People need to come up with their own ideas or there's nothing anyone can do for them. They need to get in a different mode than powerlessness, victimhood ('I'm powerless so I am justified in being irresponsible'), and waiting for an answer, and attacking people who are moving forward.

Only then is a discussion of ideas, etc. useful. At work, facing a challenge, someone is no good on a team if they take a position of powerlessness and 'come up with ideas for me'.

See the comment sibling to your own.