No Wi-Fi, Having Runny Nose Among Top First World Problems, Survey Reveals

Animal charity group Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) asked 2,000 adults in Britain to share their day-to-day complaints. SPANA found that in Britain, 30 million adults experience first world problems every single day. Their biggest complaint? A runny nose.

SPANA compiled a list of top 50 first world problems encountered by Britons every day. The top 50 included not having Wi-Fi, having 3G signal instead of 4G, chipped nail polish, a pulled muscle from exercise and a recording that clashes with the TV.

The SPANA survey found 90 percent of adult Britons believe complaining about small things is part of human nature. And they sure like complaining: 85 percent of Britons like to whine about something. SPANA chief executive Jeremy Hulme said the first world problems that made it into their top 50 list were "trivial."

"It's so easy for minor, everyday problems to seem like a big deal, and most people in Britain admit to losing perspective at times," said Hulme who said the gripes Britons face daily are so insignificant when compared to the other problems encountered by people and even animals in other parts of the world.

Hulme highlighted the daily toll working animals endure in many developing countries, which is just one of the "real" problems people encounter in other parts of the world. Apart from having tough lives, these working animals don't get crucial veterinary care when they become injured or sick.

The SPANA survey also found 45 percent of Britons try not to become too engrossed in the severity of the world's current, real problems. Moreover, 12 percent said they try not to watch the news because they are afraid of what they will find.

Top 50 First World Problems

  1. A runny nose
  2. Getting a call from unknown numbers
  3. Being placed on hold when calling a company hotline
  4. Receiving a "We Missed You" card from a missed parcel delivery
  5. People who don't follow queuing etiquette
  6. No Wi-Fi
  7. Paying five pence to carry your own shopping bags home
  8. Door-to-door sales people
  9. Bad phone signal
  10. Failure to find the end of the sellotape
  11. Standing inside a public transport
  12. Forgetting an online account password
  13. Unable to find anything interesting when shopping for clothes
  14. Using a tin opener because the tin doesn't come with a ring pull
  15. When someone forgot to replace the toilet paper
  16. Running out of milk
  17. Delayed online deliveries
  18. Finding unexpected items at the self-checkouts' bagging area
  19. Dipping a biscuit in a cup of tea and losing half of it
  20. Satsumas that are not pip-free
  21. Getting blisters from wearing new shoes
  22. Unable to fast forward live TV
  23. Neighbors parking in front of your house when they have more parking space than you do
  24. Late public transport
  25. Recording clash on Sky+
  26. Cold tea
  27. Having a closet full of clothes but can't find anything to wear
  28. When hotels have plug sockets placed far from the bed or mirror
  29. Having 3G signal inside of 4G
  30. Having to sit near or in front of children when on a plane
  31. Forgetting to wear gloves on a chilly day
  32. Crème eggs not on sale year-round
  33. Late takeaway deliveries
  34. When important emails go straight into the junk folder
  35. Too much ice makes it hard to get to the actual drink
  36. A power shortage means you can't make tea or watch TV
  37. When meter reading folks and deliveries arrive at awkward times
  38. When the office is too hot but the outside is too cold
  39. Packing and returning clothes that you bought online but didn't like
  40. A chipped nail polish
  41. When hot water runs out
  42. A run in your nylons or pantyhose
  43. Forgetting the phone charger at home
  44. Getting change in coins instead of notes
  45. When coffee, tea or wine stains the teeth
  46. Over brewed tea with scum on top
  47. Coffee shops having long queues
  48. Towels and bed linen don't match
  49. When taxi drivers don't arrive on time
  50. Having a pulled muscle after exercise

Photo: William Brawley | Flickr

ⓒ 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics