The other day I ran into someone in the caf who was visibly upset as she held her chicken sandwich. When I inquired about her emotional state she responded in a way I found shocking.
“Because there were no vegetables by the grill today she said.
She was fuming because there was no ****ing lettuce for her mother-****ing sandwich – heaven forbid. I guess I was just functioning in a shocked state, because I went along with it and expressed my condolences for her plight. I don’t really know her that well, so I figured she wouldn’t take it so keenly if I told her she was a spoiled brat.
But that’s what I really wanted to say. Not only that, but also, how many people on the face of this planet would probably give their right arm for her plain, dry chicken sandwich? At least a million and they would still be infinitely thankful for it. But all she could do was complain that there aren’t vegetables for her. That is what I really wanted to say.
I feel like this happens every day. Obviously it is not always regarding a chicken sandwich, but I find myself hearing the same ridiculous complaints daily. I’ll hear people whining about how there is absolutely no parking at Pepperdine, how much they have to read for tomorrow or how they would give anything if class would be cancelled tonight.
Even better, I’ve heard a student protesting Public Safety because they wouldn’t open the residential road for him to unload his brand new plasma TV – it’s far too big to carry of course. First of all, at least he has a car. What’s more, there’s plenty of parking – most people are just too lazy to walk. By the way, walking is also something many people wish they could do. Second, at least we know how to read and at least we have the opportunity to take a class. Third – no comment.
Other phrases I have heard are as follows: The food in the caf sucks walking up all these hills is killing me I hate math Pepperdine’s stupid rules drive me crazy the CCB stairs are the bane of my existence I cannot believe Convo is required – 14 of them seriously Pepperdine is too Christian Pepperdine isn’t Christian enough.” We have heard these all before – and we have possibly uttered most of these and more. Don’t get me wrong – I know I have too and I’m not proud of that.
The truth is that when we consider the circumstances most of the world’s population endures – poverty hunger helplessness hopelessness and the inability to do anything to better their situation – there is absolutely no excuse to complain about the things we whine about. You may be thinking right now “I pay good money to go here and I have the right to complain about things – they should fix this stuff.” Sure you pay good money to go here. Millions possibly billions of people could never even dream of even seeing that much money in a lifetime let alone write a check that large to attend college. Sure we have the right to complain about things. Again millions of people don’t have rights at all let alone the right to voice a dissenting opinion. They don’t have the right to stand up against sexual exploitation or the right to make their own choices let alone receive an education. We live in the lap of luxury compared to the majority of the world’s population. When was the last time we looked at the view from our window? Do we realize what we have been given? Maybe if we thought about these things we wouldn’t complain about lettuce – or the lack thereof.
