George Henry Lewes once said: “Originality is independence, not rebellion; it is sincerity, not antagonism.” In the age of social media, where everyone is trying to desperately keep up with what is popular in the moment, it’s become a tragic cycle of micro-trends and overconsumption.
Remember the Kendall Jenner tank top that went extremely viral in the summer of 2025? Probably not, but at the time, everyone was buying it and buying very expensive replicas of the tank. Sure, it’s cute, but are some of these tank tops worth $80? I’m all here for retail therapy and buying things you like, but spending so much money on a micro-trend that doesn’t give you any personal fulfillment for the long term is simply not worth the money or the time. Further, with most other trends, the masses on social media will hop onto the next trend in a heartbeat.
The issue is irresponsibly buying without taking an actual interest in what you are purchasing. Think about it: a consumer buys and buys and buys clothes, makeup, Labubus, and whatever microtrend they come across that other people are hyping up. What problems arise from it? Overconsumption, wasting money, unsustainable consumption practices, and the worst of all? Not actually enjoying what you buy! This hypothetical person will continue to buy until they find something that they’re finally happy with. But when the hype dies down, and it’s not cool anymore to have that thing, the cycle repeats. This is simply not sustainable and unhealthy, not only to the environment, but to the consumer as well.
Constantly trying to follow trends in the pursuit of fitting in with the masses is always going to be prevalent because who wouldn’t want to feel as if they were a part of the group? I get that, but these practices will only lead to everyone not thinking for themselves and to make people think that it’s not cool to have your own interests and your own style. Obviously, this is dangerous because the people who fall for these microtrends are often young and impressionable people who haven’t yet discovered themselves. And if we keep continuing to promote this hive mind mentality of “oh, I need to buy X because Y said it was trendy,” people in our generation will grow up to understand that the only way to be liked and accepted is through eliminating all originality and personal creativity. All of a sudden, being yourself and having your own unique interests is cringey and too rebellious.
So the moral of the story: be undeniably you. So what if it’s cringe? To be cringe is to be free. Get that cool collectible, nerd out about your niche interests, do whatever it is that sparks joy in your life without the fear of judgment. Life is too short to always be paranoid about what others think about you because, truthfully, everyone’s too worried about themselves. Live for yourself and for no one else.