I am low-income (fixed income disabled) and I do consume less than many Americans out of necessity, but I also love the aesthetic of pre-loved items and I care about sustainability as much as I can at my income (read: “I shop at thrift stores, but still buy household items packaged in plastic because more sustainable options are too expensive”). I do agree that “underconsumption” by US standards is still overconsumption to a lot of the world, but I appreciate the effort towards a sustainable lifestyle.
I feel like “normal consumption” for a middle class family is a mixture of under and over consumption. My family has towels, shoes, etc that are over 20 years old but we also have random Amazon stuff (that’s new and not sustainably made or was used once and then never again). It’s easy to fall in the trap of overconsumption but also having stuff that lasts a long time as well is normal. We can always strive to be better but it’s good to accept how the system wants us to spend.
This is a really good point - I agree that “normal consumption” is often a mix of under+over consumption. Hopefully the trend does push people to recognize where they overconsume in their lives and critically question that behavior.
While trends seem to be villanized, this trend truly points to a change in the economy and a realization of the overconsumtion a lot of us suffer from. I have seen plenty of low income individuals overconsume. I believe it comes from the public being sick of being sold to. Everything has become an ad and fast paced. I think underconsumption is similar to cottage core. A drive to move away from the hustle and spend culture. During a loneliness crisis, it feels parallel to a move away from materialism and a focus on true connection and happiness.
As someone that’s always been low income, it’s definitely obnoxious that when rich or popular people don’t overconsume it’s aesthetic but when I don’t overconsume it’s lame and out of trend (at least according to the capitalist nightmare side of social media). Certainly illustrates how good deeds are viewed differently depending on how much social capita someone has. However, if making under-/normal consumption an aesthetic makes more people develop those good habits, this trend can have a good impact.
This is what annoys me about this trend. Influencers acting as if it's innovative and trendy to e.g. reuse plastic containers as lunchboxes, while some of us normal people got bullied for it. And I disagree with "They just show how have been living like this before already". The ones I saw literally were convinced it was innovative
usually, I'd agree on the hope and some people will surely be influenced by it, but I fear as a trend it will firstly lead to artificially produced items that fit the aesthethic and lead to more overconsumption and then the trend will fade
this, exactly this! pretty much what i wanted to type and now i don't have to because you already put it into words perfectly :) we can only wish for the trend to explode and suddenly all the world rethinking their sick consumption habits ^^
I also think this is a really interesting trend and it's cool to see you unpack it! I grew up very low income, and honestly I think de-stigmatising re-using things or not having the latest trendy version of a thing would have been really helpful to my younger self. I always felt a bit embarrassed about my old lunch containers instead of having cute lunch boxes or having the same pencil case for years or whatever. In a way I still feel like that, so these videos make me feel kind of relieved that everyone doesn't have beautiful, coordinated everything in their homes when I'm re-using takeout containers to store loads of things. On the other hand - I do think the down-side is to internalise climate anxiety and see our duty to fix the problems of capitalism as individuals. There's no ethical consumption under capitalism, after all - low, or under or over consumption! We can all pitch in to make small changes, but the biggest change we can make is holding the system to account.
The best way to hold a capitalistic system to account is by not buying into it. By buying only what you need and nothing more, you're effectively telling the system it doesn't work for you. If enough people are doing it, we should expect a change to the system, but that will also require activism (voting, petitioning...) on a much larger scale than what happens today.
Next trend should be underconsumption of social media-core ✨ It’s great for the environment (and just plain sensible) to only have one water bottle, but why people feel the need to share that fact on the internet really boggles my mind 😅
One way to look at this trend is to think that it trivializes a serious issue. But another, (imo) more productive way to look at it is that it sheds light on our consumption habits and makes consumption reduction "cool" for folks who might not otherwise have thought about it. You seem like you naturally think with a sustainability mindset, which is great. I think a lot of social media is built around consumption, so I'm happy that this trend exists as counterprogramming to that.
