First World Problems is a weekly advice column for India’s first world population. Write to Judy at contact@theswaddle.com (confidentially!) if you’ve broken a nail, felt a little blue, yellow or green lately,
or had a strange encounter of the any-numbered kind.

PROBLEM: My husband had his eye on a really nice car for a long time. We didn’t need a new car, but he’s worked hard, so I wanted him to have it. As he signed for it,  he told me he can’t drive it to work, as it’s a nicer model than his boss’s and that would cause problems. What is the point of buying it then? Should I try to reason with him, or just let this early mid-life crisis pass?

Nope. You don’t reason with a husband. He’s wired to believe you’re the irrational one. So you’d have to illustrate your point. Perhaps you could keep buying expensive and incredibly sexy lingerie but continue wearing sports bras? Put the sexy ones on display in your bedroom though. When it drives him to the brink of madness, tell him that – on second thought – you’re worried your body might be offended that you feel the need to embellish it with lace.

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PROBLEM: My friend works for an NGO that helps street kids. It’s wonderful work, and I admire what they do there, but lately she’s taken on an attitude like she’s better than me and the rest of our friends, who all work at corporates. It’s getting on my nerves, and I know I’m not the only one she is irritating with her ways. What can I do to make her see my work is worthwhile too?

If you donate to this NGO, stop it. She’ll see it right away. Alternatively, you could help her imagine an ideal world where everybody worked at NGOs. And there were no evil corporates … to fund them….