Physical fights over a Stanley cup only for them to show up in thrift shops weeks later. £300 Shein
hauls that will never see the light outside of your bedroom. 17 step skincare routines – as well as
drawers full of unopened skincare – and don’t forget the mini fridge just for your skincare. The need
to own every item that sees momentary popularity online seems rampant, as does the urge to own a
dozen of each one (as if you’re ever going to get through them all before you get bored with the
trend). The need to consume is consuming people, and the effects are starting to show.
I think it’s well established that this compulsion has led to a great issue in our society:
overconsumption. And we’re beginning to see that it’s doing damage (to put it lightly). Buying a full
new wardrobe for every trend and every season will inevitably lead to more clothes ending up in the
landfill once you tire of them or move onto the next big thing that week. The same goes for make-
up, skincare, appliances, really any kind of product you can dream of. The item will get famous, get
orders, and as soon as the world moves on and people can’t show them off anymore, get trashed.
This problem doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon either – how could it? It’s not just
billboards these days, you’re being marketed to any time you watch an episode, open social media,
check the weather, look up a recipe! With every object in existence available to me in the palm of
hand, and the world telling me that owning everything I could ever want at once should be an
aspiration of mine, how am I supposed to resist the urge?
Being constantly barraged with ads can be tempting, and with buying being simplified all the time
with systems such as Apple Pay, it can be easy to buy things you don’t need with just a couple clicks,
only to realise what you’ve done when 10 different packages arrive at your door. Ads can not only
be tempting, but overwhelming, as they are so frequent nowadays you may lose track and
understanding of what is actually being sold to you. It can become hard to tell whether you are
buying something because you want it, or because you have been told that you want it. Being told
you absolutely can’t live without this new kitchen tool that only serves one purpose, that can be
done perfectly well by something you already own, may feel wrong, but with everyone you see
clamouring to have one it can trick you into thinking it is somehow a necessity. This problem is
facilitated by social media, as with much of overconsumption culture. I have witnessed this trend
rise over the years, but is has absolutely skyrocketed in the age of influencers. People don’t seem to
just follow them anymore; they believe in them. Influencers can get away with selling just about
anything, and millions will follow. Whole new markets of buyers who may never have seen the
product otherwise, are now racking up purchases. I see this as a problem for two reasons. One,
many unnecessary (often poorly made) products are bought and then discarded that may not have
been without the marketing of influencers, and therefore this waste may not have occurred. Two, it
is one thing for these social media stars to spend their ludicrous amounts of money on products they
don’t need, but it is another for them to convince everyday people to spend their hard-earned
paychecks on frankly useless items. Especially as often a large portion of influencers’ demographics
are not people like them, but regular people who idolise the lives that they have.
So how does one avoid falling into the trap? I won’t say it’s always easy, but there are habits that
you can build that will help you stay on the right path. First, when you come across product reviews
on social media, it may not be immediately obvious whether or not it is a paid promotion. It is
important at this stage to do your research, find out whether they are being sponsored, and read
actual reviews on the product’s website (these can also be paid for – be careful!) Spend a while on
this, long enough that you feel confident that you have read a number of true reviews. Second, sit
on the purchase. I try and leave any purchase in my basket for at least a week or two. See what
happens when you try this – do you find yourself going back to the tab and yearning for the item? Or do you forget about it within a day or two? Lastly, if you are still feeling unsure, write a pros and cons list. Make sure you consider what you would use it for, how long you think you would get use out of it, the quality of the product, and so on. To be clear, the item does not have to be a necessity, in fact this process is often most important when it comes to items that you simply want, as this is when we often make rash decisions. The purchase should be worth your money, and add a bit of joy to your life.
Our world is changing, and technology is changing at such a pace it is often hard to keep up. It is this
whirlwind of change and choices that often leads to getting swept up in trends that leave you feeling
confused (and suddenly poorer). It is important take some consideration with these things for our
own sake, but it is also our duty to be responsible consumers, for the sake of our planet. This rate of
consumption can’t go on, as the aftereffects are eating up Earth. So, next time you shop, challenge
your compulsions. You might find that you, and everyone, are better off for it.