It's very easy for us to forget how lucky many of us are in the devloped world.
Note in this post I'm not suggesting that there isn't a lot of poverty in the 1st world. I'm assuming in this post the point of view of someone who has a steady job in the 1st world. But it doesn't have to be an amazing one. Also note that this is largely an apolitical post, I know many in the US don't have health care and that's criminal and a huge expense but I'm not looking at those aspects here.
I'm someone who likes to complain a lot but actually has things very easy in life. I'm not wealthy or anything but I've had financial help from family over the years. They aren't wealthy either but through the years have amassed enough money that they have been able to help me a bit. When I say I like to complain I don't mean actual serious complaining, more that I'm one of those who is kind of always 1/2 sarcastically whinny and complaining about things. It's as much tongue in cheek and laced with humour as it is actual complaining. It's how I make it through a day 
Indeed it's basically all joking and under my breath 1/2 swearing meant to make me or others laugh.
I work retail and have done so the past 10 years or so off and on. I manage a retail store at the moment. This time of year one has to put in some pretty long hours some days. 10 to 12 hour days are not unusual, sometimes without any breaks. I don't own the store, so I'm paid a salary by the company that I work for. Being paid salary in the context of retail isn't always the best even though you make a little more than some of your employees because you don't actually get any overtime for the extra hours you put in. There is a lot of stress from management, customers, sales goal pressure, and around the holiday season like now I just want to tear my hair out many days. Like I said it's good humoured complaining most of the time.
Not that I don't have anything to legitimately complain about. I've had to deal with depression and anxiety most of my life off and on. Thankfully it seems relatively under control at the moment, knock on wood. But the depression is never entirely gone. In many ways I'm not sure I want it to be entirely gone as I feel the struggle has made me a better person. But I will never argue that I have suffered anywhere near what many others with very serious emotional trauma have had to go through. I've been semi suicidal at a few points in life but not close enough to be hospitalized. But others have to deal with nightmarish depression most of their lives.
I was just thinking tonight as I got off work later than normal again as I stopped into a little Chinese restaurant, how lucky I actually am. For one I HAVE a job, I'm not disabled ( not enough that I can't work hard ), I have an apartment, family and friends (though I struggle a great deal with loneliness). I know many many in even in the developed world don't even have these basics.
But as I sat there talking with the owner of the restaurant (I'm 1/2 Chinese so I can stumble along speaking mandarin with them and I enjoy the challenge), I was thinking how easy many of those like me have it who don't have a huge amount, but are comfortable enough. I know I'm not the only one who complains. I'm not even talking about right wing entitled ass holes. I'm talking about liberal, open minded people who aren't ass holes. They just forget what things could be like. I was asking the owner of the restaurant what hours she works. They open 11 am to 10pm almost every day. But of course because of setup and cleanup that means more like they are there 10am to 11pm every single day. They don't have the money to hire employees, it's a family business. At most they take 1 week a year off to rest.
Indeed many here may know this struggle, I'm not suggesting that we all don't. Anyone here who owns a small business like this and doesn't have employees probably does. But I know many others also don't have to work those kinds of hours. I was just thinking what it would be like having to put in those kinds of hours almost every day of the year. And then just think that the same thing goes for many if not most in the developing and 3rd world who have jobs, only the conditions are much worse.
It's not something you can keep in mind all the time. But occasionally it's sobering and very helpful to remind ones self about.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I was actually thinking much the same thing - after reading on DU tonight about those in the world who have things so much worse than we do - as I came up from downstairs after putting my wash in the dryer. 
