Social Media: Overconsumption and Influencers

A lot of influencers have gained notoriety for their goods or garment hauls. They purchase clothing or other items in excess in order to test them out, but this usually results in a lot of waste because they rarely utilize what they purchase and wind up discarding it. Furthermore, influencers frequently shop from and recommend fast fashion retailers in order to save money, which encourages the general public to do the same. However, because these clothes are made of materials that are harmful after they are thrown away, the mass buying from these fast fashion outlets not only contributes to environmental damage but also maintains the poor working conditions for the people who work for these companies.

Because influencers wind up with more things than they know what to do with, PR packages also contribute to this waste. It makes reasonable for businesses to want to advertise their goods, but since the items in the packaging are typically used just once or never, this creates a vicious cycle of waste and overconsumption. I have personally watched countless videos of influencers with drawers upon drawers of an infinite supply of makeup, and the influencers openly admit that they either don’t use it all or simply end up throwing a lot of it away.

Influencers in the fashion and beauty industries are well-known for starting and sustaining specific trends and microtrends. They are the ones who dictate what is in style and what people “should” purchase. Influencers are exalted, which leads to a vicious circle of consumers making impulsive purchases of highly specialized apparel and other goods simply because an influencer recommends them. These items are frequently worn just once or a few times before being discarded when fashion trends change. Because a lot of this distinctive apparel is only available on websites that produce inexpensive goods that follow trends, this cycle also relates to quick fashion.

Influencers also subscribe to the belief that materialism equates to contentment or happiness, whether they are aware of it or not. “If you have [xyz], it will completely improve your life and therefore your happiness,” is one way of thinking. Although purchasing various goods and clothing can be entertaining, there is no reason to believe that doing so will result in fundamental, innate satisfaction or contentment in your life.

However, the relentless advertising of various things as “changing your life,” particularly on Tiktok, can be particularly damaging when combined with ideals of beauty. This cycle reinforces the damaging belief that purchasing a large number of things will drastically alter one’s look, level of pleasure, contentment, or general quality of life since people will purchase these items in an effort to meet specific beauty standards. Particularly for younger children who look up to influencers who just so happen to naturally fit particular norms, this places an excessive amount of value on goods and products, which does not foster inner contentment or confidence.

Recently, there has been discussion about younger children overspending on luxury goods just because they are popular or because influencers suggest them. Children using things that are unsafe or inadequate for their age group, purchasing for aesthetic reasons, and the belief that materialism equates to happiness are all consequences of this. There are numerous videos of people purchasing a lot of extra items simply because they are more “aesthetically pleasing” than the ones they currently own. There are also numerous films about certain kitchen appliances that might save a few seconds when cooking but are ultimately unnecessary. These two incidents demonstrate excessive consumption brought on by social media influence.

Nonetheless, some influencers may produce films that are “de-influencing,” or discussing heavily advertised but unnecessary products. They also discuss well-known items that they have personally used but that aren’t worth the money. This reduces the overconsumption that has been prevalent in recent years to some extent, but it is insufficient to address the problem head-on. With the proper consideration and mindfulness when shopping, this issue may eventually go away, especially if everyone becomes much more aware of what — and how — they are buying. Social media culture has certainly contributed to the cycle of consumerism and overconsumption.