First/Second/Third world may be outdated terms in political parlance but they're alive and well in the popular mind:
First World Problems | Know Your Meme
This thread is evidence that "Second World" has come to mean something in between, in popular discourse at least.
I think it has more to do with the perception of being a third world than the reality in how the developing world is seen from the first worlder's perspective.
There are pronounced differences on how many nations develop, some do it in spite of having a great cultural attachment to their roots (like India and China) whilst others just adopt the pattern and copy the most details from their best next example (Like DR and PR).
For what robin(Bachata) the wonder boy wants from his left behind US of A and common wealth territory in the DR, there's also what the same denizens would like to see from the developing DR back a home, like being able to have small appliances and electronics/wares repaired without having to go out and buy a new one or paying about the same for the repairs. The stories of repair in the developed world could make for a terror movie of sorts...
There's an exchange to be paid for that development and the sacrificial lamb is none other than the cultural identity of the people. Truly said by a many scholars, within the next 100 years of development being in NYC or Beijin, Moscow, New Delhi or Santo Domingo for that matter, won't be much difference from the perspective of infrastructure and development. What little difference you'll find will be centered towards people's policies that deal with the cultural affinity of the place you're at.
It's also well established that the late comers into the development infrastructure will also boast the most advancement over the old world leaders and today's most developed nations.
