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| 4 | %% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks! |
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| 9 | %% |
| 10 | [[quoteright:303:[[Webcomic/{{Shortpacked}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2007_07_11_burnsauce.png]]]] |
| 11 | [[caption-width-right:303: You ought to be grateful that you get to die with a full stomach!]] |
| 12 | |
| 13 | -> ''"Who has time to learn logical fallacies? Don't you know children are starving in Africa?"'' |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Also called: |
| 16 | # Fallacy of relative privation (its proper name). |
| 17 | # The "Children Are Starving In UsefulNotes/{{Africa}}!" Argument. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | Arguing that expressing concern about [[FirstWorldProblems a (relatively) small problem]] means that the person doesn't care about any larger problems. The fallacy can be thought of as a combination of FalseDichotomy, {{Strawman}} and RedHerring, taking the opponent's claim and appends to it the following additional claims: |
| 20 | |
| 21 | # That it is not possible to care about several big and small problems simultaneously. (False Dilemma) |
| 22 | # That venting a minor complaint is an assertion that that the major problem is considered unimportant. (Strawman / Red Herring) |
| 23 | |
| 24 | The intent is to distort the opponent's claim "''X''" into "''X'', which is far more important than anything else." |
| 25 | |
| 26 | A similar fallacy is the "if you care so much, why aren't you doing something about it?" argument, which is also related to the PerfectSolutionFallacy in that the only way that the target can be doing something about it to the arguer's satisfaction is to be devoting 24 hours of every day to the issue and therefore not be involved in the debate. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | A related issue is the airgap problem. No matter how much worse someone else's pain is, you can only feel your own. Your paper cut isn't objectively as painful as someone else's broken leg -- but you don't feel any pain from their leg, while your own paper cut stings you like the dickens. (For that matter, their broken leg isn't as painful as the pain of someone else who's being tortured to death; but they still have an airgap. Their broken leg is agonizing to them, but they don't feel the other person's torture at all.) |
| 29 | |
| 30 | Finally, there's the issue that people have different pain tolerances. One woman might be kind of bummed by a miscarriage; another might be depressed for months; a third might go permanently mad from grief. A "[[FirstWorldProblems First World problem]]" for one person might be honestly devastating for another. |
| 31 | |
| 32 | The argument is logically hypocritical. 'People complaining about minor problems' is a minor problem, so if you use this argument to complain about such people... |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Note that it is ''not'' a case of this fallacy when someone must prioritize between addressing two different problems. A doctor choosing to treat a cancer patient before a case of the flu is of course not the victim of this fallacy; the fallacy would be arguing that nobody should treat flu patients at all until there is a cure for cancer. |
| 35 | |
| 36 | Simply comparing the severity of two problems is also not a case of this fallacy. If Bob complains about his flu, and Alice tells him "It could be worse, you could have cancer" she is not committing a fallacy; if she tells him that he has no ''right'' to complain about his flu when people are dying of cancer, she might be. |
| 37 | |
| 38 | A type of FalseDichotomy, and close cousin of [[UsefulNotes/LogicalFallacies Appeal to Pity]]. Often invoked in MiseryPoker. Also frequently used in conjunction with QuitYourWhining and/or LifeIsntFair.[[note]]Particularly against [[{{Wangst}} whiny characters]], but not always.[[/note]] See also, WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency. Overlaps with a specific type of [[AdHominem Tu Quoque]] fallacy called '''Whataboutism''', which uses the same logic (you make point A, but what about B?) but is used to deflect criticism of a group from sources external to that group by pointing to a perceived equal or worse thing that the speaker's group does. |
| 39 | ---- |
| 40 | !!Looks like this fallacy but is not: |
| 41 | * The "worse problem" is something that flows directly from the logic of the original point. For example, if someone is complaining it is "unrealistic" for a skeleton character to have hair, pointing out it is unrealistic for a skeleton character to be able to ''do anything'' is a valid rebuttal. |
