The First World Problem Thread

[One Drop]

I've seen this expression popping up in a lot of places recently, and I can't really follow the logic.

Virtually any problem or basis for complaint can be put on a relative scale. Some are petty by almost any standards, some are very serious by most people's reckonings and would be considered so in most parts of the world.

But the idea of diminishing the importance or relevance of one over another seems pointless at best and dangerous at worst to me. It's not like people in the 'third world' (how I hate that term, 'developing nations' is not much better) don't have petty and mundane problems.

It's not as if not thinking about and wanting to improve social interactions and daily life in your own country keeps you from doing good or wanting to improve conditions in another. Most people are not being kept from saving the planet because they are posting on a forum about a problem they had at work or something.

We in the wealthier countries have enough to feel guilty about if we really want to, we don't need to feel guilty about being bothered or inconvenienced about daily events or behaviour.

Not a big deal (definitely a 'first world' one by current usage), just something that occurs to me every time I see the phrase.

Here I am complaining about people complaining about the way people are complaining...

[Mud]

Fretting over such things is a first world problem.

[MusicChick]

Putting things into a different perspective is a personal choice, if people want to see the bigger picture, let them.

[Caviarchips]

Its a more elegant expression than "Trivial Shite which shouldn't bother me but does"

(I am admittedly the master of such nonsense)

[zuercherbirmensdorfer]

Actually, speaking of guilt: I have a Mammut ski-jacket and a North Face Down jacket. Until yesterday, I thought these were made here - especially considering the price of both is well over CHF 1000. I was just looking at the collar tags yesterday, and guess what? The North Face Down's from Bangladesh and the ski-jacket is from China.
Talk about guilt when I think of the working environments in those countries. I mean, it's classic "pyramid", a small group exploiting the rest. It's only a few cases where the standards of living and working are raised overall in these areas.

As for problems in general, if death is considered one (it shouldn't be), I read that suicides are becoming a problem in the "first" world. Strangely enough, I also read that Bangladesh was rated one of the "happiest" in the world. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

[Village Idiot]

	Quote:	One Drop
	I've seen this expression popping up in a lot of places recently, and I can't really follow the logic.

It's an internet meme. Started at www.whitewhine.com. For example....

[Assassin]

You're maybe trying to define futility. Which is, essentially and by definition, futile.

Wherever you live.

[Caviarchips]

	Quote:	zuercherbirmensdorfer
	Actually, speaking of guilt: I have a Mammut ski-jacket and a North Face Down jacket. Until yesterday, I thought these were made here - especially considering the price of both is well over CHF 1000. I was just looking at the collar tags yesterday, and guess what? The North Face Down's from Bangladesh and the ski-jacket is from China. Talk about guilt when I think of the working environments in those countries. I mean, it's classic "pyramid", a small group exploiting the rest. It's only a few cases where the standards of living and working are raised overall in these areas. As for problems in general, if death is considered one (it shouldn't be), I read that suicides are becoming a problem in the "first" world. Strangely enough, I also read that Bangladesh was rated one of the "happiest" in the world. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

Its VERY important for rich countries to give trade to poor countries - even if working conditions in China and Bangladesh are not as you'd like them, they are a hell of a lot better than non-working conditions

There was another comment on a different thread about Fairtrade being something worthwhile this morning. Similar to this, its probably a dangerous trend - economics is most efficient and wealth is more widely distributed when markets are left to perform

[Assassin]

	Quote:	Caviarchips
	Its VERY important for rich countries to give trade to poor countries - even if working conditions in China and Bangladesh are not as you'd like them, they are a hell of a lot better than non-working conditions

Like Apple. For example. Because it helps make them even more money that they can pile up and give their shareholders even bigger first world erections to screw even more people. And that is world trade, twenty first century style.

[MusicChick]

	Quote:	zuercherbirmensdorfer
	..snip.. As for problems in general, if death is considered one (it shouldn't be), I read that suicides are becoming a problem in the "first" world. Strangely enough, I also read that Bangladesh was rated one of the "happiest" in the world. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

I am havin a thick day, but what did you mean by this?

[Caviarchips]

	Quote:	Assassin
	Like Apple. For example. Because it helps make them even more money that they can pile up and give their shareholders even bigger first world erections to screw even more people. And that is world trade, twenty first century style.

You have any sort of pension or investment plan? Coz if so....you are part of the problem, my friend. "Shareholders" are not some alien breed - its us

[One Drop]

	Quote:	MusicChick
	Putting things into a different perspective is a personal choice, if people want to see the bigger picture, let them.

Fair enough. I just don't see the point of people pointing this out in every thread, or of people being ashamed to mention a smaller problem here. It's as if you went to a doctor for a broken leg and he told you not to worry about it because the last patient he had was diagnosed with a terminal disease!

[M_McPoyle]

A first world problem meme for EF

[MusicChick]

	Quote:	One Drop
	Fair enough. I just don't see the point of people pointing this out in every thread, or of people being ashamed to mention a smaller problem here. It's as if you went to a doctor for a broken leg and he told you not to worry about it because the last patient he had was diagnosed with a terminal disease!

I know but our community is diverse and people should be able to chip in with anything they consider relevant. It does not devaluate OP's needs or feelings at all, it represents what it is, only another person's opinion. And as much as those who offer sympathy and will identify with OP, there will be those who will preach tough love and "what does not kill you.." because it helped them and those who will post funny pics and those who will provoke to get more whaaambulancing coz they happen to be bored at work that afternoon..

[Jobsrobertsharpii]

	Quote:	Assassin
	Like Apple. For example. Because it helps make them even more money that they can pile up and give their shareholders even bigger first world erections to screw even more people. And that is world trade, twenty first century style.

Yeah, those evil bastard corporations that employ thousands of people to make a product and/or provide a service that millions enjoy, and by doing this, fund the retirements of thousands and provide tax revenues to governments the world over... Shame on them.

Give me a freakin' break...

[Jobsrobertsharpii]

They (whoever "they" are) say that bottling it up is bad for us, so pissin and moanin serve a healthful purpose. At the very least, it keeps us entertained and lets us know that other people have problems, too...

[cannut]

	Quote:	Jobsrobertsharpii
	Yeah, those evil bastard corporations that employ thousands of people to make a product and/or provide a service that millions enjoy, and by doing this, fund the retirements of thousands and provide tax revenues to governments the world over... Shame on them. Give me a freakin' break...

Yea yea we know you a tea party republican

[Jobsrobertsharpii]

	Quote:	cannut
	Yea yea we know you a tea party republican

Objectivist-Libertarian, but thanks for stereotyping...

[Pachyderm]

Sorry OP, but I think that many 'First World problems' deserve all the derision that the expression implies.

No one is denying that everyday problems in the developed world CAN be serious, but let's face it, many people (including me) can be a bit pathetic, and too easily lose sight of just how inconsequential most of our anxieties are.

It's good to have the p*ss taken out of us from time to time:

How does this work?

[Jobsrobertsharpii]

You know, I think BOTH sides are right on this one.

You need to get it off your chest...

AND

Somebody needs to tell you to get over yourself.


Now you can move on, hopefully feeling a little better.