The Overconsumption “Core”
This blog is about how overconsumption relates to micro trends, how it damages the environment, and ways that you can try not to follow the pattern of overconsumption and micro trends.
What really is overconsumption “core”? Overconsumption is defined as “the excessive use of resources, goods, and services, leading to detrimental environmental, social, and psychological effects”. As I scroll on TikTok, on Instagram, and on Pinterest every day, it seems like every single time I scroll, it’s an ad for something new, or a popular influencer has bought something new and now it’s sold out everywhere. I get it. This is what marketing and advertising is. But how has social media changed the way that we think about buying things and discarding of them? Because in this day and age of social media, our brains are forced to move fast. We always want the newest thing just to be able to say that we have it, or that we tried that food. And then along comes the next thing. This is what micro trends are “cycles of short-lived trends that gain a high amount of attention in a fairly short period outside of traditional trend cycles, and then fall off the grid and lose public relevance almost just as quickly”. But this idea is rooted into our brains because of social media and the forced quick pace that we are trying to live in. I mean come on, we bought that one SHEIN top that we wore once for Instagram during COVID, then put it in the back of our closet, then later threw it out when we deep cleaned our closet (you know the one I’m thinking of). Yes, this is the cycle we are forced into, but there are other, much more fulfilling ways to live life.
Before I get into ways that you yourself can break away from the pattern of micro trends and overconsumption, let me first state my case on why micro trends and overconsumption are so bad. First of all, it is so damaging to our brains and our self-worth if we buy every single new thing out there just because somebody else has it. You are your own person who can make your own decisions. You do not have to follow what everybody else is doing just to fit in. We all tried that in high school and how did that work out? Being able to not follow and buy everything you see on social media is a power in today’s day and age. It shows that people are not able to just brainwash you into buying something that you don’t need, and that you are more than capable of making decisions on your own. Secondly, the environmental impacts that micro trends and overconsumption have on the environment is disheartening. Within the fashion industry, 85% of all textiles are being thrown away each year, while also using 2,000 gallons of water to make one pair of jeans, and providing 35% of all of the ocean’s microplastics. Thirdly, along with the environmental cost, there is the human ethical concern. Workers in these fast fashion companies are working in unsafe working conditions, enduring wage theft, working way too many hours with minimal pay, and are experiencing gender-based harassment. About 60 million people are employed to work in these conditions, and only about 2% of them make a living wage. So, before you are influenced to buy that thing you saw on TikTok or Instagram, maybe think twice about where exactly it is coming from.
The ways that I have broken away from this pattern are by:
Unfollowing influencers who are only trying to sell to you. Even if they say “this isn’t even sponsored” they still want you to be influenced and buy what they have so they can say they started a trend. Without seeing these influencers on my page, it has made it a lot easier to pick out what I want to purchase for myself.
Completely stop supporting fast fashion brands. Places like TikTok Shop, SHEIN, H and M, Amazon, and so many more places are doing so much harm to the environment and my way of showing my power is by not purchasing from these companies. I know it’s hard but even just thinking about somewhere else you could get something similar, or thinking twice about if you even really want what you’re buying.
Going through my things and figuring out what I actually like. If I am going through my closet and don’t like a color on me, I know not to buy it anymore. If I tried a new food from the grocery store and I don’t like it, I will remember what I do like and buy things in that realm.
These are the ways that I have broken away from this pattern of over consumption and micro trends, as well as realizing that I am a grown person who doesn’t need somebody else to pick out my style or anything else for me. These are the ways that I show my power and help the environment.
Signing off for today,
Emma