The 13-year-old with no money stands outside the Sephora, eyes wide. Despite the overstimulation of colors, smells, and products, she knows every corner of this paradise by heart. This overconsumption culprit is my own sister. After overflowing three bags of makeup, she had to upgrade to aesthetic influencer makeup drawers.
Social media has caused people of all ages to normalize buying an outrageous amount of products. From skincare to fridge restocks, you will always find a source of overconsumption advertisements online. Social media platforms also influence people, specifically pre teens, to become obsessed with the most demonic-seeming items. And of course, they all will wipe your bank account clean.
Most people are familiar with the newfound popularity of these furry friends: The Labubu. These ‘sharkteeth babies’ coated in pastel fur have made their way into every young person’s shopping cart. Not to mention the absurdly expensive accessories. When I was young, my mom didn’t let me buy an American Girl Doll because of the price. At least those didn’t look like they’d abduct me in my sleep. But Gen Alpha isn’t the only victim of overconsumption. Some modern moms have become convinced it’s normal to have 80 versions of one food or cleaning item. Fridge restocks have taken over the internet because of the addictive ASMR, a satisfactory “tingle” you get when listening to certain sounds.
The clicking noises the items make lead to millions of views on these videos. Naturally, visually appealing clear plastic containers will hold the 20 brands of energy drinks. Not to mention the 20 pounds of fruit that will be impossible to finish. I’ve seen many parents who buy an abnormally huge amount of processed food and store them in perfectly stacked, cutesy containers.
On the topic of food, gym girls and bros have gotten out of hand. It’s never right to hate on people for trying to maintain healthy bodies. However, obscene amounts of plant-based-grassy-whey-100 percent-absorption protein powders are yet another example of overconsumption. Having 10 different brands of protein powder to choose from every day is completely unnecessary.
And the water bottles… Gym rats aren’t the only people guilty of owning dozens of water bottles, as this issue has spread to people of all ages. I know little girls who own more than three Stanleys each. And let’s not forget about the furball Stanley keychains and sparkly straw toppers. But then there are Millennials who have the same water bottles, but in cream and white instead of neon pink. Every time one gets bored with their water bottle they stop hydrating as frequently. That’s a sign to purchase a new color.
Aside from social media influence, one of the prime reasons for overconsumption is the access to online shopping. It’s so easy to click “add to cart” and mindlessly spend money on items we’ll never use. Because we don’t have to go in person to buy things, there’s nothing keeping us from purchasing the latest trends.
There are many issues with buying more stuff than necessary. One of the main problems has to do with waste. The exponential increase in consumerism has led to an increase in litter and air pollution from shipping.
Sustainable items are no longer beneficial to the environment when you own multiple types of one thing. People try to buy reusable items but only use them when it’s handy. If you go to Starbucks and order your daily caramel macchiato, you probably won’t use your Owala or the new glass straws you bought off Amazon.
Overconsumption has led to many problems, including overspending, air pollution, and waste. People just often don’t end up using the items they buy. And we’ve normalized owning thousands of things. It’s just not realistic… but I guess it is now.
