TikTok promotes overconsumption

by Libby Thornton 

I saw a TikTok a few days ago where a woman was organizing a drawer in her home that was full of Stanley Cups. Yes, this lady has an entire drawer filled with the most recently popular water bottle trend. I think I counted over 10 Stanley Cups in total.

There are people in America that cannot afford food and have limited access to clean water for drinking and proper hygiene, but it would be absolutely impractical for our Dr. Pepper cup to cross contaminate our Diet Coke cup or water cup.  

Your water bottle not matching your outfit: can you imagine the tragedy?

We could get into a whole essay on first world problems, that I am guilty of myself, but what is truly at the bottom of the Stanley Cup drawer? 

It’s an issue with overconsumption. 

Shopping produces a rush of endorphins. Having a package to wait on, or something new to wear or use brings a certain excitement to life. 

Trust me, I am the first person to suggest retail therapy. But, as consumers who are constantly being advertised to, it is important we do not become too addicted to the shopping rush.

TikTok is one gigantic buy, sell, trade; which makes it the absolute wrong place to watch what you’re spending.

Companies want to sell their products, so they pay creators who have already mastered the art of selling themselves, and just like that there are a million new products you just “cannot live without.” 

Trends move so quickly that sometimes the second you obtain something it's already being thrown out the window. Now you are being presented with something new to invest in, something new to give you a split second of relief, happiness or whatever you are chasing. 

Let's go back to the water bottle example. 

Over the years you have been told you needed a Hydro Flask, S’Well, HydroJug, Yeti, Gatorade GX and now a Stanley Cup. Next year, or maybe even next month, it’ll be something different. 

I’m not going to tell anyone how to drink their water. But it is a scientific fact that drinking too much water too fast causes the blood cells in your brain to swell and will land you in a hospital bed. 

This is what happened to the lady with a drawer in her kitchen dedicated to her precious Stanleys. 

Participate in a trend or two, have some fun, but take a moment to breathe some fresh air and realize you are your own person, and you don’t need a million water bottles to be happy. 

If you think you do, you never will be.