First World Problems

This post is inspired by a conversation on Facebook between my roommate, myself, and several of our friends. Last night she posted this on my wall:

"OMG THE ICEMAKER JUST TURNED ON IN THE KITCHEN AND IT WAS SO SCARY."

Her boyfriend's brother is the one who got us all started with his "first world problems" comment, haha. But it is true. Most of the things I complain about (or am unhappy about) on a daily basis are ridiculous when taken in a global context. For example, since the school year began I've gained ten pounds; this infuriates and depresses me, even though it's mostly muscle gain from my fitness class. This post, while funny and fluffy and exemplary of lighthearted humor between friends, got me thinking. (Fortunately for all of you here, I don't have time to go into a really lengthy discussion, but...)

I am a recovering anorexic. This is also the topic of my anthropology final project this semester, and because of that I've spent a lot of time thinking about and analyzing my involvement with this illness. It's some scary stuff, folks. It's taken me almost three years to be able to read the literature on anorexia, or to face the statistics of which I was nearly a part. I won't go into everything I've learned in the past few years, but suffice to say anorexia is definitely a first world problem. Most people in the world who are starving (and there are 925 million of them) don't do so to look "better." They starve because of famine, war, dictatorial governments, or restricted access to food. It's criminal that in a first world nation like America more than 10 million individuals are deliberately starving themselves. Criminal, and yet for this teacup human, completely, miserably understandable.

Think about some of the things in your life that annoy you beyond bearing. For me, applying for college was a huge irritation. Same with PMS; my boyfriend will deny it (until pressed) but other friends who aren't afraid to badmouth me will tell you I am a total bitch for about a week out of every four. Who else in the world has time to stress over things like finding the BEST dress for your wedding, getting a car when you turn sixteen (I was old at eighteen, thanks very much), or having access to higher education? Our "big" problems sure seem small when seen in a global context.

Now I have to run (class in 20 minutes, sigh), but I thought I'd throw this out there: do you think any of your problems that seem so huge are first world problems? For a lighthearted conversation on Facebook (and there's another FWP right there: addiction to technology) this one sure gave me a brain twist.

Ciao
WolfGrrl