A viral video that has recently amassed 60,000 likes serves as a reminder that excessive material consumption found on social media is not normal.
Ellie Frazer (@elliewfrazer), a popular TikTok creator, began the video with: "Can I please remind you that it is so abnormal to spend money the way that people on this app are spending money."
She explained that she "gets caught up in comparison" with other young women showcasing their weekly shopping hauls full of expensive designer items. If you don't spend loads of money every week on material items, she stated that "you are exactly where you are supposed to be," and that it is "so abnormal for people in their 20s to spend the way that people [on TikTok] spend."
@elliewfrazier I needed this reminder today so maybe you did too!!!! Comparison is the thief of joy don't i know it 🙃👏🤍 #savingmoney #underconsumption #foryou ♬ original sound - ELLIE FRAZIER
Frazer stated that she needed this reminder, as she often feels unsatisfied with her possessions despite owning many material items.
"I have so many clothes and things to be grateful for so I needed this reminder today," she said.
Young people are increasingly relying on social media to influence the way they shop. One Forbes article explained that "the hashtag #tiktokmademebuyit has upwards of 2.3 billion views on TikTok, and #amazonfinds has more than 6.7 billion views."
Frazer pointed out the detrimental impact this has on young people's money-saving habits and mentioned how it is affecting people's satisfaction levels.
E-commerce growth, globalization, and the prevalence of fast fashion have aided this trend, which social media further compounds.
One 2016 study from the University of Queensland found that global consumption is up 400% from just two decades ago.
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Saving money 💰 It's not just fast fashion that is amplifying the impact. An article for The Fulcrum wrote that rich influencers who "advertise exclusive brands and businesses" have told young buyers that if they purchase a product, they can have a certain lifestyle.
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Mass consumption is responsible for resource depletion, which results from producing products. Planet-warming pollution and waste accumulation are also notorious for abetting environmental damage.
Commenters were thankful for the message.
"As someone who bought their first luxury bag, I felt so much buyer's remorse afterwards," one user wrote. "Even though I could afford it, it's truly not worth your hard-earned money.
The original poster gave words of wisdom in the caption of the video: "Comparison is the thief of joy don't I know it."
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