History Main / AppealToWorseProblems

* When WebVideo/JonTron was criticized for referring to the Playstation Now service for UsefulNotes/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.

* 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 ''Titanic''").

A type of FalseDichotomy, and close cousin of [[UsefulNotes/LogicalFallacies Appeal to Pity]]. Often invoked in MiseryPoker. Also frequently used in conjunction with QuitYourWhining. 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.

A type of FalseDichotomy, and close cousin of [[UsefulNotes/LogicalFallacies Appeal to Pity]]. Often invoked in MiseryPoker. 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.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': In ''Unseen Academicals'', 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.

** ''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.

[[folder:Other]]
* This (specifically the starving African children) has become a fairly popular T-Shirt. It personifies Africa as saying "And you think you have problems..."
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[[folder:Real Life]]
* During The Troubles in Northern Ireland, this was about half of what was disparaged by the term [[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/whataboutery "whataboutery]]" (the other half being hypocrisy).
* In anti-social justice circles, this is derisively nicknamed "Oppression Olympics".
* Ever have a bad day at work or school, and feel you just need to vent? And have you tried to do so, only for you to be told something along the lines of "You think ''YOU'' have it bad? ''I''...." or "I'll give ''YOU'' something to cry about" by someone else (Be they a friend, family member, or stranger on the internet)? You've just experienced a combo of this trope and MiseryPoker.
* The deaths of celebrities can be met with these. When Creator/PaulWalker died in a car crash there was no lack of people who [[http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/652285-paul-walkers-death accused the public]] of crying over the death of one rich guy rather than worrying about people dying in wars. After the veritable ''flood'' of celebrity deaths in 2016, it got to the point where it was very hard to go on any comment-enabled newssite and read an article about the latest death without approximately 50% of the comments invoking this trope and some even straying into the territory of mocking those genuinely upset by the deaths.
** This attitude has also cropped up in the US when discussing relief programs for refugees or overseas spending, as others will quickly point out that the US has a ''lot'' of homeless veterans that we should be taking care of first.
* [[UsefulNotes/AustralianPolitics Australian MP]] Bob Katter's now infamous [[http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/abc-hosts-lose-it-over-bob-katters-bizarre-marriage-rant/news-story/ab0840f6d8f7a6c41bf1ff12ba4f9a5f response]] to the result of the postal survey into legalising same-sex marriage (which he had campaigned against). This claim is not supported by Creator/TheABC's [[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-30/fact-check-does-a-crocodile-kill-someone-every-three-months-/9202902 Fact Check]].
-->'''Katter''': I mean, y’know, people are entitled to their sexual proclivities. Let there be a thousand blossoms bloom, as far as I’m concerned. [[MoodWhiplash But I AIN’T spendin’ any time on it]], because in the meantime, every three months, a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in North Queensland.
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!!Looks like this fallacy but is not:
* 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.
* 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 ''Titanic''").
* 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.
* 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.
* 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?
* When used as a counter to hyperbole along the lines of "[Relatively minor problem] is just the ''worst'' thing ''ever''...."

* ''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 sending it back, preferring to starve.

* Constitutes the MiseryPoker trope. And the SeriousBusiness trope, if used as an insult. (The implication being that you take it too seriously and other things not seriously enough.)

[[folder:Film - LiveAction]]

* ''Film/LetThereBeLight'': 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.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* [[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, [[RichIdiotWithNoDayJob 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.]]