The Problem with the #First-World-Problem Trend
Two weeks ago, while getting one of my sons ready for some bedtime reading, the house went dark. I stifled a curse. As I navigated down steps in the pitch black, I didn't stifle my frustration: "Are you kidding me?!" While we were accustomed to losing power during our Midwestern summer storms, losing power during October drizzles was new.
Amid my stomps and utterances of protest, I got the other kids settled with flashlights while I called the electric company. It could be hours, they said. Hours, at least, was better than days, the usual amount of time our power liked to take off for vacation. But still, I took to the Twitterverse to voice my displeasure, to air my complaint, to share my pain.
But this time, I did so with some reservation. Because the last time I did—this past summer, when our power took its usually days-long hiatus, when all I needed was some tea and sympathy—I got slapped with a pesky meme instead.
Once upon a time, seeing #firstworldproblem—a snarky Twitter hashtag that's since spawned websites and YouTube clips—at the end of a shallow Twitter-plaint made me laugh and stop to think. I came to appreciate that when my favorite coffee shop ran out of chai, the sarcastic hash-tag phrase floated through my brain and kept my annoyance in check.
I also came to value #firstworldproblem as a "teachable moment" tool for my kids. When they had thrown back their heads in disgust as they stood in front of the pantry lamenting "nothing to eat" because they were sick of Chips A'Hoy, I found instructing them in the fine art of #firstworldproblem worked better than the "starving children in China" rhetorical strategy that parents of yore used (to little effect—I still don't eat peas).
Indeed, #firstworldproblem has done much good in the way of helping us remember that no matter what challenges and heartaches we face, most of them seem quite small compared with the global problems that starve people of the most basic necessities of life. It's a fun way to acknowledge our spoiled Western natures and catch ourselves mid-tantrum. #firstworldproblem is a lovely reminder that instead of mumbling and grumbling, we ought to be doing a bit more thanking.
I've come to hate the meme.
More specifically, losing power for days last summer forced me to hate it. Because when I posted my complaint—my genuine frustration at not having power—a "friend" smacked a #firstworldproblem on my Facebook feed. One simple hashtag—one that once had the power to illuminate my own self-centeredness and help me recognize my blessings—now pushed me to a place of shame. And that ain't good.
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Kim
The problem here isn't necessarily the meme, it's with a rude and insensitive friend (as the first commenter pointed out) who misused it. She might as well have typed, "Suck it up, you whiner!" There are some things we are allowed to say about ourselves but when someone else says them TO us it's out-of-line. I can tell the world on Facebook that I'm a terrible housekeeper but it would be completely inappropriate for a friend to tell me that. I would have been hurt, as well, if this happened to me.
Sudie Colwell
I think it's fitting that we do the same online. Perhaps the better equivalent is messaging those friends with whom I actually have a supportive/sharing/mutually encouraging relationship, to let them know what's going on.
emily
I understand your point, but really - after having seen poverty first hand, it grips me - my car just cost me 1,500 to repair- which bombs- but I am thankful to have a job, and a car.. my prescription ran out and is back-ordered- this is a problem - but i am thankful to live within miles of about 60 different pharmacy's and eventually get it filled. power, having a laptop, choices, healthcare options, all of this is part of living in a first world country, and to complain about it shows a lack of remembering that a large majority of the world experiences day in and day out.. while it stings to get called out when we complain, i believe the # is a good check for us to get some perspective.. i also think instead of using social media to voice these complaints, talking to friends, family, or whomever is around us helps us air it out and then move on.. now for those who've lost everything in Sandy, the tag doesn't apply.. tragedy is not the same as inconvenience.
Missy
Rachel's comment above sums up why I agree with Carolyn's use of this particular inconvenience as a "teachable moment". Right on there! And the fact that you did so "with some reservation" this time, tells me that this hashtag served a potentially unintended positive purpose. It helps us to remember not just that we are fortunate, but that we are part of something much larger than just "our" power going out and gives us pause. Maybe the whole goal of even thinking (instead of texting or tweeting) #firstworldproblem should be to get us to stop and take stock of All The Thankful and pray for All The Suffering while at the same time acknowledging The Actual Problem we're experiencing?
Rachel McKnight
Well said, Blake. Drew - I find reactions like yours to be frustrating. Like it or not, social media is a huge part of the rising generations. Those of us who have grown up with the internet have found the internet to be completely integrated with our lives. The church has to respond to that, whether you like social media, memes, and internet fads or not. In my opinion, there was no whining in this article. Instead, Caryn brought to our attention what happens when something is misused, like Blake said. Also, Bill, is that really necessary? I also don't find loss of power for days to be a petty complaint. My family was out of power for 8 days this summer, and it was a big deal. Like others have said above, when power goes out during the summer, one has to worry about heatstroke and food going bad. In my opinion, your comment is a further example of the attitude behind misusing the #firstworldproblems meme.
rachel - even one sparrow
We lost power with Sandy for a few days, and on my way over to my brother's house to seek out some heat and internet connection, I was whining to my husband, "WHY US?" I said. "We're the only house on the BLOCK without power!" As soon as I signed on FB, I was humbled. My cousin from Cape May lost her house. It's gone. Completely gone. My friends from my hometown were without power (and their kids without school) for two weeks. TWO WEEKS, and I complained about two days. My friends in NYC were stuck in their homes due to flooding. The whole Hurricane Sandy experience was a real check on perspective, and a lesson in being thankful for VERY BIG things (like how no one got hurt) and tossing off the little things (like not having power). (Link to post about Sandy aftermath with my name...)
rachel - even one sparrow
We lost power with Sandy for a few days, and on my way over to my brother's house to seek out some heat and internet connection, I was whining to my husband, "WHY US?" I said. "We're the only house on the BLOCK without power!" As soon as I signed on FB, I was humbled. My cousin from Cape May lost her house. It's gone. Completely gone. My friends from my hometown were without power (and their kids without school) for two weeks. TWO WEEKS, and I complained about two days. My friends in NYC were stuck in their homes due to flooding. The whole Hurricane Sandy experience was a real check on perspective, and a lesson in being thankful for VERY BIG things (like how no one got hurt) and tossing off the little things (like not having power). (Link to post about Sandy aftermath with my name...)
billr
Shorter Caryn Rivadeneira: #firstworldproblem meme is appropriate and hilarious until someone points it at my petty complaint, then it's not good.
Blake
The problem isn't with the meme, it's with its misapplication. The idea of tweeting #firstworldproblems after something like a four-day blackout doesn't conflate with the very example of the meme on this page. Other correct usages of the meme: "Just used my last Pandora skip for the hour; next song is even worse" "Calling my lost phone; it's on silent" "With the blanket it's too hot; without the blanket it's too cold" In other words, First World Problems are not "something bad happened, but my life is usually pretty great," but "the technology and other amenities that make my life ten times easier than many others' were temporarily disabled." You know, you could always leave Twitter if you didn't want to hear these things, but then... "Don't like seeing #firstworldproblems on Twitter; too addicted to social networking to leave it"
Drew M.
Are you joking? Is this what Christianity Today has come to? Stop whining!! omg I feel like this whole publication has become satire similar to christwire.com.
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