| 42 | * When dealing with limited time or resources, and discussion or debate of the lesser problem is impeding the parties from solving or addressing the greater problem (e.g. "Rearranging the deck chairs on the ''[[UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic Titanic]]''"). |
| 43 | * Some political discussions will often have people bringing up "less important" issues that are only loosely related to the discussion, and they will often receive a dismissive response to keep the discussion on topic. |
| 44 | * When the worse issues are directly related to the subject in question (complaining that your car is wrecked when your loved ones are in critical condition because of the accident) or when it's used to rebut a deliberate attempt to lump together or equate both issues. |
| 45 | * Medical triage. If there are two injured people and one doctor, whom should the doctor treat first--the guy with a minor (or even moderate) burn or the guy with a knife in his gut? |
| 46 | * When used as a counter to hyperbole along the lines of "[Relatively minor problem] is just the ''worst'' thing ''ever''...." |
| 47 | ---- |
| 48 | !!Examples: |
| 49 | |
| 50 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 51 | |
| 52 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 53 | * The "And you are worried about stepping on dog poo" ad in ''Reader's Digest'' about landmines. |
| 54 | [[/folder]] |
| 55 | |
| 56 | [[folder:Comics Strips]] |
| 57 | * In the ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' book ''The Joy of Work'', Scott Adams responds to Norman Solomon's book ''The Trouble with Dilbert'' by writing a fictional interview between Solomon and Dogbert. When he has Solomon complain that ''Dilbert'' attacks {{Pointy Haired Boss}}es more than {{Corrupt Corporate Executive}}s, Dogbert's counterargument is that Solomon clearly supports teen pregnancy because he didn't write a book about that. What makes it more absurd is that, [[WordOfGod according to Adams himself in the same book,]] Normon Solomon's ''The Trouble With Dilbert'' only came about because of [[QuoteMine Solomon taking one of Adams' quotes about "Good things about downsizing" out of context]] (the original context was that, since he's always hammering on downsizing in his books and comics, if he could think of anything that is good about downsizing.) |
| 58 | * Appears ''very'' frequently in ''ComicStrip/ForBetterOrForWorse'', when a character wants to shut up the complaints of another, typically long the lines of "You're sitting around complaining about a haircut when there are refugees in war-torn countries out there!" Grandpa Jim uses this defense to get his grandson Michael's in-laws to stop complaining about Michael and Deanna having a private wedding years in advance of their second wedding. |
| 59 | ** This is mocked in [[https://www.shortpacked.com/comic/burnsauce this]] ''WebComic/{{Shortpacked}}'' strip. "April, you SpoiledBrat! There are children starving in Africa!" |
| 60 | * In ''ComicStrip/HagarTheHorrible'', when Hamlet doesn't finish his plate, Helga reminds him of all the people in England who are starving. Well, dieting. |
| 61 | * Many accusations of this fallacy are deconstructed by Creator/{{Quino}} in the form of FirstWorldProblems. For example: in one strip it shows a man walking unflinchingly through crime-ridden poverty-infested streets, until he arrives to his job as a TV host where he dedicates his program to people "With great angst and sadness caused by gaining weight and who wanted to show their figure by the pool this summer". In another it puts a side-by-side comparison of a rich woman and one from a Third World country, where they both complain about the unhealthy food their family eat (sweets and junk food in the rich woman's case and worms, rotten meat and infected water for the poor one). |
| 62 | [[/folder]] |
| 63 | |
| 64 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 65 | * ''Fanfic/FriendshipIsFailure'': In ''Ways of Life'', Garfield uses the fact that his parents were killed, he was sent to an abusive orphanage, and generally having to constantly strain himself just to survive to excuse his Jerkass behavior and dismissing the problems of others because he had it worse. |
| 66 | * In ''Fanfic/MyBravePonyStarfleetMagic'', this is how Lightning "helps" Cadance get over the death of her brother. He compares Cadance's grief to his own when his planet was destroyed and the naration tells us that Cadance's problems aren't that bad compared to Lightning's because he lost his entire planet and everyone he knew, whilst she only lost one family member. Cadance then apologises to Lightning for not thinking about others. |
