Difference between revisions of "First World Problem"

Revision as of 21:52, 4 July 2012

The term first world problems (often abbreviated to "FWP")^[1] refers to issues perceived as difficult to those residing in the more developed nations (i.e., the First World), but which are banal when compared to the difficulties encountered by those in the less developed Third World.^[2][3]

First World Problems is often used in a derisive manner towards those who complain about the problems they experience in the "First World" on a regular basis.^[4] However, it is also used by scholars and economists in studying the relationship between the Third World and the First World.^[5][6][7][8]

The exact provenance of this term is uncertain, although some believe that it originated with the 1995 song "Omissions of the Omen" on the album Last of the Ghetto Astronauts by Canadian singer/song-writer Matthew Good. Over time, however, it has taken on a wider significance, being used in humour.^[9]

A Wall Street Journal article described terrorism, viruses, and natural disasters as "increasingly tough First World Problems."^[10] Similarly, economists working in South Africa have described that country's "science and technology infrastructure as 'a first world system being used to tackle first world problems'" and which are therefore unable to cope with the more serious problems of that nation's population.^[11] It is also argued that in nations like China, where there is a great divergence between first and third world areas, that the "First World Problems overshadowed the Third World ones."^[12] In something of an about-face from the standard attack on First World Problems, development communication scholar Srinivas Melkote insists that "development communication activities" developed to address Third World Problems can in fact be utilized to combat "First World [P]roblems that have arisen after development"^[13] (such as AIDS and teenage pregnancies).

References in music, literature, film, and TV

"First World Problems: 101 Reasons Why The Terrorists Hate Us" is a book by Ben Nesvig ^[14]

• "First World Problems" is a song by Chicago punk band Scalpers
• The Onion "I am so starving" piece ^[15]
• Satirewire's "Starving, Dying Poor to Get Much-Needed Net Access" news short ^[16]
• "First World Problem" is a song by Nerdcore hip hop musician MC Frontalot from his album Zero Day
• "FIRST WORLD problem" is a web series written by and starring Stacey Linnartz and Jeremy Rishe, directed by Cameron Bossert
• According to Knowyourmeme.com, “The Real First World Problems” Tumblr was created in 2008 and the Reddit page “First World Problems” originated in January 2011.

See also

• Affluenza

References

1. ↑ First World Problems. Reddit. URL accessed on 25 January 2012.
2. ↑ Hardy, Quentin Eduardo Saverin’s Billionaire Blues. bits.blogs.nytimes.com. The New York Times. URL accessed on 4 July 2012.
3. ↑ DiMargo, Carissa Latest First-World Problem: Starbucks Raising Prices. NBC Washington. NBCUniversal. URL accessed on 4 July 2012.
4. ↑ Petri, Alexandra Is Occupy Wall Street a first-world problem?. ComPost. The Washington Post. URL accessed on 4 July 2012.
5. ↑ Sklair, Leslie (1994). "Capitalism and Development in Global Persepctive" Leslie Sklair Capitalism and Development, 1st, p. 372, London u.a.: Routledge. URL accessed 4 July 2012. "The 'developmental successes' of capitalism in the Third World, therefore, mainly consist of partially solving Third World problems (like absolute materil deprivations) and replacing them with First Problems (like new diseases, some gross forms of environmental degradation and ennui)."
6. ↑ Žižek, Slavoj (2006). The Parallax View, 1., pbk. ed., p. 433, Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. URL accessed 4 July 2012. "...attempts to dismiss First World problems as trivial in comparison with "real" permanent Third World catastrophes are no less a fake--focusing on the "real problems" of the Third World is the ultimate form of escapism, of avoidng confrontation with the antagonisms of one's own society."
7. ↑ David T. Suzuki; Holly Dressel (2004). From Naked Ape to Superspecies: Humanity and the Global Eco-crisis, Rev. ed., p. 404, Vancouver: Greystone Books. URL accessed 4 July 2012. "...biotech companies focus on First World problems like adult-onset diabetes and infertility."
8. ↑ Ananya, (2003). "Paradigms Of Propertied Citizenship: Transnational Techniques of Analysis," Urban Affairs Review, 38, 463–491.
9. ↑ Gross, Terry 'First World Problems' with David Rakoff. Fresh Air. NPR. URL accessed on 4 July 2012.
10. ↑ Henninger, Daniel (2 September 2005). "To Understand Katrina's Problems Read 9/11 Report". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112562889661629997,00.html. Retrieved 4 July 2012. </li>
11. ↑ Deborah, (1994). "South Africa: Science and Technology for All," IDRC Reports, 22, .
12. ↑ Annual appeal (01.67/2004) (China). ifrc.org. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. URL accessed on 4 July 2012.
13. ↑ Srinivas R., (1993). "From Third World to First World: new roles and challenges for development communication," International Communication Gazette, {{{volume}}}, 145-158.
14. ↑ First World Problems: 101 Reasons Why The Terrorists Hate Us", Ben Nesvig
15. ↑ I am so starving, The Onion
16. ↑ Starving, Dying Poor to Get Much-Needed Net Access, Satirewire

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External links

• An article on the "first world problem" meme