Micron Document




First World problem
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First World problem is an informal term for the issues in First World nations that are complained about in response to the perceived absence of more pressing concerns.cite-ref-1[1] It has been called a subset of the fallacy of relative privation and is also used to acknowledge gratefulness for not having worse problems, such as those in the Second or Third Worlds.cite-ref-2[2] It has been used to minimize complaints about trivial issues and shame the complainer, to generate humour at the expense of first world culture,cite-ref-3[3] and as good-humored self-deprecation.cite-ref-oed-4-0[4]

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History

The term First World problem first appeared in 1979 in G. K. Payne's work Built Environment,cite-ref-oed-4-1[4] but gained recognition as an Internet meme beginning in 2005, particularly on social networking sites like Twitter (where it became a popular hashtag).cite-ref-5[5]cite-ref-6[6] In 2012, UNICEF NZ conducted a survey of First World problems in New Zealand, finding "slow web access" to be the most common.cite-ref-nzherald-7-0[7] The phrase was added to the Oxford Dictionary Online in November 2012,cite-ref-8[8] and to the online Macquarie Dictionary in December 2012.cite-ref-9[9]

Examples

Things that have been cited as being First World problems include:

• Slow Internet accesscite-ref-nzherald-7-1[7]
• Poor mobile-phone coveragecite-ref-nzherald-7-2[7]
Phone battery dying (low battery anxiety)cite-ref-10[10]
Television remote not workingcite-ref-nzherald-7-3[7]
• Misplacing AirPods (the most frequent complaint about AirPods). Apple Inc. attempted to alleviate this problem by introducing a "Find My AirPods" application in 2017.cite-ref-11[11]
• Not being able to find items in a shopcite-ref-nzherald-7-4[7]
• Getting a bad haircutcite-ref-nzherald-7-5[7]
• Bad-tasting fruitcite-ref-nzherald-7-6[7]
• Self-checkout in storescite-ref-12[12]
• Forgetting headphonescite-ref-13[13]
• Feeling like there's nothing to eat even though there is plenty of food available.cite-ref-14[14]

See also
References

cite-note-11. citerefhardy-quentin2012Hardy, Quentin (18 May 2012). "Eduardo Saverin's Billionaire Blues". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
cite-note-22. citerefturkel2016Turkel, Bruce (6 September 2016). All about Them: Grow Your Business by Focusing on Others. Da Capo Press. ISBN 9780738219202 – via Google Books.
cite-note-33. citerefglover-richard2012Glover, Richard (24 November 2012). "As the First World turns". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
cite-note-oed-44. "First World (Special uses)". Oxford English Dictionary Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
cite-note-55. citerefl-pez-tracy2012López, Tracy (11 July 2012). "How acknowledging your "First World problems" can make you happier". Voxxi. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
cite-note-66. citerefsteinmetz-katy2012Steinmetz, Katy (20 November 2012). "Oxford Dictionaries adds 'deets', '4G' and 'First World problems'". Time. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
cite-note-nzherald-77. citerefharper-paul2012Harper, Paul (8 October 2012). "Kiwis complain about 'First World problems'". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
cite-note-88. "First World problem definition". Oxford Dictionaries Online. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
cite-note-99. "Word of the Year 2012". Macquarie Dictionary Online. Macquarie Dictionary. 23 October 2023.
cite-note-1010. citerefsum-eliza2016Sum, Eliza (28 July 2016). ""Battery anxiety" making smartphone users miss meetings, dates and jeopardize relationships". Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
cite-note-1111. citerefstampher2017Stampher, Jillian (January 24, 2017). "Solving First World Problems: Apple To Release 'Find My AirPods' Feature With Latest iOS Update". GeekWire.
cite-note-1212. citerefweeks2010Weeks, Linton (6 December 2010). "Impatient Nation: I Can't Wait For You To Read This". NPR. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
cite-note-1313. "First world problems: ISU Edition". 20 February 2017.
cite-note-1414. citerefsmith2021Smith, Kristy (March 7, 2021). "Different Drum Humor First world fridge problems loom large in life". Hillsdale Daily News.

External links

Look up

first world problem

in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• The dictionary definition of first world problem at Wiktionary
• First World Problems Anthem