The internet is a fantastic tool for finding information. Some of that information can be truly embarrassing. For example, those of us in the developed world can spend days searching the internet for stories describing all that is wrong with the world. Yet many of those stories reveal we are dealing with First World problems that are pretty meaningless elsewhere.

If you need an example, search sunglasses. Search how to choose the right pair, how to keep them clean, how to store them, etc. You will find a lot of great ideas. There is no arguing that point. But we have the luxury of searching for this kind of information because we are not worried about where the next meal is coming from or whether or not the kids will get a decent education.

Sunglasses That Fit Your Face

One of the most often discussed eyewear topics is choosing a pair of sunglasses that fit your face. Heaven forbid you should wear rectangular sunglasses when teardrop aviators are what the experts say would look best with your face shape.

It is actually kind of funny when you think about it. It’s funny to realize that someone might spend any length of time agonizing over frame shape because a fashion website told them certain shapes work better for certain faces.

Storing Sunglasses in the Car

Another pretty popular topic is how to store sunglasses in the car in such a way as to prevent them from being damaged. We all know that throwing your shades in the glovebox without a hard-shell case is dangerous. Doing so is an open invitation to scratched lenses and more.

This sort of thing never crosses the minds of people living in Third World countries where cars are a luxury. After all, there are no gloveboxes on bicycles. You do not have to worry about all the junk in your car when your only transportation is the leather express.

Buying Sunglasses to Impress

Are you familiar with the phrase ‘dress for success’? There are some in the eyewear industry that take it to the next level. They encourage customers to buy fashion sunglasses just to impress. They convince customers that it is imperative they look their best when outside in the sun. That is not necessarily a bad thing if you do not have many other problems to deal with.

Matching Sunglasses with Your Outfit

The consummate First World problem related to sunglasses is having to match your shades with your outfit. Where else but the First World do fashion magazines and websites devote entire spreads to outfit coordination. It is nice that we have that luxury, but many people in the world do not.

Capitalism and free markets are good things. They allow companies like Olympic Eyewear and Luxottica to flourish. And it is good when they do because those companies employ people and purchase things. They also supply products that we want and need. But have we become so shallow that we stress over whether or not our sunglasses coordinate with the rest of our outfits?

We are extremely fortunate in the developed world to have access to so many brands of sunglasses and so many styles. We are lucky to be able to even think about dropping a couple of hundred dollars on a designer pair. Nothing is wrong with having a thriving economy in which everyone has the opportunity to do well. But maybe we should take a step back and not take ourselves so seriously. We have a lot of First World problems we could solve by being a bit more circumspect.