Eff Your Life

FML: F*** My Life. One of the most celebrated, ubiquitous and loosely used terms in today’s culture to express displeasure with one’s life and consequences. Just a quick search on Twitter with the hashtag #fml, or even using Google to search for the popular FML sites where numerous people have posted their experiences (true or otherwise), one can see how many lives are truly, TRULY f***ed. Really, your lives are so f***ed, I cannot even imagine…

Stubbed your toe when you woke up? “FML”
Put too much ketchup on your fries? “FML”
Put too little ketchup on your fries? “FML”
Forgot your keys at home? “FML”
Left your purse on the seat beside you on the subway? “FML”
Drank yourself into a stupor and are  currently puking until your throat is completely raw? “FML”
Having difficulties  with course selection? “FML”
Have difficult work hours? “FML”
Lost your job? “FML”
Too hot? “FML”
Too cold? “FML”
Raining? “FML”
Didn’t work on your project, and now you’re going to fail? “FML”
Used the Konami code and wiped out your phone’s contacts? “FML”

I think “FML” is the result of a generation and culture of overabundance, pampering, complaining (hey, I’m doing my part by complaining right now), and the idea of self-importance. Really, I don’t see whats so bad about your lives, jobs and wages compared with an exploited coffee farmer in Africa. I don’t see the hardship you’re enduring, compared with the children who may have sewn together the shoes you just stepped in dog crap with. I don’t understand your anguish and frustration at self-inflicted suffering from over-indulging in food and drink, compared with the millions who don’t have access to clean water or adequate nutritious food.  But eff your life, right?

Maybe I’m being a hard-ass again. Maybe I’m killing the fun, being too serious about this, asking you to shut up and think before you type those 3 letters for seemingly petty little blips in your life radar. Think of how potentially insignificant your struggle is, compared with those in incredibly worse situations. Think of how brief and small this moment could be in your entire life — you probably won’t even remember what happened a couple days. Maybe you can think positively?