Tik Tok Shop Consumes Society
Just like how the internet has evolved over time, so have people. And as social media becomes less of a medium for people to express themselves, share interest and communicate with others, it is slowly becoming a corporate cesspool of advertisements and merchandise, wrapped in a cute pink coquette bow, so that people will buy into it.
Now, as much as I love that others are discovering their interests and personal styles through the internet, the issue is just that. When social media algorithms, your Instagram reels, Twitter timeline, and TikTok for you page(FYP) catch on to exactly what you like, they will find a way to sell it to you by any means necessary.
Even if it’s something you don’t exactly need seven different copies of, even if spending $40 on it wasn’t the best decision, your need to satisfy that void overrides that.
And what exactly does that leave you with? Yeah, you’re happy because you got the thing you wanted, but after that, you start to wonder why you even went through all the trouble,if you’ll even still use it for years to come. Until you see another must-have item being advertised to you on your FYP.
The idea that having your own personal style and niche can be attained only through what you buy and. consume shouldn’t be the norm. I love building my own collection of interests as much as the next person, but it shouldn’t devolve into a closet of Stanley cups or more makeup and skincare products than you could see yourself using.
The algorithm adjusts to whatever you’re interested in, so even when you aren’t exactly looking for it, products are being advertised to you constantly. It’s hard to escape; there will always be something that piques your interest, making it easier for it to become desirable.
The Stanley Cup Craze earlier this year is a notable example. People camped outside Target for hours in order to get their hands on the limited edition cup, and when doors finally opened, some were only as lucky to get one or two while many were left cup-less. Everyone in that line, everyone tackling each other over the cups were afflicted with FOMO (The Fear of Missing Out.) thing where people are like “Everyone else has one, so I have to get one.” Said influencer Bella Boyle, on USA Today.
It has value, but not by price and in the minds of others, it is highly valuable.
When companies slap that label on their product, they create a sense of urgency. Meaning that in the minds of the consumer, they will regret not being able to buy it. Inaction is something we regret more than action. “Consumers don’t just want the item, but they want to go online and show off that they got one and show the scene as it’s happening…everyone is interested in creating some kind of story.” Jaehee Jung, a professor of fashion and apparel said in the same article.
Whenever we see something we like, whenever an account posts a room tour, a daily vlog, or a haul from whatever fast fashion site, there’s always a comment going, “Where did you get this?” “I wish I had something like that..” “What do you call this?” And the creator is mostly aware of the kind of attention they garner through content like this.
Their day-to-day life is only seen as something that others want to have through the means of buying things. You want this cool room? In order to find every single thing, you would have to go through what this person went through and scour the web, spending hundreds of dollars on things that you don’t exactly need, all because the presentation and end product are aesthetically pleasing.
On one hand, you’ve found this new niche for yourself that you feel will make you happier through means of consumption. But then you end up getting this oddly placed void by the end of it. All of this money has been spent, all of these things you like have been bought, but being behind on the trends, allows you to never fully enjoy that moment.
We are more than just the hashtags attached to our posts. We are more than just the GRWMs (Get Ready With Me) and hauls and collections. We need to evaluate whether these things truly make us happy. If it’s something we still enjoy by ourselves, without the influence or judgment of others, or if it’s something we subconsciously cling to for the sake of fitting in. We are people. We have our own identities that stick with us, that we try to love as much as we can, and we can be more than the labels and the aesthetics and “cores.” We can be whatever and whoever we want without feeling like you have to fit into a certain mold. And the passage of time on the clock app shouldn’t make you lose yourself in an attempt to find new parts of you.
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