First World Problems

There's an internet meme going around that's known as "First World Problems." Basically, when someone complains about something trite or ridiculous, another person points out that it is a "first world problem. For example, if I complained that the server didn't bring me enough whipped cream on my hot beverage, someone might point out that it's a first world problem.

I think it's an interesting concept, and I wholly support re-examining the things we complain about, but I don't think it's quite accurate. It rests on the assumption that people in the third world are substantially different from people in the first world. And that assumption just isn't true. Just because people are poor doesn't mean that their lives are one continuous misery. Even people who live in mud huts get offended if they pay for something and get less than they were expecting. In fact, people who live in mud huts get offended if they don't pay for something and get less than they were expecting.

From my mission project days, I remember that one common observation was about how happy the poor people were. Now that I know a lot of the poor people, I think I can say that they're happy about as much as everyone else (the higher percentage of smiling people may be due to the sight of strange white people in fanny packs clearly feeling uncomfortable in new surroundings). Everyone, rich or poor, has concerns and troubles, but everyone also has inside jokes, friends and loved ones.

We all complain about stupid things. If they don't put enough pepperoni on the first pizza I eat when I get home, I'll probably complain about a stupid thing right then. And it's definitely worth realizing that the old lady in the crosswalk who is holding you up really isn't a big deal in the grand scope of things. But I think it's also worth noting that people in the third world also honk when we get cut off. And I'm willing to bet that waitresses here get just as much flak as the ones in the US.

Have a good weekend. The Avengers finally made it to our cinema, so I'm planning on having an exciting evening!
-Ben