Is it time for you to check your privilege?

We’ve all heard the term ‘First World Problems’. You know, those complaints and problems we have the luxury of having only because we are lucky enough to live in a first world, wealthy and industrialised nation. There’s a good chance we’ve all been guilty of it, at least in some capacity. My hand is firmly up in the air here.

It struck me as I was complaining to my friend last week how the top of my mouth was completely ripped to shreds from the toast that had accompanied my delicious, café bought breakfast, that I might need to check my privilege.

Unfortunately, in a lot of ways, it would appear that we, as a society, are turning into a bunch of self-indulged twats.

I’m not here today though to draw your attention to your every day, run of the mill First World Problems. No I’m here today more to shine a bright light upon those people in the world who take great joy in whinging about and/or flaming people or products publically purely because they’ve forgotten how to be good humans.

Examples:

“After asking for my smoothie in a mason jar, the waitress in <insert hipster café here> told me they were out and I’d have to take it in a regular cup instead. How do you run out of mason jars?”

Errm, the same way you ran of common sense lady. Who cares how your stupid smoothie is delivered to you. Be thankful that it comes AT all and you know, that you’re not in a third world, STARVING.

“Flight cancelled becos of cyclone. Great, just f*cking great. <Insert budget air carrier here>, thanks for nothing.”

Oh no, they totally should have let you fly into the eye of that category 5 storm. No really, they should have.

“Am in the middle of my nail appointment and my technician has abandoned me for 7 minutes (and counting) to attend to the front desk. I’ve never walked out before but that’s EXACTLY what I feel like doing. I mean, like, really? They can’t employ a proper person to do that?”

Yeah, they could, but then you wouldn’t get your mani-pedi for fifteen bucks. Get back in touch with reality, lady. All the OPI in the world won’t make up for that personality you got going.

“My chai latte wasn’t hot enough. I demanded they replace it and guess what? They did. By the way <insert ironically named café her> won’t be getting my patronage again.”

Look, I’m not saying they spat in in, but honey, they spat in it. So that boycott you got going on?  Probably welcome.

“Facebook keep changing the layout. If they don’t stop it, I’ll be voting with my feet and leaving forever!”

So what you’re saying here is that you are going to walk away from a totally free service, one you seemingly live and breathe? Okay then. You’re probably the same kind of person who announces via a status update that you are culling friends.

I’m not saying in this modern world we shouldn’t take a stand about things we believe in or make a (discreet) complaint when we feel we have been wronged but let’s face it, there are a lot of people who need a massive reality check. Most of us are lucky enough to wake up in a bed each day, have something to eat, get to drive a car or catch safe public transport and then even indulge in the occasional luxury.

So can we just go back to enjoying people being a little vague and vacuous with their First World Problems instead of plain mean and unreasonable? Like these guys on Twitter?

“We can send a man to the moon, but we can’t make a Yoplait foil top that won’t splash yogurt on the front of your shirt when opened?”

“The only downside of having 4 bikes is that I have no more space for more bikes :(“

“Stupid bar man put so much ice in my rekordling it’s unbearable to drink”

“Can’t get ready for class because the cleaning lady is in my bathroom.”

“Packing my bag for a holiday is soooo boringggggg.”

“There’s a time and a place for instant coffee! And That’s Never and in the Bin!”

“Now I have to wait an entire week before the next episode of Game of Thrones can be downloaded. FML.”

Have you witnessed anyone being completely unreasonable of late in a total First World way?