First World Problems

I’ve been reading a lot of blogs lately giving tips about what to write about in order to grow your blog audience.  I suppose I’m no expert, but I have found that there are a bunch out there that I vehemently disagree with.  This is one of them:

Don’t write about your first world problems.  Ok, I’m going to just say right now that I have no problems that AREN’T first world problems.  I live in an air-conditioned condo in Southern California.  My husband and I have two cars, two cats, supportive families, and eat regular meals.  We spent our summer vacation in Yosemite.  We have never gotten dysentery from the contaminated water supply.  We’ve never lost loved ones to treatable diseases.

If I can’t write about my first world problems, what am I supposed to write about?

I think what this person really means is “don’t be whiny.”  I agree that no one wants to read about how terrible your life is all the time, especially if you happen to be privileged as I am.  I don’t know if this writer just didn’t realize what they were saying, or doesn’t understand the definition of a first world problem, but they phrased it totally wrong.   While I realize that I’m a very lucky girl, I don’t think that my indoor plumbing makes me ineligible to comment on the imperfect world of American middle class suburbia.  Not all blogs are out there to solve world hunger.  Some are out there to say “isn’t it amazing to be an alive, quirky, imperfect human being? We share so much.”

World hunger is important.  So is unfettered expression.  Surely there is an audience for all of it on the internet.  Write about whatever you please.