First world problems are now third world problems

Profiilikuva
Kirjoittaja on New Yorkissa varttunut ja Helsingissä naisistunut copywriter.
Julkaistu yli kolme vuotta sitten

Dear Mom,

Sorry I haven’t written in a few days. I’ve been trying to think of something to tell you about. Some funny, annoying or interesting thing that’s happened recently. I mean, I’ve been thinking about ordering a selfie stick – I’m pretty sure I will – but that’s not exactly news that warrants a letter. It’s more like a text message or maybe a Facebook status update.

The fact is, all that funny, crazy and wonderful stuff that usually happens when you leave your house and go out into your life to interact with other people just hasn’t felt as funny or interesting lately. Who cares what movies are playing? Who gives a shit how much money Joan Rivers left to her dogs ? Honestly, I don’t even care who’s on the new season of Vain Elämää .

I know I sound like a broken record. And I know my worrying about ISIS and Russia won’t change anything that may or may not end up happening. But I can’t help it. The world we’re living in today is seriously f***ing scary.

I never would have imagined as a kid growing up in New York that there would come a day (much less decades or even generations… we’ll see…) when flying into JFK would feel like Russian roulette. But that day did come on September 11th, 2001. In the days and years after the threat to New York (and the rest of the US) became a reality, you often said you were glad I lived somewhere safe and far away. “I mean, it’s not like anyone would ever want to bomb Helsinki, for God’s sake,” you said. But Putin might. And as of today around 50 people from Finland are in Syria fighting with ISIS.

A few weeks ago my friend Bambi asked if our family had a contingency plan if Putin (or whoever) turns out to be crazy enough to actually try to turn “safe” and neutral Finland into a danger zone. I said I guess we’d go to New York. But obviously that’s not exactly the safest option. We decided Australia was probably one of the best choices…. if you want to be publicly beheaded, as it turns out.

Honestly, I wish I cared that both Paula Koivuniemi AND Elastinen are on this season’s Vain Elämää. I wish I felt bad about how devastated Joan Rivers’ dogs must be. I wish I felt like going to the movies. But I don’t.

These days first world problems have become third world problems. And when that happens, your focus just automatically shifts to things that really matter. Like trying to avoid almost certainly inevitable terrorist attacks. And worrying about what kind of future your kids are going to have.

Sigh… maybe buying myself that selfie stick will help cheer me up. But probably not.

Depressed in Helsinki,

Lissu