First World Problems

With all the unrest recently in the Middle East as citizens of various countries are protesting their governments and fighting for democracy - even going so far as to risk their lives in many cases - I've thought about how good we have it here in America.  Our time of fighting for our freedoms and democracy has passed.  As I hear reports of so many people who not only have not had the democracy we take for granted, but who have also been living in abject poverty, I start comparing our problems in the First World to their problems in the Third World.  Let's look at First World problems first:

• Can't find the TV remote
• Lock keys in car
• Computer crashes
• Have to clean out the refrigerator
• Air conditioning runs out of freon on the hottest day of the year

Now let's look at some of those problems the Third World faces:

• Debilitating illness because of diseases
• No food to eat
• No clean water to drink
• Child dies of starvation
• Living in daily fear of nation's military

Looking at these Third World problems can make our "huge problems" feel quite manageable and certainly not like it's going to be the end of the world.  We could have eaten that food we just threw out when we cleaned the fridge.  We can go to the doctor when we're sick.  Government programs ensure our children will have food, even if we can't afford to pay for it ourselves.  Our military fights for us, not against us.

One company is making a huge difference to combat some of these Third World Problems.  Clean The World is an Orlando, FL - based company that's working hard to reduce the number of deaths caused by cholera and diarrheal diseases.  It's all in how you wash your hands.  Clean The World collects bars of soap to distribute in Third World countries; they also collect scraps of soaps and rebatch them into small bars of soap.  I've got a few bags of scraps that are slated for this mission, with big plans on the horizon that I'll share as it gets closer to the time.

Do you want to help this fabulous organization?  The biggest help you can give them right now is to text "clean" to 20222 to donate $10.  Your money will provide soaps for 35 children for a month.

What are some First World problems you encounter, and how does thinking about very real Third World problems help you put them into perspective?

Related articles

• Nonprofit Recycles Used Hotel Soaps to Send to Poor Countries (sierraclub.typepad.com)
• Handwashing Day 2011 (ecosoap.wordpress.com)
• UN to "investigate" its introduction of cholera to Haiti (ktwop.wordpress.com)