I was unaware this was a competition...

[NateSean]

I don't know about you. But, I don't feel the need to constantly one up everyone. So, it aggrivates the hell out of me when I conversationally mention that I'm not feeling that well. And suddenly I've unwittingly fired the first shot in a civil war of one upmanship.

"Oh, well, I'm running a fever of blah, blah, blah."

Bonus points if that sentence ends in, "But you don't hear me complaining about it." Whether or not I was actually complaining or not. (And yes, I'm aware that tones of voice can be missinterpreted, this is not one of those times)

[Rageaholic]

Oh god damn do I hate that. Hate it so much that it's my one of my ultimate berserk buttons.

Competitive people just tick me off in general. Especially when they act like you're scum of the earth for being behind them in something. All they want to do is make you feel like crap so they can feel superior. I can't think of any other reason why they would berate you and mention how much better they are than you. Nothing those people say is worth listening to.

And I hate the misery poker game too. It's like they're pissed off that all this bad stuff happened to them (and I can't blame them for that), but they act like it's MY problem. And want me to suffer just so they can feel better. Yeah, more misery and unhappiness, just what we need!

[powerboy]

I have a friend that does that. Back when I was not married, and got a GF, he tried to up-one me. Now that I am married, he tried it but it didn't work. Too bad, so sad, not.

[HYHYBT]

There is a fine line between commiseration and competition and it also hurts to attempt the former and have it thrown back as being the latter.

[DrFaroohk]

Yeah, I hate the competition too but sometimes it might sound like I'm being competetive and really I'm just trying to relate.

"Man I don't feel well."

"Yeah I didn't feel well once too, it was awful I had the shits and was peeing blood and everything."

I wouldn't be trying to one-up here, just relating that I understand what this person is going through.

[Lachrymose]

Sometimes it's neither competition nor commiseration, but trying to redirect the subject of the conversation to themselves. Even more annoying, really.

[Rantsylvania 6-5000]

Can I get an amen? Seriously! It's true, people have to turn EVERYTHING into a fucking competition! You have to deal with it at work, at school, at church, on the road, at the store, sometimes even with friends and family! And I despise it when I try to tell someone about a problem, and I get, "Oh that's nothing, I blah blah blah...".

[muses_nightmare]

Uhg, I hate this. I have a friend who does this all the time, with everything. She has to prove that her life is sooo much worse than everyone elses, when the opposite is actually true.

I'm sick? Oh well she's 10X sicker for 10X longer.

[Plaidman]

Hate to break it to you guys, but I started a thread like this last year, and it was far better and had far more replies by now. Why can't you be more original with your threads. I did it while I was blind and missing limbs too. Oh, and had a nosebleed.

[Hyena Dandy]

I'm fine with it, but only if the person one-upping has a SIGNIFICANTLY bigger problem/whatever, because they might be venting that their problem is worse and just being upset for themselves.

I had to cancel gaming today because I had a fever of 101. I wouldn't have minded if one of my gaming group members had replied "Oh, I'm in the hospital because I'm unable to swallow." (It is true that she's in the hospital, by the way) but if someone had said, "Oh, well I have a fever and a headache" I would have been a little riled up.