pity.

the context – youre feeling lousy about something. then someone comes along and says, listen, havent you heard the story about the guy who felt bad he didnt have shoes, and then he saw the guy who didnt have feet?

i hate that attitude.

ive a simple question to ask people who say that : is your experience of life so pathetic, that the only way you can feel good is to see someone worse off?

life is bigger, more beautiful and vibrant than that. please, dont belittle it so.

yes, you should be grateful for what you have. you should be conscious and aware of the fact that you are fortunate for having this this and this. when i have water to drink, cook, bathe and wash my clothes, i do need to be aware that there is someone who is dying because they dont. that awareness is so that i may be more discriminating in my use of the water i do have, so that i dont waste it but use it responsibly.

but your equation shouldnt be that the necessary condition for your feeling good is that someone else should be feeling bad. such an attitude is nowhere as clean or virtuous as wed like to pretend it is. it stinks.

i mean just follow through that train of reasoning to its logical end : were saying that there should always be people feeling miserable in order for us to feel good. nice, gracious and lovable arent we....