April 13, 2015
Audrey Jensen
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Half of my conversations consist of complaints about what is posted on social media, why my smart phone is annoying, how I hate taking a shuttle bus to get to class and how tired I am from having a busy schedule.
Instead of whining about my “problems,” I need to change my perspective and take advantage of what I do have. And a lot of people need to do the same.
I have a Facebook account because I have access to Internet 24/7, a laptop computer and a smartphone. I have a phone because I have a job and can afford to text and call. I take a bus to class and have a hectic life because I am a student attaining a bachelor’s degree.
When I really look at my issues, I see that they aren’t really issues.
Although entertaining at times, reading through #FirstWorldProblems tweets has helped me see there is a culture of people that call their societal struggles “fi rst world problems” because we don’t actually know what a real problem is.
A few of these tweets from different users read: “I’ve honestly never had shrimp served to me like this before. I don’t know how to eat it. Why is it not cut for me???” or “When you ask for a green tea lemonade but get a green tea ice tea.”
Sub-par shrimp and over-priced tea are not the kinds of problems we should be focusing on.
I understand that this hashtag is used in a humorous context, but it shows how lightly the word “problem” can be taken. If you have used the hashtag, chances are whatever you are complaining about was not really that important.
Each person has to live with what they are handed. But people will always find a way to complain about their lives, simply because they are bored.
Through media, stories about third world countries are handed to us, but there are a lot of stories waiting to be reported on that might never be heard.
These lost stories of people with real problems that need help should be posted on social media. The internet is a powerful tool for global information and while it is fun, there are truly people suffering, even in America.
We should at least be aware of what the problems across the world are, even if we cannot physically do anything about it.
How is it fair to complain about your shrimp not being cut and served to you when you can pay for food or can drive to Starbucks to order a cold drink when there are people who will never be heard?
Maybe you should start using the hashtag #NoOneCares if those are your “problems.”