The First World: Blessing or Curse?

By: Gilbert Burns

I walk down the street and I see people going about their daily business. They go to work, to school, they buy food and make friends. For most of my life this all seemed good and normal but within the past year or so my perspective has changed.

This change was brought on with a realization that America is one of the few countries that have a level of comfort that The United States enjoys. In most of the world people live much differently.

The United States of America have enjoyed relative wealth and comfort for the past century. Most citizens don't usually have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, or where they will sleep that night. Plumbing in America is well maintained and cuts down on the disease and stench that is usually so prevalent in other countries.This was a great boon and blessing to our country for many years, but within the past two decades this has caused complacency in our country and has caused our people to become soft.

Every civilization is made by it's people, and these people start as children. How a society develops is dependent upon how it's children are raised. This current generation of people, mid teens and younger have been raised in a society where they've never experienced real discomfort because of the fact that real work is not something that is required from them in their young life. They have not experienced real confusion because they always have the internet and cell phones at their disposal.

The first world brings many advantages with it. It brings an opportunity to spend more time on things that are not necessary, such as arts and sciences.It also helps keep a population much healthier, thus improving the overall growth of the society. But it also carries with it it's own downsides. The population becomes lazy, and complacent. apathetic even. They feel as if things that don't happen in their immediate vicinity don't concern them at all. And that is a dangerous habit, one that can potentially lead to the corruption, and eventual downfall of an entire civilization.