How much stuff do you have? Not in a hyperbolic, minimalist, painfully sad beige way. But in a ‘when was the last time you even wore that shirt you bought two months ago or used that new gadget you swore would change your life’ kinda way. On some level, most people are aware of the amount of waste they have among their belongings, even if they haven’t thrown them away yet. In a nutshell, this is what overconsumption looks like. The idea of consuming far more than you could ever need or truly want beyond momentary impulse.
The habit of overspending and overshopping doesn’t just strain people’s wallets and sanity; it also harms the environment. Every unnecessary purchase eventually ends up in the trash, contributing to waste. Fast fashion in particular is a huge culprit, with the industry having grown 400% in the past twenty years, and the production of both natural and synthetic fibers are responsible for up to 10% of Greenhouse gas emissions. This fashion industry’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is expected to increase by 50% by 2030 at the current rate of growth. As of 2024, worldwide consumers are producing 92 million tons of textile waste a year. Of this, 80% ends up in landfills or is incinerated, as the fashion industry contributes to global warming about 10% annually. The sheer amount of waste however, cannot be blamed on the fashion industry alone. The decision to produce large amounts of clothing that will quickly be thrown away happens because consumers are willing to do exactly that. Though they are the ones who make the products, they are not the instigators of public buying behaviors. Rather, it is influencers who cause the rapidly increasing trend cycle that people buy into.
On social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, influencers make their living by doing as their name suggests, influencing. Whether that be creating or following trends, promoting a certain lifestyle to aspire towards, or simply advertising products, influencers make their money by grabbing attention from their audience and turning that audience into a base of consumers. Generation Z, 1993 to early 2010, across the board values authenticity and community. This could be due to early exposure to ads on the internet, but regardless of the cause, they want very little to do with corporate humdrum and tune it out with ease. Influencers work where traditional advertisement fails because a good influencer acts as if they could be your friend, while simultaneously hitting every SEO buzzword in existence to appeal to the almighty algorithm.
Influencers cater to the desire for genuine community and a sense of identity by depersonalizing themselves into something that could be bought. Then, they show their followers where they can buy it. They are not selling the products, they are selling the identity. People buy into trends so that they can feel like they are apart of a community. Whether that community is as broad as “pilates girlies” or as narrow as “mom with white couch, and a stanley mug”, everyone is able to buy their way to a sense of identity. However, that is inherently unfulfilling because as the old adage goes, money cannot buy happiness. Fast fashion is made to fall apart quickly and it is hard to take oneself out of the trend rat-race.
Modern overconsumption hurts not only the environment and consumer wallets, but also individuals. In order to reduce your personal consumption footprint, it’s essential to “de-influence” yourself. That means taking your time when making purchases and genuinely asking yourself the reasoning for buying something. Is it genuinely going to improve your life, or are you buying the identity that has been attached to that item? In the search for authentic community rather than store bought, it is important to remember that the most important thing a person can be authentic about is themself.
