You make a valid point that major events should not be overlooked. However, focusing solely on larger events without due consideration to the smaller, everyday tragedies also fails to recognize the amount of suffering in the world. Sure, a bomb exploding is more significant than someone stubbing their toe, but if we take into account the 240 people who die every day in New York City alone, then the scope of our concern should far exceed such a singular event. In fact, Nikhil’s essay is not suggesting that we should ignore major events – he simply points out that we should also be cognizant and conscientious of the every day tribulations that occur that are often left unappreciated.
Therefore, if his family members were willing to reach out to him to check on his wellbeing after a bomb blast, then surely they can take the time to show some empathy for those one million people (including Nikhil) who might stub their toe in any given month. It's wrong to think that Nikhil, with his clever analogy, was advocating for apathy towards major events. He was merely highlighting the need for greater awareness and compassion towards small misfortunes that affect so many people's lives, every day. In other words, his point was lost in translation – there’s room for both small and large-scale empathy!