I envy first world problems

Living in a first world country where most things work exposes your body and mind to a completely new set of problems. Coming from my background and living in this society, it is almost impossible to connect to the problems but I see them quite often to acknowledge their existence.

Over the years, I've learnt to appreciate and acknowledge the problems of others without empathy. Now, don't get me wrong, empathy is a nice personality trait but I feel like it doesn't apply to most situations.

For example, if you see someone bleeding to death, empathy is important because you know what that's like and so, you can actually connect to the problem. However, when you meet someone that's in crisis mode because they need cosmetic surgery like a nose job, you really don't have to empathize if you don't understand it.

In the months that I've been in the UK, I've interacted with a decent number of people facing different challenges. Objectively speaking, there are problems that are trivial but just like empathy, I've learnt that objectivity isn't always necessary.

In fact, I've learnt that objectivity in general is actually subjective because it is once again all about perspective. If we were objectively look at every issue, we would need to zoom out to see the much bigger picture, probably from outer space, and you'd find that all our problems on Earth are irrelevant.

So, while people in first world countries have their nose and boob jobs as their issues, in Nigeria people don't have electricity but the lack of electricity in Nigeria pales in comparison to what people living in Gaza are experiencing today. As I said, it is all about perspective.

This is why I've learnt to treat each problem I'm faced with independently. I don't draw parallels, empathize or objectively criticize, I simply acknowledge.

So, no matter how bad you have it, someone has it worse. However, this doesn't invalidate your own struggle and how you deal with it.

This then brings me to the problems people talk about with genuine emotions. Problems that are "objectively" trivial but over the months, I've learnt to appreciate these said issues. I don't connect with problems and honestly speaking, sometimes I did.

I honestly could do with some of these first world problems. I want to be bothered about where to travel for vacation and moan about "benefits". I genuinely envy first world problems.