Poll: "First World Problems"

[The White Hunter]

Iunno seems like the new popular phrase to say . It's annoyig a fuck, but just wait for the fad to kick in . What i hate though is people that take stuff from the internet and say them in real life . I first person to say that to me in real life gets slapped and i will say " did that hurt? At least you didn't lose a limb , first world problems".

I'll punch them straight in the kidney and say something to similar effect.
To be honest I do hate the phrase and I do hate getting it used against me, mostly because I don't whine about everything and tend to keep my mouth shut outside of important problems.

I hate the phrase though.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

It depends on the problem, that's why the jokes are always about little things that don't matter.

 

[lithiumvocals]

Here's the way I see it.

There's a ratio of anger to problem size that is acceptable. If you're saying your life sucks because your parents bought you the wrong car as a present, you are over reacting. If you are slightly annoyed that a game you bought doesn't work with custom resolutions, that's much more valid. After a certain amount of bitching, some people need a great big helping of "suck it up and get over yourself", but OP, you are not one of them.

As for the phrase itself, I don't mind it all that much. Maybe it's because I never use it other than in jest.

 

[axlryder]

Bad Poll. People definitely complain a lot about meaningless bullshit, but at the same time you can't just handwave any problem that isn't "starving to death" or "having AIDS" as a FWP. A lot of it is the degree to which people complain and the frequency of it, as well as the context of the complaints. Complaining about ME3's ending actually serves a purpose, so obviously complaining loudly is warranted. If you work a minimum wage job, then 60 bucks is a good chunk of money. If you were looking forward to guild wars 2, all the more reason to be mildly or even moderately disappointed.

Hell, I waited for 7 god damn years for Capcom to make MML3 and spent almost a year and 2000+ posts worth of writing content on their message boards in the "Devroom", only to have Capcom cancel on us. I would have punched someone in the face if they tried to tell me I didn't have the right to be at least moderately upset at the news.

Yet when I saw some people actually complaining that their lives were "ruined" because of the ME3 ending without a hint of irony, then yes, I'd tentatively say that their lives could stand to be injected with a bit of perspective. I also think people could stand to spend less time focused on their own entertainment and comfort, and more on the comfort of those who are unable to provide it for themselves.

 

[Tiger Sora]

Well yes and no. Really goes on a case to case basis. Say, if you lose your internet connection. Well that sucks, you'll get by.
You lose your internet connection, and you have some project to do. That certainly sucks a whole lot more, but it's still kinda a first world problem.

My current first world problem. I bought an auction item from Desert Bus (See my avatar), and it's gona take 2-3 weeks to get here.
Grahh, my life is ruined. I may as well end it all....... *Distracted (Cause I have internet)*.
Really, I can wait.

Maybe it's not to much the complaining, but the griefing often involved thats so annoying.

 

[dagens24]

I prefer the term white people problems myself. Regardless, yes, you should be able to complain all you want. Just remember that your problems aren't actual problems; life is so good for us in the 1st world we have to make up shit to be upset/sad about. So complain away, I know I will, but try and keep that in the back of your mind.

Great clip of Louis CK talking about this: http://www.maniacworld.com/we-have-white-people-problems.html

 

[Diddy_Mao]

When I was a kid my Grandmother would tell me "There are starving kids in Africa who would love to have *insert whatever gross old country meal she made*. "

I see the "1st world problems." argument in the same light. Thusly people who use it are equally as hip and with it as my Grandmother.

 

[dagens24]

When I was. Kid my Grandmother would tell me "There are starving kids in Africa who would love to have *insert whatever gross old country meal she made*. "

I see the "1st world problems." argument in the same light. Thusly people who use it are equally as hip and with it as my Grandmother.

Too bad she didn't rub off on you.

 

[Sir Shockwave]

Despite the way the pole has gone, legit. Though not quite in the way people normally think.

Take a look at England for example. Unemployment is still rising, tax cuts are everywhere and we might as well have a sentient Salt & Pepper shaker running the country for all it's worth. The problems all link together to create a vicious cycle of problems that allows things like the London Riots of a couple of years ago to happen.

Not gonna lie, Second and Third World countries have their problems, sure. However, the needs of your own people should generally not be neglected either.

On a side note, more people donate to Animal Charities than organizations like the British Heart Foundation or Oxfam. Just Saiyan.

CAPATCHA: Doctor Who. Y'know, I'd rather have David Tennent/Christopher Eccleston/Matt Smith running the country than David Cameron X3

 

[Diddy_Mao]

When I was. Kid my Grandmother would tell me "There are starving kids in Africa who would love to have *insert whatever gross old country meal she made*. "

I see the "1st world problems." argument in the same light. Thusly people who use it are equally as hip and with it as my Grandmother.

Too bad she didn't rub off on you.

Yep. Guess I missed out on being a nosy pain in the ass with a shockingly disproportionate amount of self importance. Not a day goes by that I don't lament my inability to feel I can stand in judgement of others on what they do and don't have the right to complain about.

 

[freakonaleash]

I wanna know who the people are that are saying its a first world problem. I doubt they are from Africa, Asia or latin america where there are real third world countries...

