First-world Problems Trivia Quiz

Answer: Uber Eats

"Uber Eats" was launched by its parent company "Uber" in 2014 and expands on the private contracting ride-share system by allowing independent employees to join the platform and link up restaurants and customers at their own leisure and on their own time.

The customer benefits from more options all aggregated into a single platform, while drivers gain the ability to manage their own schedule or simply drive during their free time.

Answer: AirPods

The AirPods became the most popular Apple accessory within two years of being announced in 2016. They were the tech giant's first attempt at wireless headphones and have since been sold alongside the more advanced AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. The earphones were so often misplaced and difficult to find due to their small size that Apple even introduced a "Find my AirPods" feature - a "First World Solution". :)

Answer: McDonald's

In 2024, McDonald's was the world's largest fast food chain, serving 70 million customers in 100 countries worldwide. There is no strict guideline as to when the "breakfast menu" begins and ends, but most individual stores will post the information on their doors and websites.

In fact, some stores never stop serving breakfast or dinner, with the full menu available at all times. The fast food giant's signature breakfast item is the "McMuffin".

Answer: Canada Goose

Emigrating to Canada in 2006 as a 14 year old, I thought I was tough enough for the winter. A walk home in November later, I found myself purchasing my first ever Canada Goose. The luxury winter jacket, stuffed with goose down, keeps the wearer warm in temperatures as low as -40C (-40F).

The parkas have been worn by members of the United States Antarctic Research Program and in world-class dogsledding events.

Answer: Bruxism

Bruxism is more common than most people think (occurring in 8% to 31% of the population). Nocturnal bruxism, which requires a mouth guard while sleeping to correct, is especially problematic and common because it is difficult to identify; in fact, most cases are first noticed by a dentist when teeth are grinded down too much. Ask your dentist if you require a mouthguard to deal with your bruxism, but always make sure that you put it well before you are comfortable, warm, and tucked into bed :)

Answer: Pedometer app

Most pedometers recommend 10,000 steps a day (or 8 kilometers) in order to lead a healthy, active lifestyle, although 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day (30 minutes of brisk walking) can be considered a strong alternative if done regularly. The step counter and long-term exercise and stat tracker can act as a powerful milestone-recorder and motivator for many people.

Answer: Germany

Bayersche Motoren Werke AG is headquartered in Munich, Germany and is a world-renowned manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles, although it was initially founded in 1916 as a founder of aircraft engines. The company posted EUR $142B in revenue for 2022; it was the 14th largest automobile producer for that year, and employed just under 150,000 people.

Answer: Coke Zero Sugar

I was right to be annoyed, because Diet Coke has a different taste profile from the original sugar-laden Coke Classic. However, Coke Zero was introduced in 2005 promising the same taste as the original with none of the calories. Due to the perception of Diet Coke as a female drink, the new alternative Coke Zero was marketed heavily towards men.

The company would further rebrand the beverage to Coke Zero Sugar in 2017.

Answer: Jumped the Shark

All great things must come to an end, but certain television show producers (or in some cases, movie directors or book publishers) seem to realize the fact too late. The term "jumping the shark" refers to a marked reduction in quality, often caused by exhausted character development or recurring plotlines that do not attract equivalent investment from fans.

The term was coined by radio personality John Hein in 1985 following an episode of the popular American sitcom "Happy Days" where a character (Arthur Fonzarelli) jumps over a shark.

Hein claimed that this was the exact moment when the sitcom quality would begin to irreparably decline. He would then start a website identifying the various points different television shows "jumped the shark".

Answer: The Paradox of Choice

The subtitle of the book is "Why More is Less". The author and psychologist argues in his book that excessive choice has made us unhappy because alternatives create doubt. Evolutionary psychology regarded choices as a matter of survival; most of them were obvious throughout our evolutionary history.

The industrial revolution and modern era has led to our having comforts that our ancestors would not have dared dream of. However, our brains have not evolved quickly enough to trivialize our choices.

As a result, we spend more time than we should trying to find the "best choice" because we fear mistakes. Many companies have tried to circumvent this paradox of choice by offering their consumers the option to "be surprised".