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You ask a very important question but I don't think there is any correct answer to it. Let me give you a little thought exercise. Imagine you were born in a d

by gjkood 12y ago

You ask a very important question but I don't think there is any correct answer to it. Let me give you a little thought exercise. Imagine you were born in a different country and time than the one that you are in right now. Imagine that country is under occupation by an oppressive regime and you have no voice, no rights, no freedom whatsoever. Imagine that every day your family, friends and those you know are living under threat of imprisonment or death. In addition to that imagine that you are at a time when the state of medicine hasn't advanced beyond blood letting and cupping as the most advanced techniques to fight disease. Now stop and think. Other than the medicine part there are various parts of the world where this scenario is the daily truth. Granted you feel poor and need to struggle through everyday life. Can I ask you a few questions 1. Can you see, hear, smell and speak? 2. Do you have the use of all your limbs? 3. Can you afford a daily meal? 4. Do you have some decent shelter? 5. Do you have access to healthcare? 6. Do you have access to basic facilities such as clean running water and toilets? I think if you can answer yes to most of those questions, you are probably not a 1 percenter, but you may be better off than 30% to 40% of the world's population. You have every right to bemoan your fate but it's all relative. There's always someone in worse shape than you. Thank your respective deity if you are so inclined that you are not in worse shape than you are in. It could be a lot worse.

garbage_stain 12y ago
This is just not a good response and does not speak to the author's problem. Yes, you can indeed say "you should be happy! It could be so much worse!" but this is not a gratifying or helpful answer to the original poster. Logically reasoning that you should feel happier about your current situation when, on an emotional level, you do not, isn't helpful. I think the other responses, which addressed the idea that all of us struggle regardless of where we are from and our current situation, is perhaps a bit more helpful.

by gjkood 12y ago

garbage_stain 12y ago

This is just not a good response and does not speak to the author's problem. Yes, you can indeed say "you should be happy! It could be so much worse!" but this is not a gratifying or helpful answer to the original poster. Logically reasoning that you should feel happier about your current situation when, on an emotional level, you do not, isn't helpful. I think the other responses, which addressed the idea that all of us struggle regardless of where we are from and our current situation, is perhaps a bit more helpful.