First World problems during lockdown: perhaps life’s not so bad after all
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It could mean dodgy broadband, or not finding the right colour towels. The list is endless and the concept is less commonly referred to as “the fallacy of relative privation”. It’s more commonly referred to as “whinging”.
A woman recently bewailed on television of “desperately” needing her eyebrows doing (this is what you get for watching Channel 5). The situation might be desperate for beauticians right now, but not for the merely over-browed.
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Hide AdFurthermore, although eyebrow maintenance falls outside my area of expertise, she looked fine to me. I was hoping for something along the lines of the late Denis Healey. I suppose my disappointment her failure to resemble the late Denis Healey is a First World problem in itself.
Indeed, I myself am in the throes of moaning about being unable to have a haircut, but can’t explain why. It isn’t as though a trim would dramatically propel my level of sexiness.
But all this complaining about next-to-nothing has a positive aspect; other than moaning being one of our chief pleasures this year.
Do you recall Take That splitting up in 1996? It wasn’t exactly a Dealey Plaza moment and they were no Brother Beyond, but you might remember it.
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Hide AdTeenagers wept publicly and inundated the Samaritans. They were ridiculed for this. Call that suffering? Didn’t they know about world wars, etc.
However, in a roundabout way it was something to celebrate.
If, for an entire generation, the dissolution of the group who inflicted A Million Love Songs (it only seemed like more) was truly the worst thing ever to happen to them, shouldn’t we be pleased? Those distraught teenagers are now middle-aged and dealing with real problems.
These are dark days for everyone, but in varying degrees. The problems with health, loneliness and the economy can’t be overstated.
But the likes of me are just bleating about eyebrows, haircuts, boredom and closed pubs.
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Hide AdFor most of us, though sadly by no means all, there’s more to be glad about than not. Still, moan by all means. I know I will.