| 67 | * ''Fanfic/TwoLetters'': Marinette [[TakeThisJobAndShoveIt quit being Ladybug]] after spending two years fighting Hawkmoth with minimal support and [[DudeWheresMyRespect respect]], as practically everyone [[UngratefulBastard took her efforts for granted]] and [[HoldingOutForAHero expected her to handle everything alone]]. Bunnyx calls her a "selfish bitch" for retiring, declaring that she's never had to deal with any ''real'' problems like living in poverty or starving. |
| 68 | * In ''Fanfic/TheVictorsProject'', Antigone (32nd Hunger Games) lampshades this trope in when telling her mentee Dido (39th Hunger Games) about how she shouldn't steal and how it landed her in the district training academy. Justified because Antigone and Dido both hail from District Two, where living standards are significantly better and how easy it is to get tesserae without having to fear the arena. |
| 69 | -->'''Antigone''': ''(to Dido)'' If you see a hot spiced bun and think it's not fair that you have to have tesserae rations again while the stupid foreman's daughter is buying two, you should learn to keep your kleptomaniac tendencies in check and be grateful for what you do have. There are children in 12 who won't survive long enough to take tesserae, so stop making that face. |
| 70 | [[/folder]] |
| 71 | |
| 72 | [[folder:Film -- Live-Action]] |
| 73 | * Commonly used when an unrealistic element of fiction is being argued about; for example, if one person questions how Naboo in ''Franchise/StarWars'' can have an ElectiveMonarchy that elects a 14 year old queen, (or what the point of such an institution would actually be) the second states something like "[[MST3KMantra And this is the biggest problem you have in a universe with mystic powers and spaceships as big as moons?]]" |
| 74 | * ''Film/ThreeThousandMilesToGraceland'' gives us this exchange: |
| 75 | -->'''Michael:''' Finish your fries.\ |
| 76 | '''Jesse:''' I don't have to if I don't want to. You're not my father, you know.\ |
| 77 | '''Michael:''' Didn't you ever hear about starving kids in Africa?\ |
| 78 | '''Jesse:''' Why? Are you gonna send them my fries? |
| 79 | * Done in ''Film/AChristmasStory'' when Randy doesn't eat the meatloaf because he hates it. Mrs. Parker tells him that starving children in China would be happy to have it. |
| 80 | * ''Film/LadyBird'': After losing her virginity to Kyle, Lady Bird is upset to find out that he's not a virgin like he claimed, since she wanted her first time to be special. When he tries to mitigate the problem by bringing up the Iraq War and how many people are killed each day, she tells him that two different things can be sad and that not everything needs to be compared to war. |
| 81 | * ''Film/LetThereBeLight2017'': Sol makes an odd argument near the end that comes off much like this, when Sean Hannity asks him (as Devil's Advocate) what right he has "imposing [his] values" on others by attempting to make them Christians. To which Sol responds by asking what right ISIS has beheading people, which Sean then calls "powerful". While of course he's got every right to (peacefully) attempt converting others, it's a very weird way of defending it. |
| 82 | * In ''Film/{{Munich}}'' one of the people involved in the planning of the Munich massacre of Israeli Olympic athletes says that compared with the reaction to the massacre, nobody says anything about the children killed in Israel's military attacks against Palestinians. |
| 83 | * Similar to the ''Munich'' example, in ''Film/PatriotsDay'' the [=FBI=] tries to use a Facebook post made by Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, the wife of one of the Boston terror bombers, in which she reacts to the bombing by saying that "More people die in Syria and other countries", as evidence to coax her to reveal her knowledge on the terror plot. |
| 84 | [[/folder]] |
| 85 | |
| 86 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 87 | * This, combined with BetterTheDevilYouKnow, is the moral of [[Literature/AesopsFables Aesop's fable]] "The Ass and his Masters." In it, a donkey complains that his master, a gardener, isn't feeding him enough, so Jupiter transfers the donkey to a potter who gives him heavier loads. The donkey then prays for another change only to be passed to a tanner who will make his hide into leather after his death. In ancient times, the fable was used to teach slaves and servants something along the lines of "Don't you know that other slaves have it worse than you?" |
| 88 | * Ken Jennings (that guy who won all the money on ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'') points out the ridiculousness of this in his book ''Because I Said So!: The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales, and Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids''. |
