“I hate when the line at Starbucks is so long,” “I hate when my leather seats aren’t heated,” “I hate when McDonalds gets my order wrong.” When reading these expressions, they may seem silly but in reality If you live in a western country you're more than likely guilty of voicing one of these phrases. Sure, minor inconveniences can make a day unpleasant, but when put into perspective, getting your food mixed up at McDonalds isn't the end of the world. Often times, we are guilty of not realizing how fortunate we are and we complain about our “problems” that in reality are not real problems. The image I chose is a shot I took from a video titled “First world problems read by third world kids,” published October 5th 2012 by a group fighting for access to clean water in unindustrialized nations. The video takes first world complaints and showcases them in the unembellished light of poverty. This photograph really strikes me because it utilizes visual elements such as background and focal point to serves a strong purpose and reach out to it’s audience. 

The photograph I chose shows a child from a third world country, reciting a complaint from the popular hashtag #firstworldproblems that states, “When my mint gum makes my ice water taste too cold.” This image is extremely heart breaking because we see the harsh conditions these children are forced to live in and it makes us feel guilty for complaining about minute annoyances. Seeing this young boy and the conditions around him makes us realize that maybe our problems are not as big as they seem. It causes the viewer to reflect on some of their “problems” and put things into perspective. 

The intended audience for this picture is people who are well-off and live comfortably. 

The image should unquestionably appeal to the audience’s emotions. It should give them an overwhelming feeling of guilt. Society today, is filled with a great deal of greed and hatred. I think this image puts things into perspective and makes us realize being full of greed is pointless and stupid when there are so many important issues surrounding us. As someone who lives a comfortable lifestyle, seeing this photo gives me a sense of shame and sorrow. I am just as guilty as anyone for complaining about little things that in reality don’t matter. This photograph makes the viewer think deeper about their perspective on things. I believe that is the purpose of this picture, to make us all think about how fortunate we truly are. Who are we to complain about little things such as mint gum, when there are children who have real problems? These children deal with things such has hunger, and not having shelter. As the audience, we feel sad because these kids have nothing and we are complaining about the littlest of things. Seeing this should also give the viewer a desire to help. This is probably the main purpose behind the photo and video, to encourage individuals to help these people in need. The meaning behind this image is powerful and is definitely one that everyone should see.

The background of the picture shows several children sharing a small bedroom. We can infer that the children have limited personal belongings such as clothes because there is no furniture such as dressers or chests. Background plays a key role in portraying the meaning behind this visual text. For instance, if the child was in a mansion or looked to be living a luxurious lifestyle, the image would not appeal to our emotions. In order to inspire people to want to help the background needed to look the way it did.

Focal point is also important to the underlying meaning of this visual text. The focal points, the artist wants the viewer to focus on, are the children. Of course the emphasis is drawn on the child speaking, but each child plays a key role in the message. When you think of children, usually you imagine kids smiling, laughing, and having a good time. None of the children in this photo are doing any of that, which gives the viewer a sense of sorrow. They all appear to be undernourished and unhealthy which lets us know that they do not have enough to eat. Having the children look unhappy greatly sways individuals to help. If the children were plump in appearance and looked overjoyed the audience would not feel as compelled to aid them. Influencing people to make a change is the purpose behind this campaign and photograph. Elements such as focal point and background play a key role in causing this change.

This heart-rending ad campaign takes first world complaints and casts them in a new perspective, shedding a light on poverty.  Visual elements such as background and focal point are utilized to inspire people to make a change. It also causes us all to think deeper about our so called “tribulations” and realize “first world problems” are not problems. The blunt contrast between our complications and the real difficulties individuals in developing countries face is sure to make the line at Starbucks seem like much less of a big deal.
