Think twice before buying the newest Labubu or this week’s crumble cookie flavors. You won’t regret it.
Whether it is Dubai chocolate or Stanley cups, there is no denying that our society constantly revolves around whatever is currently trending on social media. This leads to users being easily influenced into buying unnecessary products, simply because of how over-commercialized it becomes through marketing. Companies leverage up and coming trends in order to appeal to what is trending among their target market and as a result, maximize profits. While it may look harmless on the outside, continuing to feed into these short-lived trend cycles negatively affects both the environment and society, as a whole.
In regards to sustainability, there really is none when it comes to consumerism. As more and more trends continue to emerge daily, there is a constant need for new products in order to keep up with consumer demand. This ultimately leads to resources being overused and depleted in exchange for customer satisfaction. Overconsumption is often correlated with consumerism and also leads to significant damage. As more goods continue to be consumed, more waste is produced, contributing to rising pollution levels.
Apart from environmental impact, consumerism can also significantly damage self-esteem and society’s values. When trends, such as a yearly iPhone release, continuously take the world by storm, it creates this false narrative that one must get the new iPhone every year in order to be accepted among the crowd. For those who cannot afford to purchase luxurious items on a frequent basis, they may find themselves feeling left out or inferior compared to others. Spreading these values can undoubtedly kill a person’s self worth and make them feel as if they will only belong with the herd, if they spend ungodly amounts of money regularly.
On the topic of spending, forcing ourselves to conform to these trends also forces us to lose sense of the value of money. To continue keeping up with these TikTok influencer trends, hundreds and thousands of dollars are wasted over silly products that lose their “charm” once the trend has died. Consequently, this causes increased debt and reduced savings among individuals, reducing the overall financial intelligence of the average consumer.
To combat such a widespread problem, it is important to approach social media with caution and not make purchases impulsively moving forward. When consumers begin to understand the difference between wants and needs–for non-essential goods–the more informed consumers will be when taking in content online.