First World Problems- The Struggle Is Real

'First world problems' is a slang term used to refer to issues in First world nations that are complained about only because of the absence of more pressing concerns.

Social media has given us a voice we never could have imagined some 20 years ago. It has become easy for anyone to share content online for free. If we searched for the term 'first world' problems in the net, it offers this meaning- rich westerners that are called out for complaining about "issues" many around the world would love to have to endure. They are also called "white whiners".

In other words, these are all problems that in no way endanger the health, safety or sanitary living conditions of the 'whiner'. Rather, they are inconveniences that are annoying at the time but forgotten not too long after they occur. Contrast this with having your only source of water be infested with malaria-carrying insects. Not nearly so much problem in comparison.

WI-FI

" Slow internet is our generation's Vietnam."

"There is no wi-fi in the bus! so not cool!"

Like it or not, there are times when one cannot take a plane, helicopter or a private car to take us from point A to point B. Sometimes one must take public transportation. Though trains and buses provide certain amenities like wi-fi, whiners are too quick to point out that it barely works and it might be true but it's not the wi-fi they are angry at. What they're really mad at is the fact that even though they are clearly the most important human to ever live, they are being forced to tolerate everyone else

BOOKS

"I'm on the last 30 pages of Game of Thrones but my book ran out of battery!! NOOOOOO!!"

I love to read books. I have a pretty large collection of books from a variety of favorite authors. I prefer the hard bound books that I can hold and read and cuddle with me in bed on a lazy day. I have never been a fan of e-books although I have tried it once and did not really appreciate it. I don't have anything against those who love to read e-books but it just does not work for me. The feel of smooth crisp pages you turn over every time you read a book just gives me sheer and overwhelming satisfaction. But in today's advent of technology and internet, everything is available on line. Like books for example. Whiners today would most likely complain about their battery running out and having no charger readily available. Like books are a thing of the past. Obsolete and pre-historic.

PARKING

" Had to park far from the door."

It's too obvious that these problems from living in a wealthy industrialized nation that third worlders would probably roll their ayes at. Whatever happened to walking and taking those extra steps to get to where you are. There are other parts on the other side of the world where people have to walk miles and miles to get to the nearest well to get potable water. There are children in far flung areas in third world countries that painstakingly walk for hours to get to the primary school they go to. Or how other people need to carry their sick loved ones and walk miles to get to the nearest health clinic to avail first aid. Something we might want to think of eh?

FOOD

" I was at my local grocery store and they didn't have organic bananas! It's the worst thing ever!"

We are conscious about what we eat because we have learned a lifestyle of being healthy. These days, we watch the food we eat, how many calories we take in each food the we feed our bodies. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But whiners will take things to the next level when they act like it's the end of the world when something they eat is not organic. According to some research, organic foods have more nutritional value than conventionally-grown foods. The reason being, in the absence of pesticides and chemicals plants boosts their production of the phytochemicals (vitamins and minerals) then strengthen their resistance to bugs and pests. But throwing a fit just because the food choice for us is not organic, does not mean you can't eat non-organic produce. There is more to the world than not having an organically grown banana. Millions of children and their families all over the world die of hunger and lack of food. Children in under developed countries and those who are caught in between war and conflict grow to become malnourished because they barely have food to eat. Some of them even die. World wide hunger is a major global issue that has been around and is continuing.

LIFESTYLE

" There's so much leg room in business class that I can barely reach the touch screen TV."

Wow! talk about having that problem! While so many of us opt to get economy class seats for when we travel and deal with it, whiners can pretty much be disappointed with the luxury they are having. As a someone who loves to travel, I know how having economy class seats can also be disappointing and frustrating but if that is what most of us can afford, we deal with it and make the most out of it. Although I have traveled business and first class before, I must say it does make a difference. Some of us just can't appreciate what we have and take a lot of things forgranted.

This got me thinking though, about how...despite being amused and totally amazed about these first world problems, I, to be honest, can sometimes take many things and people for that matter, forgranted. When the video I'm watching on Youtube suddenly stops and reloads, I get irritated. When I get stuck in traffic for two minutes, it makes me cranky. SOmetimes I even get upset when my favorite brand of organcic pasta is sold out and I have to settle for another brand. Sometimes I bitch to my husband about how my hair gets stuck in between my nails and my gel nail polish when I'm in the bathroom showering and shampooing my hair.

So many things that bother us, whether we admit it or not have no long term or substantial consequences and are trivial compared to real world issues such as global warming, famine, poverty, hunger and global AIDS crisis. Sometimes we just have to take a step back and think about things that matter and things that really make a difference and then hopfully... just hopfully. Do something about it.