When faced with difficult issues, do we rely on the 'phone-a-friend' option a little too much?

Okay, so maybe my silly little teen story is a questionable one to tell, but it's a simple example of how letting your friends make choices for you isn't always the way to go. 

We do it all the time.

We need advice on someone - we consult a friend; we need to decide on an outfit - we consult a friend; we need to change our names and flee the country without absolutely anyone knowing - we consult a friend.