| 89 | * ''Literature/TheCatWhoSeries'': In book #18 (''The Cat Who Said Cheese''), when Qwill offers the cats some ground lamb, Koko and Yum Yum turn up their noses at it. Qwill responds by scolding them, saying "There are disadvantaged cats out there who don't know where their next mouse is coming from!" It makes no difference whatsoever. |
| 90 | * In ''Conned Again, Watson!'' by Colin Bruce, a book that uses Franchise/SherlockHolmes to explore logic and mathematics, Holmes says Watson is guilty of the SunkCostFallacy, when he buys bread, walks past a sandwich stall selling the remainder of the day's stock at a discount, and buys ham. Watson replies that if he bought the sandwiches, the bread would have gone to waste when there are children starving in Africa. Holmes isn't clear how them eating roughly-made, more expensive sandwiches, while the sandwich-seller throws her unsold stock away, has helped these children. |
| 91 | * ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': In ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', Glenda repeatedly tries this ("There are children in Klatch, you know"), but it fails because she cannot remember what is so special about these children. |
| 92 | * Spoofed in ''Literature/GoodOmens'', when the anthropomorphic personification of Famine throws the contents of a fast-food tray into a bin; "if you had told him there were starving children in Africa, he would have been flattered that you noticed." |
| 93 | * In the book version of ''Literature/MommieDearest'', Creator/JoanCrawford tells her children to think of, "the starving children in Europe." This is taking place just after UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, when postwar Europe was wracked by famine. |
| 94 | * Discussed in the third book of ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents -- The Wide Window''. The author points out that while pointing out that things could be worse might be true, it's still ineffective at distracting oneself from one's current problems, likening it to trying to ignore a pimple on your nose by imagining oneself being attacked by a bear. |
| 95 | * Played for laughs in ''[[Series/ThatMitchellAndWebbLook This Mitchell and Webb Book]]'', which contains a section parodying those people on Twitter who reply to the tweets of politicians and journalists with extremely stupidly rude comments for no real reason. One of the posts is Connie Wyatt making a joke post about ice-cream, with one of the replies reading, "Millions of children die of Malaria in Africa every year, and you're worried about ice-cream? How do you even live with yourself?". |
| 96 | * In ''Write This Book: A Do-It-Yourself Mystery'', Pseudonymous Bosch talks about this in a sidebar in regarding perspective, describing a parent using this argument against a kid who got a bad haircut. He comments "It goes without saying that this so-called long view is infuriating for someone whose hair is cut too short. Sure, your hair might grow back ''one'' day, but will it grow back before school starts next week." The end of the sidebar, however, reads "'''And stop whining about that haircut!'''" |
| 97 | [[/folder]] |
| 98 | |
| 99 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 100 | * In ''Series/FawltyTowers'', [[CrookedContractor cowboy builder]] O'Reilly tries to cheer a disgruntled Basil with "there's always someone worse off than yourself". |
| 101 | -->'''Basil:''' Is there? Well I'd like to meet him. [[ComedicSociopathy I could do with a laugh]]. |
| 102 | * Used in an episode of ''Series/TheGeorgeLopezShow'' when George scolds Max for needlessly wrecking his toy monster-truck. |
| 103 | -->'''George:''' You know there are some kids who don't even have toys!\ |
| 104 | '''Max:''' Yes, and there are some kids who have lots of toys, so that evens it out. |
| 105 | * ''Series/HistoryBites'': Might as well be "Appeal to Worse Problems: The Show." The most notable offender is the "Neolithic Park" episode, where Rick Green essentially glosses over modern problems such as [[GaiasLament climate change]] in favor of stating that we should be grateful that we still have books, eyeglasses, and modern medicine, compared to the people in the past who endured the likes of famine and plagues. Makes one wonder if he really believes that the Black Death is really the only other option to climate-change-induced heat waves. |
| 106 | * In "Amy's Baking Company" on ''Series/KitchenNightmares'', one of the owners actually uses this when a customer complains about the food. Never mind that "Well, our food at least keeps you from starving" is a peculiarly low bar to clear for a professional eating establishment. |
| 107 | * Frank Burns tries to use this argument in ''Series/{{MASH}}'' when he sees Radar throwing away a half-eaten (and inedible) dinner: |
| 108 | -->'''Burns''': There are people starving in China, you know!\ |
