The algorithms on my most used social media platforms are tailored for me. Typically, you’ll find me involved in art and design spaces, cat videos, book reviews, foraging, science, and history comment sections. No matter how many videos I scroll through, it’s unavoidable. As of lately, it’s been “all 4 ereaders i own, essential fall fashion pieces to go out and buy right now, the most aesthetic and interesting items to keep in your purse, and a shade of dark red lipstick that is better than the other 10 you bought in the last year.” Find a fashion video or outfit inspo on Pinterest and you’ll see a comment like “omg where is this shirt from?”
The culture of overconsumption, always wanting the best new thing not only affects our bank accounts but how we interact with ourselves. Women are passively told they need cool girl books, jackets, and jewelry to curate their personal styles. We are constantly seeking for our signature perfumes and styles. The culture of shopping has morphed from being trendy to being cool and different but also like everyone else, only better. The architecture of the platforms we use contribute to this as well. TikTok has a shop tab, Instagram has a shop feature, and on Pinterest, it’s hard to tell whether you are clicking on a post or ad. These are not necessarily criticisms from me as I’m guilty of enjoying aspects of this culture. At times, creativity in this format is positively inspiring and fulfilling. While being creative and seeking inspiration is a wonderful and fulfilling experience, the way it is modernly approached is limiting. We are no longer “Stealing like artists,” but are instead duplicating. I have become a mosaic of aesthetics and overconsumption.
Around the turn of the century in the 1890’s, past World War II, retail and commodity production as well as mail delivery shopping was turned from small shopkeepers to the hands of corporations. In the book Land of Desire: Merchants, Power, and the Rise of a New American Culture by Leach in 1993, he writes, “The cardinal features of this culture were acquisition and consumption as the means of achieving happiness; the cult of the new; the democratization of desire; and money value as the predominant measure of all value in society. Individual desire that was democratized, rather than wealth or political and economic power.” This period was past the famines and wars, marking it as the point in where pleasurable consumption and activities were finally feasible. People no longer had to work long hours just to buy food. Shorter shifts were adapted and the American ideal of a family was emphasized. People also had more leisure time to stay home and watch TV and technology was also rapidly developing.
The culture of advertising went from painted signs selling low priced fruit to the latest washing machine and durable washing machines and microwaves. Many of these advertisements were advertised to women; technology that can help with household chores, no longer having to wash dishes by hand, etc. With the development of modern technology and social media platforms, the culture of advertisement was being developed. Marketing was becoming more subtle and discreet. Corporations are having to find “non cringy” ways to market their products that appeal to a critical audience.
But surprisingly, “underconsumption-core” has also been trending. I’ve been seeing videos of people posting that they only have one of each object, and videos titled “de-influencing” certain products that are centered around why you don’t actually need the newest Stanley water bottle because you still have the Hydroflask you bought in 2019. There has also been many posts about living a “simple life,” romanticizing living in a small cottage by the countryside and enjoying the more simple pleasures of life as well as living a more sustainable lifestyle.
I think we’re tired. Capitalism is ever changing and maybe this is a new era we’re moving into, or just another trend. But I’m at a point where this has become exhausting and participating in overconsumption is no longer fulfilling. It feels like an unquenchable thirst and it no longer feels like a personally sustainable lifestyle. The impact of overconsumption feels superficial and moving away from it feels like an impossible situation to navigate. I feel that we’re slowly moving towards an era where we’re living and consuming more intentionally. This fatigue we’re feeling is a step forward. In a world that constantly tells us what we want, perhaps the most radical act is to choose to want less, and in doing so, find more.