i think posting about this is a way of finding community in this late state capitalist world with severe lack of third-place-meeting opportunities and provides you with hopefully like minded folks that you otherwise wouldnt have met within your reach. then you may feel less alone and also better about yourself/your life. being online so much and posting can have different reasons: other hobbies to pass your time are often expensive/exclusive/out of reach/maybe youre too tired from your minimum wage job to actually DO something after hours; maybe mental health issues dont allow ppl to do other things but therapy is also often out of reach to ppl
@@marymcnally2552 'Counterprogramming' is a great word for it. Like, yes, this way of living is quite normal for most people, but for the tiktok-pilled, easily influenced folks who may not have these values yet, hopefully it will get them into a more reasonable way of thinking than the previous overconsumptive trends popular on social media
I think in the case of "only one water bottle" as a thing: it is a reactionary movement to the whole "people collecting stanley cups because tik tok said so". Some kids were bullied at school and everything so in my opinion it is an effort to normalise/ make cool owning one and only one.
@@maltebubenheim2007 this is turning into a nice parallel discussion 👌 Obviously you’re right, and I’m not judging people for finding entertainment or comfort or a sense of community online. I’m also posting this on youtube, so I know. But social media companies, whether we like it or not, are a part of the problem, and I personally don’t believe that they’ll be a part of the sollution. I’ve seen sustainability turned into yet another way to make money a bit too often to have that hope.
it does seem like if they'd just called it conscious consumption or low waste or something, there might be fewer pedantic arguments. although people would find a way.
lol I agree this would be a better term! seems like people went with "under" because it contrasts with "over"consumption and didn't think about it too hard after that hahah
That's why I start calling the way I buy things 'conscious consumption'. I go through 'are there alternatives to this product that are better for me or for the environment?' I'm also not doing it to be trendy.
I agree with your comments about the over-critical angry comments being projection and guilt based honestly. They feel bad when they see influencers living with less, the feel bad when influencers have more. There's no way to win except not comparing yourself or the things you have to what other people have
I agree with your theory about people feeling judged. I personally really like underconsumption-core videos. As a low-income person, social media used to make me feel like nice aesthetics came at a price point that I just couldn't reach. To me, the videos are just a reminder to appreciate what I have and that a well-used item can be aesthetic too. It's nice. And I don't know why folks are getting so upset about it. I think, like you said, they're feeling discomfort for other reasons. Also, it seems like people think that content has a moral component to it, when really it's just entertainment. So many times, someone will post some part of their life, and everyone in the comments will be arguing over whether their actions are good or bad. Sometimes a video is just a video.
I gave myself the challenge to use up all my make uo before buying something new (unless it is something I cant replace with other products I have). So far it has taken me THREE years to use up: - all the small sample-size products - a highlighter pan - a 24 color eyeshadow palette - a contour pan - a blush pan - 1 mascara tube - 1 foundation pan - 2 concaler sticks - 3 eyeliners - 4 chapsticks - 1 single bullet lipstick. I STILL have more than half of the products I started with!! In between, however, I've been gifted many products. Even some that were already worn but the previous owner. This challange has been really impactful for me. I had a period in my life in which I obssesed over make up and now I can see and feel the REAL weight of all those things I bough without giving it a second thought. They still work, but I never realized I would be puting on the same lipstick as five years ago. In conclusion, make up is closer to a pet than I would have imagined!
Speaking of that, I now decided to buy the "travel size" version of a product instead of the regular size one (e.g. mascara, concealer, etc...) Even if the regular sized ones is much more convenient in terms of money, I would never be able to use even half of the product before the expiration date. Only then, I'm able to use most of it, but I understand this works only for people who don't wear make up on a daily basis...
