Question: I have dragged a folder from a Nautilus window to the desktop, holding Ctrl+Shift to create a shortcut (well, a symbolic link). However, when I open it from the desktop, instead of showing `/home/scott/Documents/asd/folder` it shows `/home/scott/Desktop/folder`. But sometimes I want to go up a level or two, and can only go to `Desktop`, not `asd`.

I understand that's how symbolic links work, but is there a way to create a shortcut to the target folder directly?

Answer: 
Right-click on Desktop (or in any folder in Nautilus), Create Launcher, set Type to Location, set the name type and type in the location (annoyingly if you click Browse it will only accept a file), click OK.
One of the simplest ways to accomplish this
is with a [Link-type desktop file](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html).
In your case, create a text file in `~/Desktop`
called e.g. `folder.desktop`
with these contents:

```
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Link to folder
Type=Link
URL=file:///home/scott/Documents/asd/folder/
Icon=folder

```

Now when you double-click it, instead of

```
/home/scott/Desktop/folder/

```

the file manager will open

```
/home/scott/Documents/asd/folder/

```

so the parent directory will be

```
/home/scott/Documents/asd/

```

as you desire.

Note that the `URL` field is a [`file://` URL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_URI_scheme),
so unlike symbolic links only absolute paths will work.
If you find it troublesome to generate the desktop files by hand,
some file managers have this [feature built-in](https://askubuntu.com/questions/1199973/is-it-possible-to-create-a-folder-shortcut-in-kubuntu/1266060#1266060).

Related:

* [How do I create an shortcut to a folder(not a symlink) in Ubuntu 18.04 like shortcuts in windows](https://askubuntu.com/questions/1131020/how-do-i-create-an-shortcut-to-a-foldernot-a-symlink-in-ubuntu-18-04-like-shor)
* [Make link open target file, not file at link location](https://askubuntu.com/questions/1028474/make-link-open-target-file-not-file-at-link-location)
* <https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/310618/is-it-possible-to-create-a-soft-link-on-my-desktop-which-opens-with-the-target-p>