Overconsumption is Consuming Our Dignity

Scrolling on TikTok, you’re quick to find the next trending product. You’ll find anything from understandable buys like Stanley Cups to toys destined for the landfill like Dumpling squishies. It isn’t like fashion trends haven’t been around for hundreds of years, polka dots were a short fad in the late 1800s after all, but the lifecycle of trends has drastically decreased in recent decades. The rise of social media is a key cause behind this change.

No matter how much you try to curate your FYP, you’re destined to get some sort of influencer on your feed. Maybe you’re not even seeing the content on TikTok – most of the influencer content I consume is through YouTube video essays. Regardless, I see what creators are putting out there, and the visual is a rather dreadful one. 

First, what is a microtrend, what is this concept presently plaguing our society? Well, these are trends, not solely fashion trends but they often are, that rise to extreme heights in record time and crash just as quickly. At the pace TikTok moves, a product can fly off shelves one week and sit in warehouses the next because people simply stopped caring about them The moment something isn’t the hottest new object, we drop it. Our eyes are constantly searching for something new, something fresh, but at the same time we yearn to fit in with the masses.

This is where the rise of aesthetics plays heavily into overconsumption.

Clean Girl. Barbiecore. Office Siren. Old Money. These are all terms you’ve probably heard thrown around online but especially on TikTok. In the past, these terms would have simply been aesthetics, things you take inspiration from, throw in a bit of your own style, and there you go! 

But that isn’t how things go these days. Now, these aesthetics have become whole identities. If you want to be a Clean Girl then you have to live a certain way: you must be extremely organized and minimalistic, ensure your slick-back is tight and flawless, do low intensity workouts like yoga or long walks. You didn’t think you could do all this with what you have already though, did you? That’s silly!

No, what you have to do is clear your closet. Ensure any clothes you buy are neutrals – patterns and prints are tacky. Sure, you’re supposed to have a “no-makeup” look, but come on, we all know you need a new serum, foundation, concealer, lipgloss, and mascara. Make sure your foods are organic too, nothing processed less you ruin the look of your pantry.

You can see how that bill starts to rise the moment one decides to fall into a certain aesthetic.

Sure, some people may try the Clean Girl aesthetic and decide that it’s for them. They’ll use the products they bought until they’re no longer useful. What about the hundreds that decide this aesthetic isn’t for them though? Now they have make-up products they won’t use, clothes they won’t wear, and loads of accessories they no longer require. Either these objects will end up in a thrift store – the better option – or in a landfill – the realistic option. 

With influences pushing their followers to buy into their aesthetic, promoting their TikTok shops, Amazon storefronts, and affiliate links, it's possible thousands of individuals are being tricked into buying things they don’t need and likely don’t even want. 

Take the viral Dumpling squishies. These toys follow the blind-box model which means you don’t know what you’re getting when you buy them. That’s already a red flag since. There are three types: solid color dumplings are common, rainbow and holographic ones are rare, and glitter dumplings are the rarest of all.

Say you buy one, open it, and see that it’s solid blue. There might be a bit of disappointment since what you really wanted was a glittery one. You’ll tell yourself you’ll just buy one more. What harm can one more do? You buy another and congrats, it’s a glittery dumpling! Well, now there’s only two on your shelf and that looks quite sad. A whole set would look even better.

People consistently fall into this trap like they did with Sonny Angels or Labubus. Really, you would have thought we’d learn our lesson by now. 

Try as you might to shake the products from your head, they’re everywhere. Even though my TikTok is flooded with F1, the World Cup, and Project Hail Mary, I still see the odd video or two about squishies and Stanley Cups. 

What are we supposed to do then, hop offline completely? 

Though that would be a wonderful concept, we all know it’s never going to happen. What we can do is shake ourselves from the hyperconsumerist culture the Internet has become. Before you click buy on your Amazon cart, let it sit for a week or so. At the end of the week are you still thinking about buying another pair of sunglasses that your favorite influencer said was the summer must buy? Or, did you go on with your week undisturbed, likely not even thinking about the sunglasses?

Slowing down and living with what we presently have is one way to slow our consumption. It’s not perfect, and for those with major shopping addictions it may not work, but it’s a start. Influencers are going to continue with their jobs, shoving products and lifestyles down our throats, but we must be stronger than the urge to conform and stay away from the credit card.

Our planet is already overrun with millions of pounds of waste – clothes that will never be worn again, plastic that will never decompose. It’s our duty to respect what we have and to respect ourselves.

Besides, Stanley Cups aren't even that great.