THEORY AND PRACTICE

The notion of “first world problems” is actually a misnomer. What we categorize as a ‪#‎1stworldproblem‬ is actually a problem of excess and luxury. The problems of the rich. such obfuscatory language does not undo the fact that in the erroneously-named first world, that our problems our only trivial ones. No, all around the world, people have trivial and grave problems. It’s just that those who are able to insulate themselves from some of the worst conditions we have put humans in, Buddha’s “four sights,” aging, disease, and death, trivialize life by becoming preoccupied with things that don’t really matter. They have the luxury to argue over parking spaces. the meme of ‪#‎1stworldproblems‬ overlooks the actual internal inequalities of the alleged first world, and fails to show that most human beings living here are far too preoccupied with much more basic needs than attending to iPhone apps that aren’t working. Where we prioritize our time is a reflection of our consciousness. Are we doing everything we can just to survive and take care of our loved ones? Are we in service to the greater good? Or, are we narcissistic, ego-centered, and indifferent to the suffering we directly or indirectly support?