I guess I need to spell it out loud here. The most common approach I have seen to console a sad person is something like this. They ask the sufferer to look at other people's condition, which are possibly much worse. And then because of that comparison, they expect the sufferer to get some hope (? that more pain is waiting?) or solace (?that you are better than your brother?) or something (I don't know!) that would make him/her feel better.
Well here is the rub. How in the world, is another one's suffering making my suffering any less, if not more? As a person I feel actually much worse when I find that it's not only me, but someone else also is suffering. Isn't this the natural reaction as a sentient being? How am I supposed to feel any better by looking around and finding people that are suffering even worse, on top of my own suffering mind?
It's like gaping another person's broken car to get solace, instead of fixing one's own broken one. It's really nonsensical.
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