First World Problems

[Edwardo Piet]

Aww that's sweet

[paulpablo]

My experience with people from developing countries is that getting ahold of that much cash would be considered something you would want to send a picture of to all your friends and family. There might not be anyone they know from back home who ever held that much money.

Ok I get your point, there is a plausible explanation for why a refugee might be using the latest iphone to take a selfie of himself while crudely showing off cash in his hand, but then surely you would understand the anger of someone who knows the money which has been taxed off them is going to pay for this persons housing and food.  That person might be angry because they would assume that person should spend their own money and not have such an expensive luxurious phone and be spending money on more essential items.

If this was a case of money that wasn't forcibly taxed by the government and it was just your own personal resources, I doubt that anyone would willingly give up their own resources to a man begging for money while holding a phone that costs nearly as much as some people's monthly wages.

I'm not saying this is the right attitude to have, I'm just saying it's an understandable one.

[MTL]

I have never owned a cellphone in my life.

And I've worked for two cellular companies.

[Pyrrho]

I have never owned a cellphone in my life.

And I've worked for two cellular companies.

You are my heroine.

---

I, however, have a cell phone.  But I leave it off most of the time, and typically only turn it on when I am wanting to make a call, or am expecting a call for a particular reason.  And my phone is not a smart phone; it is quite stupid.

---

[Pyrrho]

While it is fun to ironically complain about first world problems, I realize that I've always had my problems with this joke - and I was reminded of that when we met a group of syrian refugees who live in a pastor's office in a neighboring town. Someone told me that they heard villagers complain that these refugees have cell phones. I realized that it is a very pervasive sentiment in the rich western world that we kind of expect refugees and inhabitants of poor countries (*) to only have unsophisticated needs and thoughts.Forget the guy I mentioned above, most people who eagerly donate for good causes I suspect kind of don't expect the recipiants in, say, sub saharan africa, to think about anything but where to get some grains and water. How disappointing would it be (and I'm being deliberately cynical here) to discover that the guy you just bought a sack of produce for actually spends time thinking about writing some poetry, where to get a good internet connection and how cool landing probes on comets is. That's not the kind of dirt-dwelling victim that is satisfying to donate to! People in third World countries if I may use this stupid obsolete term, do think about "first world problems". It is in my mind a subliminal racist sentiment that wants "us" to think of "them" as simple characters with simple needs.

What do you think, am I going to far here?

(*) I don't necessarily mean syria here

There are certainly quite a few stupid people to which your comments apply.

But I must say, your grammar is slipping.  The question you should be asking is, "What do you think, am I going too far here?"  One might almost start to believe your ridiculous claim that English is not your native language.  But maybe that is what you are intending for us to believe.

[MTL]

I have never owned a cellphone in my life.

And I've worked for two cellular companies.

You are my heroine.

---

I, however, have a cell phone.  But I leave it off most of the time, and typically only turn it on when I am wanting to make a call, or am expecting a call for a particular reason.  And my phone is not a smart phone; it is quite stupid.

---

I just use this method instead:


















It works just fine.

[Alex K]

@Pyrrho

I blame my damn phone and my big fingers.

[Anomalocaris]

When we help someone, we want those whom we help to be suitably pathetic and indigent so our smugness in our own magnanimity can be increased in our own hearts.

Here in the United States we have seldomly been that far, in practice, from smashing and grabbing in parts of the world until there is almost nothing left for the natives, just so we can feel righteously magnanimous when we restore a tiny fraction of what we've taken or broken.

It has only gotten much worse since 2001.

And we wonder why they want us dead.

[brewer]

First or third, I believe that these people can decide for themselves what needs they have that need to be met within their resources. Food, clothes, phone, car, home, if it's within their means (no matter where it comes from) I'm OK with it. For anyone else to tell them what they need is extremely arrogant.

I don't know about the rest of you but I don't need to look at the 3rd world to find problems that I can address through donation. They are right here in my city, often unseen because no one really wants to look. Does not take much to make a difference in these peoples lives. Makes for a very easy RAK.

[Mister Agenda]

If I'm a refugee, there's no reason not to take what will fit in my pockets. Having a cell and a pocket full of cash doesn't mean I have a home, a job, a vehicle, someplace to sleep, or know where my next meal is coming from.