| 109 | '''Radar''': ''(offering his tray)'' Here, you can give them this. |
| 110 | * In ''Series/{{Outnumbered}}'', when Pete tries to get Karen to eat her greens: |
| 111 | -->'''Pete:''' There are children in Africa, who would love to eat this.\ |
| 112 | '''Karen:''' Then why don't you just send it to them. Buy an envelope and send it to them. |
| 113 | * ''Series/YouCantDoThatOnTelevision'': Mrs. Prevert tries this on when one of her kids doesn't like her cooking "starving children in Africa would eat this food!". Only for the kid to say "send it to them!" Cue the next sketch showing said African kids opening up care packages with Mrs. Prevert's dinner and [[EvenBeggarsWontChooseIt sending it back, preferring to starve.]] |
| 114 | [[/folder]] |
| 115 | |
| 116 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 117 | * Music/TheCranberries' anti-paparazzi song "Free To Decide" suggests the paparazzi should be focusing on something other than celebrities: |
| 118 | -->''You must have nothing more with your time to do.''\ |
| 119 | ''There's a war in Russia and Sarajevo too.'' |
| 120 | * Music/MichaelJackson's "Why You Wanna Trip On Me?" is a ListSong of problems he thinks people should worry about more than his personal life. |
| 121 | * "Life in a Glasshouse" by Music/{{Radiohead}} portrays this as being used by the public to keep celebrities from being open about their own problems. |
| 122 | -->''Think of all the starving millions''\ |
| 123 | ''Don't talk politics and don't throw stones''\ |
| 124 | ''Your royal highnesses'' |
| 125 | * The Music/WeirdAl song "Eat It" opens with the lyrics "How come you're always such a fussy young man/Don't want no Captain Crunch, don't want no Raisin Bran/Well don't you know that other kids are starving in Japan/So eat it, just eat it." Keep in mind that, when this parody was written, [[JapanTakesOverTheWorld Japan still was an economic superpower]], so it's a parody of this way of thinking on top of that. |
| 126 | ** While it is likely supposed to a case of WindmillCrusader, a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJEvTCqToCk live performance in Japan]] naturally replaced the country's name to "Sudan" playing this trope more straight as a result. |
| 127 | [[/folder]] |
| 128 | |
| 129 | [[folder:New Media]] |
| 130 | * In the lead-up to Valentine's Day 2014, there was a common Facebook meme being shared, which said something like "feeling sad about not having a date on Valentines Day? well some people don't have a Mother on Mother's Day or a Father on Father's Day, so shut the f!ck up!". |
| 131 | * Mocked on TheInternet where someone once said, "If we really had no right to complain about stuff because others have it worse, then by that logic, people like Creator/MichaelMoore and every radio talk show host should be out of a job, and most of the northern hemisphere should be ''dead silent'', because the only people who have a right to complain are those in UsefulNotes/{{Somalia}}, UsefulNotes/{{Afghanistan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Sudan}}, etc." |
| 132 | * When WebVideo/JonTron was criticized for referring to the Playstation Now service for Platform/PlayStation4 as "retarded" on Twitter, he responded that those offended by his word usage should instead direct their outrage at more important matters, like the Gaza strip bombings. |
| 133 | * Some of the detractors of Shane Koyczan's anti-bullying "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY To This Day Project]]" have been guilty of this, by claiming that the issue of bullying doesn't deserve attention when there are children starving in Africa or warring in trouble spots around the globe. |
| 134 | [[/folder]] |
| 135 | |
| 136 | [[folder:Stand Up Comedy]] |
| 137 | * Referenced by Creator/PeterKay when he complains about his mother buying him [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct Rola Cola]] and him refusing to drink it. "There are children starving in Africa!" "Then send it to them! They'll ''[[EvenBeggarsWontChooseIt send it back!]]'' It's that bad!" |
| 138 | * Also Carl Hurley, a rather rotund Kentucky comedian, who'll occasionally sprinkle in a reference of how he wonders how his obesity benefits children in Africa. |
| 139 | * [[GermanHumour German comedian]] Otto Waalkes has made a sketch where a [[GoodShepherd friendly priest]] holding a tv-sermon tells us about a friend of his, [[IdleRich a millionaire]], who came to him in great distress: [[ComicalOverreacting he had dropped his shaving brush into the toilet that morning.]] The priest consoled him in this fashion by reminding him that while yes, having dropped your shaving brush into the toilet is horrible, there are people who are worse off by far. After all, [[spoiler: some people don't even have a beard.]] |
