The Pain Olympics

People seem to want to compare their pain and struggles to the pain and struggles of others quite a bit. Whether they're heralding their own struggle as worse than another and diminishing the experiences of those who have gone through the latter, or tearing one group down just to prop up another, it just isn't very fruitful and can cause a lot of harm. Often times, these struggles aren't as comparable as individuals who enage in these behaviors seem to believe, and comparing them that way can be detrimental to both issues.

What's a topic you've noticed people seem to compare too often to say one is worse than the other, even if they're both bad and not comparable?

What's a topic you've noticed people seem to put others down in order to prop another group up?

For example: comparing skinny shaming to fat shaming and attempting to say one is worse than the other, saying x is worse than y. Another example could be people putting down certain groups of people to support another.

You don't have to compare your personal struggles to the struggles of others to be heard or to express why it's an issue. You don't have to put down people from one group to prop up and support another.

On a lighter note: what do you feel are ways these mindsets can be combatted? What can be done to veer aware from these types of unhealthy comparisons but still address the sensitive issues behind them?