience at the time -- other 20 somethings. At times, the dilemmas she opined on bordered a trollish.

-- A bias to being selfish. Most of her responses really seem to be oriented more around acting rationally and in self-interest moreso than "doing the right thing" unless doing the right thing also happened to be politically correct. So, there was more "run, run as fast you can" type advice.

-- A flippant writing style (see "Wow, just wow")

-- The first columnist, so far as I know, to host live chats on the Internet (a model since copied by Emily Yoffe and others). So, there was more feedback and interaction between readers. It was, for lack of a better explanation, innovative.
the first crowd-sourced advice column. So, very
-- The witty cartoons by her ex-husband.

Over time she's become more predictable in her advice, which remains very self-centered at its heart. Like any columnist, sometimes it's spot on, sometimes not. The writing style has become a bit tiresome. And the column fodder itself tends to lean too heavily on reader/chat content. I think she only writes like two columns a week -- so the other three days it's recycled from chat sessions.

Now, she's in her 40s with a couple of kids and an ex-husband. Nothing wrong with that. But she can't really speak to her original audience with the same authority she once did. So, I get why some people don't care for her.

I think you have summarized her quite well! I still read her, but I aged with her. I also often agree with her advice. I read for entertainment as I enjoy advice columns (I have no idea why) and read her as well as Ask Amy or any other advice column I come across in various publications.

[Anonymous]

Any Agony Aunt is much better

[Anonymous]

I love Hax. I think she's down to earth and gives some good advice. I don't agree with all of it but I doubt that would be the case for any advice columnist.

She doesn't claim to be a therapist or doctor. And, frankly, I don't think she needs to be to do what she does.

As for being predictable . . . she gets some variety on the same questions/issues over and over. So, yeah, that's expected.

You guys are a tough crowd. Lord.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think a lot of her advice is not very good.

+1

This. The advice on DCUM is way better.

+1

Except for the angry people. They waste everyone's time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love Hax. I think she's down to earth and gives some good advice. I don't agree with all of it but I doubt that would be the case for any advice columnist.

She doesn't claim to be a therapist or doctor. And, frankly, I don't think she needs to be to do what she does.

As for being predictable . . . she gets some variety on the same questions/issues over and over. So, yeah, that's expected.

You guys are a tough crowd. Lord.

+1

[Anonymous]

She was always too quick to suggest divorce. And then she lost her moral authority when she cheated on her husband.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She was always too quick to suggest divorce. And then she lost her moral authority when she cheated on her husband.

I find her a little smug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Hax. I think she's down to earth and gives some good advice. I don't agree with all of it but I doubt that would be the case for any advice columnist.

She doesn't claim to be a therapist or doctor. And, frankly, I don't think she needs to be to do what she does.

As for being predictable . . . she gets some variety on the same questions/issues over and over. So, yeah, that's expected.

You guys are a tough crowd. Lord.

+1

+2

I've come to really appreciate what she does-- the way she shows how to think through a complicated situation. I've also thought that the fact that she has such seemingly amicable and functional relationship with her ex is a credit to her (and him, obvs.). Are some of you arguing that everyone who gets divorced must be an emotional failure and unable to offer any kind of advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She was always too quick to suggest divorce. And then she lost her moral authority when she cheated on her husband.

How on earth do you know this?

[Anonymous]

I remember when she was just a columnist, lifestyle-type articles in the WaPo. Then one day she wrote a column announcing that WaPo wanted an advice column and an editor liked her writing style so she was taking it on despite having no qualifications to give advice. I believe the column was pitched to her as if your best friend or sister were hearing your problem and advising you. I think it's stayed true to that.

[Anonymous]

I always wonder how she and her ex are supposed to be such good friends and why it comes up frequently how great they are but with no back story on what happened.
I know he does the cartoons but seems odd that they wouldn't separate a little more. I seem to recall that her kids call him "uncle".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was always too quick to suggest divorce. And then she lost her moral authority when she cheated on her husband.

How on earth do you know this?

Her kids with her now-second husband were born too early (but not premature) for them not to have been conceived before the end of her first marriage. It was public knowledge at the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I prefer Amy Dickinson "Ask Amy".

Really?? Oh my gosh, I think Amy is THE WORST. I can't even read her any more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was always too quick to suggest divorce. And then she lost her moral authority when she cheated on her husband.

How on earth do you know this?

Her kids with her now-second husband were born too early (but not premature) for them not to have been conceived before the end of her first marriage. It was public knowledge at the time.

I think she and the ex, Nick, explained in their joint chat announcing the divorce that the marriage was long over. They were pretty candid. The divorce itself had already been finalized before any of the announcements it seems. She had already moved to New England maybe 1 year before. I had also heard rumors from people who know him that he appeared very single during that same period. I don't think the timing suggests a lack of moral authority. IMHO. I don't know them personally though.