| 140 | * Scottish comedian Danny Bhoy, after mentioning that the World Health Organization officially declared that Scotland has the worst diet in the world: |
| 141 | -->"We have the worst diet in the ''world!'' That includes African countries! Countries with ''no food at all!'' It's better to be starving than Scottish! When I was a kid, if I didn't eat everything on my plate, my mom would tell me 'Danny, there are children starving in Africa who would give their right arm for what you're eating'. I had no idea that halfway around the world, African mothers were telling their kids the same thing about us. 'What's wrong, Muwabe? Are you hungry? Well, right now there are kids over in Scotland chewing on [[ForeignQueasine haggis]] who ''wish'' they were as hungry as you!'" |
| 142 | * The late Creator/JohnPinette, another fat comedian (whose material is mostly about food and how much he loves food), once had a lady knock on his door to tell him "There are children starving in Africa!" His response? "Hey, I've been here all day, okay?", thinking he was being blamed for it. |
| 143 | * One of the Swedish comedy duo Hans Alfredsson and Tage Danielsson's sketches consisted of a dialogue made up entirely by this fallacy: |
| 144 | --> - ''Don't be so mean! You know I got a nail in my foot this morning on the building site!''\ |
| 145 | - ''A nail in your foot? You know, during the French revolution they chopped the heads of the noblemen like loafs of bread. They would have been damned happy if all they had to endure was a nail in the foot!''\ |
| 146 | - ''And another thing, we just found out that the insurance company won't give us a single penny for our summerhouse that burned down!''\ |
| 147 | - ''Are you aware that there hasn't even been a hundred years since the entire city of Sundsvall burned down?'' |
| 148 | * A Creator/RodneyDangerfield classic: |
| 149 | --> - My wife says, 'Eat your dinner, there are children starving in China!' I say 'let's screw, there are men horny in Canada!' |
| 150 | * Lampshaded by Robert Klein in “Child of the 50s, Man of the 80’s: |
| 151 | -->Kids in Afghanistan don’t have HBO! |
| 152 | * Mexican comedian [[Series/OtroRollo Adal Ramones]] told a story about when he was young and refused to eat lentils soup, his mother took the plate and said "Just so you know, there are children starving in Africa" to which he responded "And are you going to send it to them by mail or what?". She proceeded to DopeSlap him. |
| 153 | [[/folder]] |
| 154 | |
| 155 | [[folder:Tropes]] |
| 156 | * Constitutes both the MiseryPoker and FirstWorldProblems tropes. And the SeriousBusiness trope, if used as an insult. (The implication being that you take it too seriously and other things not seriously enough.) |
| 157 | [[/folder]] |
| 158 | |
| 159 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 160 | * A small development team, Glumberland, made [[https://ooblets.com/2019/07/we-did-the-thing/ this post]] regarding their exclusivity deal with the not-so-popular Creator/EpicGames store. In it, they mention more "important" things to get angry about, including climate change, human right abuse, and the [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking final season of]] ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Due to its tone more than its content, followers were [[https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/a35wm8/gamers-are-harassing-ooblets-developer-over-epic-games-store-exclusivity not amused]]. |
| 161 | * Shows up in an...[[VulgarHumor unexpected context]] on the Website/{{Twitter}} parody Bleeter in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV''. |
| 162 | -->''Swallow, bitch. There are children starving in Africa''. |
| 163 | * In ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'', this is what the argument between Leon and [[spoiler:Rose]] in the tower boiled down to. [[spoiler:Rose]] criticizes Leon for focusing on the League Championship more than [[spoiler:the impeding energy crisis]] which is definitely a bigger problem than a sporting event. Leon points out, as the Champion, the League is part of his job. Not to mention [[spoiler:the energy crisis is 1,000 years away]] and won't be solved in one day while the Championship is happening tomorrow. |
| 164 | [[/folder]] |
| 165 | |
| 166 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 167 | * ''VisualNovel/SakuyaIzayoiGivesYouAdviceAndDabs'': {{Discussed|Trope}} and {{defied|Trope}} in the {{DLC}} -- when asking Nitori how you can be a good friend, she points out that you should avoid giving advice like "you can't be sad because other people have it worse than you", saying it's terrible advice that helps no one. |
| 168 | [[/folder]] |
| 169 | |