I'm a makeup art enthusiast, so I do own a lot of color cosmetics (mostly powder eyeshadow) but haven't purchased any new since 2021 😅. I've also received gifts and PR on my tiny nano insta. I don't think I'll ever go on the bender I did from 2020-2021 again, panning has taught me some major lessons! And I also buy travel sizes if I do want something that's not an everyday use item. Powder products don't go bad as quickly as liquid and cream so I do buy those full size, and cream products I buy mini wherever I can if I'm interested in a new shade of lipstick. I mostly wear lip gloss and oil so I don't even buy lipstick anymore.
as someone who grew up poor and in a very small house, i LOVE underconsumption. i grew up in a household that always valued using what you have over buying new, even if that means fixing it. i’m in college now, but im currently staying with my parents for the summer and i am currently using a duct taped broom to sweep the floor, and we make coffee in a french press pitcher without a handle. another thing that i think really contributes to overconsumption in society is the need for convenience, and as someone with ADHD i get it, but at the same time people are tossing things that have something “wrong” that doesn’t actually hinder the serviceability of the product, just makes it need a little more effort or to use it differently. take our french press pitcher for example - the actual press part of it is still perfectly usable, but there’s just no handle, so we literally just make coffee as normal and then use pot holders to pour coffee. i think a lot of people would start looking for a new one, and i’m not saying i judge those people for that, but i think with how capitalism is really pushing to buy new all the time and pushing for convenience as a societal value, i think a lot of peoples knee jerk reaction is to buy new at the slightest bit of “unusability”. Growing up in the house i did, we have always really valued being thrifty and using what we have before we buy new, and that mostly came from literally not being able to afford new, but it’s really shaped my values of consumption. Also, with the house being so small, it’s literally sometimes counterintuitive for us to buy everything new because we don’t have the space. Overall, though we didn’t have a lot growing up, I wouldn’t change it for the world because it has made me value underconsumption, independence, and fixing over buying.
tl;dr it's hard these days to not try to fix every problem by buying something I was really proud this week for talking myself out of buying a new teapot. I want to cut down on my caffeine intake and I was thinking that I should get a smaller teapot for that goal (you can't really brew half a teapot cuz the tea strainer doesn't go all the way down), but then I decided I could pour off a cup of brewed tea into a bottle to keep in the fridge. And then every couple of days I would have a day's worth of tea waiting for me.
Unfortunately there is a segment of the population that feels the need to put other people (often younger generations) "in their place" by mocking whatever new term is trending. I say this as a Gen Xer who works with millennials and a Gen Z. I've never been cool so I don't worry too much about being out of touch but ooo boy, I see some of my Gen and older getting hot about absolutely nothing that should concern them. Maybe because they're unhappy with their own life. Sometimes I get annoyed by trivial things too, and I try to remind myself that unless their choices directly impact my job, safety, or family, it's none of my business.
underconsumption is such a funny concept because it implies you're not consuming enough, rather than the "right" amount or too much. it seems like for it to be true underconsumption, there would be some deprivation involved? or like, so little consumption that businesses can't function, if you're looking from the economic perspective. it seems like zero waste could be considered underconsumption maybe but it doesn't sound like that's where it's going? i don't personally believe that anything is truly zero waste, but I like zero waste content in terms of ways to cut down the waste in one's life and repurpose things that you might generally throw away. (my personal favorite is drying citrus peel to use as a seasoning, i love having dried orange, lemon, and lime zest to use in my cooking and baking).
I hate the use of "core" tacked onto almost everything. It's stupid. I agree that projection is very common. I am also glad that I'm not on TikTok. I think the 'trend' is also born of the whole 'let's share my entire life' thing that is all over social media. I remember remarking a while ago (apparently it's no longer a trend) about how dumb it seemed to me to post pictures of food or post you were really tired or happy or whatever with pictures taken just about anywhere possible. My feeling was 'who cares'? I kind of feel that way about this, too, unless it's in a 'here are some things people can do to consume less' way and not in a 'this is how I under-consume' way. I've been thrift shopping most of my adult life, as well as recycling, but I don't have the need to share what I do everywhere.
