What a pity human beings can't exchange problems. Everyone knows exactly how to solve the other fellow's.

The remark exposes an asymmetry in judgment: we see other people’s problems from a distance, stripped of fear, pride, and emotional entanglement, so solutions look obvious. Our own problems, by contrast, are saturated with uncertainty and self-protective rationalizations, making them feel harder and more personal. Miller’s “exchange” fantasy underscores how much of problem-solving is perspective rather than intelligence. The humor carries a quiet admonition: be humbler when prescribing fixes for others, and try to grant yourself the same clarity and compassion you readily apply to “the other fellow.”