"De-Influencing": The Push-Back to Over-Consumption

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We have been living in a world of overconsumption. There has been a lifestyle of “if they have it, I need it”. Recently, we have been seeing a push-back from the ideas and the need to overconsume. The term for this is “de-influencing” and it is the newest trend.

Creators are telling their followers that there is no need to buy these fancy things, and that it is such a waste. This new wave is such a breath of fresh-air. It is preaching that people look within for the things that they are wanting to buy and the lives that they want to live. It is telling people to limit their social media use, and to be mindful about the way that they spend their time and their money.

There has been a huge urge to model our lives after these influencers that only show us a portion of their life, the part that they are also getting paid for. It is so easy to feel like you are behind, or not doing enough when always focusing on social media and the need for a quick rush of dopamine. But, many people are starting to look around and realize that these things did not buy them happiness and fix their problems, it only created a more cluttered space of things that you actually had no need for. As a collective, we are finally coming together and addressing the issue that we all knew was going to happen.

How do I know that it is something I want or something I just have an urge for?

1) Would you still want this item in three-four months?

If you want this item, save it in a folder and wait. If you come back to it in the future and it is still something that you want in your life, buy it! Make sure that this is something that you would really want and use in the future.

2) Take some time to really understand your personal style, not just want the influencers are pushing down your throat.

They are here to show you what is out there and new trends, not to show you everything that you personally need. They are (sometimes) showing the things that they love and fit in their style, or they are just fulfilling an advertisement. Take into consideration the things that you already use and your routine. Is this something that would actually be beneficial to my life specifically? Or is it just cool?

3) Walk around a second-hand store and try on pieces that catch your eye, even if they do not normally fit in your style.

This is a more sustainable and cost-effective option to test out what your style could potentially be. I have been an avid thrifter for years, and all of these things that people “need” are thrown away as soon as the next wave comes in. Thrift stores are slowly becoming filled with microtrends and fast fashion. I am hoping that many people decide to hop on this “trend” and it becomes a new way of life for us all.