Growing up is learning that “it depends” is often the honest answer.

Simple rules are comfortable because they save you from thinking. Most real questions arrive with conditions attached, though, and an honest answer has to carry them. People who say it depends are usually not dodging. They are refusing to hand you a clean answer that would be wrong.

When someone asks you something complicated this week, skip the tidy reply and name the condition instead: it depends how much time you have, or who else is involved. Notice how much more useful that is. Accept the same answer when you are the one asking.