| 170 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 171 | * In ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'' Guenevere responds to the idea that there are "bigger problems than misogyny" by asking which is worse, misogyny or littering. When the other person admits misogyny is worse than littering, she retorts "But when you see litter, you ''pick it up'', don't you?" |
| 172 | * Parodied in [[http://nonadventures.com/2007/02/10/mother-ella/ this]] strip of ''Webcomic/TheNonAdventuresOfWonderella''. "How can you even THINK of superheroing when there's so much crime and tragedy in the world?" |
| 173 | * ''Webcomic/OzyAndMillie'' often points out the stupidity of this. |
| 174 | -->'''Mrs. Mudd''': My attempt to get you to eat your peas by instilling global perspective is going to haunt me forever isn't it? |
| 175 | * Parodied in [[http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2314#comic this strip]] of ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'', where an unhappy man is told to "Stop being unhappy! There are people who have it worse than you!", only for somebody else to show up and tell the ''second'' guy to stop being unhappy because there are people who have it worse than ''him'', and so on, and so on, until it finally reaches the least fortunate man in the world, and therefore the only person who is actually allowed to be unhappy, because nobody has it worse than him. He's absolutely delighted to learn this information. |
| 176 | * In the ''Webcomic/{{Subnormality}}'' strip "It's Perspective Man", two school kids complain about their minor problems (homework and having to pay for their own phone), the titular character shows up and tries to "give some much-needed perspective" by explaining how, in other countries, people suffer from poverty, starvation, poor sanitation, etc. and that the kids should be thankful for what they have. When one of the kids begins to make a counter-argument, Perspective Man says "O-kay! I tried!" and punches him to death. |
| 177 | * ''Webcomic/YouDamnKid'' had the author relate how his family once accepted an orphan from China into their home for a while... which led to the Kid pointing out that his mother's claims about "Starving orphans in China would kill for that!" were false [[EvenBeggarsWontChooseIt when even the orphan was disgusted by the meal]]. |
| 178 | * ''Webcomic/{{Xkcd}}'': In strip #2368 "Bigger Problem", White Hat uses this trope as an excuse for not working to solve a small problem. He doesn't want to solve the bigger problem either, for no apparent reason. |
| 179 | [[/folder]] |
| 180 | |
| 181 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 182 | * PlayedForLaughs: Website/{{Fark}} has many headlines that fall into this, mostly for local legislatures who, "having solved all other problems", get to work on something mostly innocuous. Also, whenever doctors come up with some silly technological innovation, you can be sure there'll be a Fark headline about it ending with, "Still no cure for cancer." |
| 183 | * During a HeatWave, you might see a blurb (sometimes on a picture, sometimes as a Website/{{Facebook}} status, what have you) about how "I'm not going to complain about the heat today because soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan not only experience heat every day, but carry lots of equipment through it and may not even survive the day." [[http://www.hotdogsandguns.com/2012/05/i-was-going-to-complain-about-heat.html Here's a sample.]] The inverse applies to a milder extent: Don't complain about how cold it is. Ever. Especially if it's above 0 C. Unless you want to get in a FlameWar with those who live in colder climates. Similarly, complaining about the aftermath of a tropical storm/small hurricane or small earthquake will likely get you blasted by people who experienced far worse storms and quakes every year. |
| 184 | * Greta Christina lists this as one of the standard [[http://gretachristina.typepad.com/greta_christinas_weblog/2009/02/shut-up-thats-why.html "Shut up, that's why!"]] arguments used to shut off discussion. |
| 185 | * During Website/{{Facebook}}'s university-student-only days, there would often be groups titled along the lines of "Finish Your Drink, There Are Sober Kids In India". (This was later turned into a mildly popular dorm-room poster.) |
| 186 | * ''WebVideo/HowToBasic'' frequently uses a lot of food in his videos (which he claims is food that is already expired anyway), the great majority of which is destroyed and used to make a mess, which has caused some people to complain that the food has been wasted when it could have been donated. This has resulted in a running gag in the comment sections of the videos where people complain that some inedible part of the video could have been fed kids in Africa (ie: "Starving children in Africa could have eaten that doll!"). Mr. Basic himself addressed it with his "How to End World Hunger" video where he puts [[RunningGag two eggs]] in a paper envelope addressed "To Africa" before smashing them. |
