Yes. Think about it. 6000 people die each day here in America. Today is the worst day of thier life. You are still at least breathing, regardless how crappy you feel..
Of course that's a valid statement, but if you tell this to someone who is having a bad day or going through something you're just being a jerk. They know. No doubt about it, the child dying of starvation in Africa and the poor woman who was just abducted and sold into human trafficking are having a way worse time than the teenage girl who just broke up with her boyfriend. Her grief is obviously MUCH less severe, but it's still valid and it's still something that is terrible to her. Saying "someone has it much worse than you" to someone going through what you deem to be trivial, while I'm sure well intentioned, just comes across that you think they're a selfish whiny crybaby and isn't helpful to anything or anyone.
I mean, it's factually true, but all it accomplishes is making people feel guilty on top of how shitty they already feel.
This is true.
I do.
I do think about it once in a while.
Do I subscribe to that philosophy? Yes! Absolutely! I've seen it.
Yes. Think about it. 6000 people die each day here in America. Today is the worst day of thier life. You are still at least breathing, regardless how crappy you feel..
I believe it's been true for me 100% of my life thus far.
Of course. With around 7.5 billion people on the planet I'd be a sorry poor individual if NOBODY was worse off than me.
Of course that's a valid statement, but if you tell this to someone who is having a bad day or going through something you're just being a jerk. They know. No doubt about it, the child dying of starvation in Africa and the poor woman who was just abducted and sold into human trafficking are having a way worse time than the teenage girl who just broke up with her boyfriend. Her grief is obviously MUCH less severe, but it's still valid and it's still something that is terrible to her. Saying "someone has it much worse than you" to someone going through what you deem to be trivial, while I'm sure well intentioned, just comes across that you think they're a selfish whiny crybaby and isn't helpful to anything or anyone.
The statement is true, but generally not helpful.
Well put
I hate that saying. It dismisses the feelings/actual pain/problems of the person it is being said to.
What I really hate about it is that someone, somewhere actually is the worst off so why isn't the person saying it trying to find them and help them?
It's just said to shut someone down instead of helping them or helping them deal with their situation.
I tend to agree with your interpretation of the phrase. In many cases it's use is intended to be a comfort. But a comfort for who?