Context

Having heard a song recently, composed and performed by the son of an acquaintance, the idea of context for identifying and labeling “problems” came to mind.  In this song, the young man, a middle class, classically educated white male, laments his situation of struggle against sin as a hellhole.  I was left wondering if this person had any understanding of human suffering, for example, the people in Syria, Yemen or Central Africa.   

So, my question is this, what is the standard for defining suffering?  Do we label our situations based on how it compares to our typical standard of living or is there a universal standard?  Can the rich, white, Protestant 20-something complain that his life is hell simply because his particular situation is less than the standard he typically enjoys?  Or is he to shut up and quit whining because his situation is nothing compared to the suffering that so many undergo, daily, in other parts of the world? 

In short, is it legitimate to whine and complain about one’s discomfort when one has had every creature comfort at one’s disposal and the level of “suffering” is due a life of ease and a lack of self-control?