| 187 | [[/folder]] |
| 188 | |
| 189 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 190 | * An episode of ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'' has Beavis distracting a female student while Butt-Head slips Spanish Fly into her taco. Instead of eating it, she says she's lost her appetite. Butt-Head says "You shouldn't, like, waste food and stuff. Uhh, because there's like, uhh, starving people in [[TheDitz Indiana, or something]]." |
| 191 | ** Inverted when Beavis goes apoplectic at hearing about a guy who dumped his girlfriend for being a sex addict. |
| 192 | --> You know, there's starving kids in poor countries [[BaitAndSwitch and they probably get to score]], ''but I don't!'' |
| 193 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'': For a school assignment, Brittany does this with her cheerleader friends, in an attempt to become unpopular. She succeeds...meaning she fails the assignment. [[note]]So she succeeds at failing. Isn't that great?[[/note]] |
| 194 | -->'''Lisa:''' Your boyfriend just threw an intercept on purpose.\ |
| 195 | '''Brittany:''' Well that's nothing compared to working conditions in the [[TheDitz unexploded diamond mines]]. |
| 196 | * ''WesternAnimation/FIsForFamily'': During one of their usual arguments over Frank's parenting, Frank pulls this on Kevin by telling him he should be thankful that Frank isn't like the ax murderer who killed his entire family he saw on the news. Kevin points out the ridiculousness of this argument by asking if Frank being a murderer is really the only other option to his daily verbal abuse. |
| 197 | * ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'': |
| 198 | ** One sketch involves ComicStrip/LittleOrphanAnnie complaining about her hard-knock life under the thumb of EvilOrphanageLady Miss Hannigan, only for her friend to tell her that she should be grateful that she still has halfway-decent shelter and three square meals a day, compared to the orphans of third-world countries who endure the likes of hunger, disease, and even sex slavery. |
| 199 | --->'''Annie:''' Leapin' lizards, Molly! It sure is a hard knock life —-\ |
| 200 | '''Molly:''' Actually, we're very lucky Annie.\ |
| 201 | '''Annie:''' [[OrphansOrdeal Being an orphan sure don't feel lucky.]]\ |
| 202 | '''Molly:''' Then try being an orphan in the UsefulNotes/{{Philippines}} where [[HarmfulToMinors hundreds of thousands of orphans are forced into prostitution thanks to sex tourism]]. In Africa, AIDS has created millions of orphans who won't live to see puberty.\ |
| 203 | '''Annie:''' Well... I sure don't like that mean ol' Miss Hannigan!\ |
| 204 | '''Molly:''' What don't you like exactly? 3 meals a day? A warm bed? Not being HIV positive? Not performing fellatio on foreign business men? ''({{Beat}})'' [[ArmorPiercingQuestion That's what you don't like?]]\ |
| 205 | '''Annie:''' [[DumbStruck Uhh...]] I think I'm gonna go sweep over there for a while Molly. ''(Annie heads off to complain to a less worldly friend)'' Gee, Pepper! Miss Hannigan sure is mean!\ |
| 206 | '''Pepper:''' Yeah! I hate that bitch!\ |
| 207 | ''([[TimeSkip 6 months later]])''\ |
| 208 | '''Daddy Warbucks:''' We sure had a grand adventure, Annie! Your quick wits and spunky can-do spirit saved us all! Is there anything my limitless power and billions of dollars can do for you?\ |
| 209 | '''Molly's voice:''' Overseas orphans! Fellatio on foreign business men! ''HIV and AIDS!''\ |
| 210 | '''Annie:''' Hmm... [[ComicallyMissingThePoint nope!]] |
| 211 | ** Another sketch shows a boy yelling at his parents after receiving a [[WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGobots Rock Lord]] for Christmas. His mother replies that children in other countries would be grateful to have one. The scene then cuts to a Palestinian boy thanking his parents for giving him a Rock Lord, which he then throws at an Israeli soldier. |
| 212 | [[/folder]] |
| 213 | |
| 214 | ---- |
| 215 | * You're complaining that [[JustForFun/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife TV Tropes ruined your life]]? There are people who are blocked from visiting TV Tropes in the first place! [[SerialEscalation There are those who can't even afford Internet access!]] |
| 216 | ** [[SelfDemonstratingArticle Psh, be quiet, there are people who don't even have computers!]] |
| 217 | ** All of you be quiet! There are people who are [[DeadBabyComedy dead babies!]] |
| 218 | ** ENOUGH! There are people who didn't even get a chance to ''exist'', even in dead baby form! |
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