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Identity Is A “First World Problem”?

Identity Is A “First World Problem”?

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 10:32 pm by Ambaa Choate

Identity Is A “First World Problem”? 2015-03-13T22:32:18-04:00 Ambaa Choate

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As you can tell from the fact that I write here daily about identity, culture, religion, and what we mean by “I”: questions of identity are very central to my life.

I’m fascinated by exploring the classic philosophical questions that humanity has searched for answers to for thousands of years.

Who am I? Why am I here? How does my “I” relate to other people’s?

I love these questions. I don’t know if I’ll ever have solid answers, but I think asking the questions and searching for answers is very important.

http://departments.columbian.gwu.edu/philosophy/

At work the other day someone brought up the idea that questions of identity are a “first world problem.” This phrase is a very obnoxious way of saying that these are the problems that come up only for rich and secure people. These aren’t problems or questions that people who struggle daily for survival are thinking about.

And saying it like that suggests that the “first world” questions are not important ones. Like they are the game of the wealthy and out of touch with reality.

Are questions of identity and meaning in life first world problems? Are they only for after we have basic needs met?

I’m not sure. I have been blessed with a secure existence. I struggle financially a bit when compared with some other Americans but I do better than others. I am not facing starvation or any likelihood of losing my home or my job.

So I can’t speak to whether people who are trying to get their basic needs met are wondering about identity and the meaning of life.

It wouldn’t surprise me, though, if they were. At least some of them.

It seems to me that these questions are the reason that we live at all. Why fulfill our basic needs if only to survive? To get by? To what end are we trying to survive? What’s the point of being alive if we aren’t trying to figure life out in some way?

Is that just a totally out-of-touch perspective?

Traditional and legendary holy men focused on these questions while trusting God and the community to provide for their basic needs. They didn’t have secure shelter or meals. Or are those stories mostly apocryphal?

The only reason this matters at all is that it hurt my feelings to basically be told that I have the luxury to ponder the philosophical questions. And then I started wondering about why that hurt my feelings and I wanted to explore it a little more!

philosophical questions

what is my soul

who am i

why am i here

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