 

[Ljs1121]

I think that if something inconveniences you, then you have every right to complain about it. However, I also think that being thankful for what you have is extremely important.

In the end, it's all about finding that balance between being a spoiled brat who can't be pleased and being a pushover who never voices his mind about anything. That balance is incredibly hard to find, however.

 

[lithiumvocals]

Just remember that your problems aren't actual problems; life is so good for us in the 1st world we have to make up shit to be upset/sad about.

Yep, because someone in the United States getting assaulted, raped or murdered is just making shit up to be sad about because they're in a first world country!

Comedians do not always make logical people.

Oh, and by the way Dagens, I'm going to be dead in a few months from a terminal brain tumor. I guess I don't have problems, do I?

We aren't really talking about assault or rape or murder, though.

And to be honest, anyone who gets murdered doesn't have much to complain about.

 

[dagens24]

Just remember that your problems aren't actual problems; life is so good for us in the 1st world we have to make up shit to be upset/sad about.

Yep, because someone in the United States getting assaulted, raped or murdered is just making shit up to be sad about because they're in a first world country!

Comedians do not always make logical people.

Oh, and by the way Dagens, I'm going to be dead in a few months from a terminal brain tumor. I guess I don't have problems, do I?

Are you serious? Of course there are people in the 1st world who have REAL problems, like your brain tumour there. That's an actual problem. What we're talking about are stupid shits who cry that their cellphone drops a call one out of every hundred times or who complain about they have to wait 40 minutes before their plane takes off; shit that no one should ever complain about but people complain about all the time.

'Ugh, it took me 15 extra minutes to get to work today because of traffic'. Oh, I'm sorry, did you not just travel at 100 km/h across a vast distance in mere minutes, something that would have taken days only a hundred years ago? A lot of people in the 1st world lack perspective. You probably don't since you're dying; doesn't it bother you when people cry over nothing when you have actual problems? I'd love your feedback.

 

[dagens24]

Just remember that your problems aren't actual problems; life is so good for us in the 1st world we have to make up shit to be upset/sad about.

Yep, because someone in the United States getting assaulted, raped or murdered is just making shit up to be sad about because they're in a first world country!

Comedians do not always make logical people.

Oh, and by the way Dagens, I'm going to be dead in a few months from a terminal brain tumor. I guess I don't have problems, do I?

We aren't really talking about assault or rape or murder, though.

And to be honest, anyone who gets murdered doesn't have much to complain about.

Thank you good sir, this is my exact rebut.

 

[dagens24]

When I was. Kid my Grandmother would tell me "There are starving kids in Africa who would love to have *insert whatever gross old country meal she made*. "

I see the "1st world problems." argument in the same light. Thusly people who use it are equally as hip and with it as my Grandmother.

Too bad she didn't rub off on you.

Yep. Guess I missed out on being a nosy pain in the ass with a shockingly disproportionate amount of self importance. Not a day goes by that I don't lament my inability to feel I can stand in judgement of others on what they do and don't have the right to complain about.

Good, I'm glad you see that you're in the wrong and lament it; progress has been made.

Seriously though, the point that is being made is that we who are so lucky to have what we have in the 1st world should be greatful and humble that we were lucky enough to be born into the lives we were (yes, I'm making a generalization, there are those in the 1st world that have terrible lives, but I'm talking about the average 1st worlder who is very well off compared to the rest of the world). Sure, we have the right to ***** about stupid shit but we should always have that little niggling feeling in the back of our mind that we shouldn't complain when there are many others less fortunate than we.

 

[Mikeyfell]

legitimacy is relative
My personal favorite line on the subject is "There are starving children in Africa that don't have to put up with this crap."

If you've lived in the first world all your life and your first world problems don't bother you then you have an enviable level of stoicism, and that's all I have to say on the subject.

 

[mrdude2010]

I mean, it's sort of hit or miss. Obviously, problems in third world countries are worse, but just because your problems could be worse doesn't mean they're not still irritating. In a first world economy, things should conform to first world expectations. It's a relative scale. Relative to what you should get, it's annoying and you should be able to point this out to someone without them going "lol well at least you have drinkable water you ungrateful fuck."

I mean, some people really do complain about stupid things though.

 

[Altorin]

People complain too much. That's all there really is to it.

There are legitimate complaints and illegit complaints.

And many...MANY people seem to miss out on which is which.

This. As it is with everything.

Some things just aren't worth complaining about, and it's eleven or twelve different kinds of irritating when that's what people complain about.

See: Yesterday's "Wii Us can be bricked if you don't follow simple instructions!" debacle.

the Wii U bricking thing was fucked up, considering the default setting turned the system off, causing several systems to just suddenly commit suicide, and most firmware updates aren't 5 freaking gigabytes. And complaining that your 300-350 dollar brand new gaming system is bricked before you even play it, even if you somehow caused it (especially if you caused it considering at that point you voided your own warranty) is certainly something worth complaining about, and if you don't think so, could I have a couple bucks because you clearly care nothing for your money.