Imagine the year is 2030. You are walking through a landfill, through mountains of plastic and discarded objects. The dismembered heads of Labubus stare up at you, forever smiling (those things are terrifying, why would anyone want one?). Crumpled Dubai chocolate wrappers crunch beneath your feet. Old iPhones, glass skin products, Sol de Janeiro perfume, AI generated “art”, Temu, Shein, Lululemon, Nike, first Hydroflasks, then Stanleys, then Owalas, trends upon trends pile up.
Unwanted, unnecessary, uncool.
But it wasn’t always like that, was it? Once, these things were the newest rage, the hottest fashions, the funniest TikTok trends… things you don’t just want, but you need. Or at least, you think you need them. Because everyone else seems to have them, so obviously you do too. Right?
This is the unfortunate reality that we are facing. Everyday, people fall victim to over-consumerism. We are constantly surrounded by advertisements, and although we often dismiss them, they are still there in the back of our minds, urging us to spend more, whispering that we are falling behind on the trends. There is always a new insecurity in the minds of vulnerable customers, for big companies and marketing agendas to exploit.
Suddenly, you need another pair of Uggs. You need this hair identifier spray to remove every single hair on your entire face. You need to buy a Jellycat, no wait, now you need a Labubu. It has changed, yet again. You need to get the newest Starbucks drink. You need to get your color palette analyzed, and get an entire new wardrobe because apparently, your complexion is more of a “warm spring.”
You scroll through your For-You page. “Buy this, it will make you lose 20 pounds!” “And while you are at it, get rid of those nasty blackheads with this anti-wrinkle, anti-inflammatory, detoxing serum!” “I am OBSESSED with this product… run, don’t walk to your friendly local Sephora to buy it now!” (Sponsored by Sephora).
The truth? You never needed to do these things before, until you looked on social media. Until you see influencers opening up drawers filled with hundreds of beauty products that they will never use. Until you see that Pinterest post saying that your jeans (which were once your favorite) are out of style.
Oh, I suppose I’ll just throw that away, and that. This is so 2024. New year, new me. New beauty routine. New, new, new, new, new…
When will it all stop?
When will we see how unhealthy this mentality is? When will we stop being controlled by influencers who only recommend things because they get paid? When will we stop normalizing and glorifying this behavior?
We need to wake up.
This mindset is extremely harmful in several ways. Not only is it horrible for the environment, but also for our mental health. These corporations feed off of our insecurities, taking advantage of them for the sole purpose of profit and greed. I am concerned that our generation is attaching our self-confidence to the materialistic. It’s as if the only way we can be secure in ourselves is when we have all of the coolest, trendiest objects.
Along with environmental and psychological concerns, overconsumption is filled with ethical issues as well. Many of these fast fashion brands (and it isn’t just the fashion industry) have been exposed for hiding unethical labor practices, such as using children, sweatshops, and underpaid employees to mass-produce their products. Some companies even continue to test on animals. Do we really want to be supporting that?
But it doesn’t stop there. Many things are only popular because of how expensive they are. Businesses have managed to brainwash customers into viewing certain brand names as “cool”, although there is rarely a difference in quality. So, you end up paying $60 for a brand name, when an off-brand product that is identical to it could cost $10. This ends up in creating a sort of “elite” mentality that’s isolating people who cannot afford these fleeting, ever-changing trends, glamorizing the frivolous waste of money.
So the next time you go to buy something brand new, think. Do you really need it? And if you simply want it, then what exactly is making you want it? Do you want it for the right reasons? If so, purchase away. But we need to start being conscious of the ethics of our purchases.
If you can, buy second-hand or go thrifting. Support small, local businesses that are being choked out by mega companies like the ones you see on social media. If you buy something new, try to make sure it is of good quality, and will last a long time. Rewear your outfits, and use up a product fully before tossing it and getting a new one.
In a world of convenience and “go-go-go, make more money” Capitalism, we often forget our morals, preferring to live in blissful ignorance. Let’s stop this, and fight overconsumption together, one small step at a time.