I mean the argument is definitely there that the core suffix can sort of cheapen the message but on the other hand the suffix can help spread the message of lessening consuming on social media
I agree - wtf does core even mean in this context 😂😂😂😂 (sometimes I feel like we as internet users are just randomly changing the definitions of words 😂)
i've felt pretty guilty about my consumptions habits but i've come to terms with a few rules/ statements that have have helped a lot. of course take these all with a grain of salt or dont take them at all! i dont care, just sharing my experience! here they are :) - sustainable lifestyles aren't that obtainable for most people, including me! i do what i can, where i can and move on - i deserve new things but i should use what i have until it doesn't work or no longer fits my needs. then i can buy a new product from a more sustainable brand (ex. you can buy yourself a new basic t-shirt if the old one doesn't fit or rips!) - if i don't love it, i don't buy it
It’s definitely gotten hazardous in some places. The subreddit r/anticonsumption is great but some people are going too far. I’ve seen posts of people putting disposable plastic in the dishwasher and reusing for years, people using disposable razors for years, and other examples of people cleaning and reusing items that are very limited use for hygiene reasons.
I grew up doing all those things too though and not for environmental reasons lol. I understand that maybe we shouldn't be promoting these practices as if it's a competition, but it's also not that dramatic
Since Covid it feels like a timeline for 10 years has happened within the last 3 years and no one can keep up. A lot of people I know just pick and choose what news and information they want to hear and forget the rest because it’s too stressful. But I unfortunately live in an area where I can’t afford to stay but more older people can and just ignore the bad things going on. Obviously not every person older than me is doing this but it feels like no one cares about anything in California🤷🏻♀️ At this point I don’t even know what to do
Thank you Liz! As a person who commented "this is normal consumption, not under" to a video a couple weeks ago, you helped me see many aspects of this trend! I appreciate that anything that is challenging overconsumption is trending on social media. The "under" bothers me a little, because it makes us feel better, like we are actively depriving ourselves to save the environment, when this is not the case in most of the videos, since having only one of most items is enough, not deprivation.
The only negative side to this trend is if people are showing off how they reuse single-use plastic containers/bottles for food and drink storage, or just continue using kitchen items in general that can be harmful to one's health. For example, teflon pans where the non-stick coating is scratched and worn, or old plastic cooking utensils and containers. Hard plastic contain BPA, a chemical linked to several health problems, including infertility, obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Also, microplastics are terrible too, a study found that we could all be consuming up to 5 grams (the equivalent of a credit card) WEEKLY , so avoid buying and using plastic stuff.
Depends on what kind of plastic it is. If it’s marked as “3” or “7”, then yeah, you probably shouldn’t use that and get rid of the packaging that is made of that. But! Most of the reusable plastic containers are made with pp plastic that is marked as “5”, and does not contain this chemical, and, in fact, so stable that containers made of this plastic are used in chemical labs. It’s easy to demonise all plastics, but it’s better and more eco-friendly to just use what you have and educate yourself a little bit.
it's important to show normal people's consumption imo. not everyone can or should be like the influencers with amazon affiliate links in their bios to sell everything they show in their videos. and it's important to show underconsumption as aspirational and positive.
I absolutely love the way you talk about this, so true!! For me personally, I love to see the core trending, because I love fashion and makeup, but also rarely use them to their death, so I have these piles and piles of stuff at home, a lot of it second hand bought, but they're still piling (mostly out of fear of not having the thing after I use it up, as I should), so seeing people enjoying their things, loving them properly and using up makeup and being happy just makes me also happy and like,, determined to do the same with my stuff :DD
My great grandparents were married in 1932 in the middle of the Great Depression. When I was growing up, they were great at showing me how to under consume through their normal everyday actions. And I highly appreciate that.
I think the contrarian response would make more sense as an admission of a flaw if there weren't also still so many people out there who DO flaunt overconsumption as a.status symbol, showing that they can buy whatever and waste whatever and not care because they have money (and perhaps main-character syndrome).
I am not on Tik tok. I just hear about youtubers talk about this trend. I am low income right now and I grew up pretty poor. Like we were lucky if we had food on the table. So yeah it was underconsuption core... all the way. I never had the latest cool new clothes or toys, etc. All my clothes were second-hand etc. I think some of my bitterness when I hear about this trend is from the trauma of poverty. People in poverty do not get to be overconsumers in the way people at higher incomes do. We had no choice to be frugal or thrifty or have nothing. I think people who come from backgrounds like mine might see stuff like this and think oh "they wana be like us now... hahaha. " Many of us were made fun of for having less all the time. Or left out because we could not afford things that our peers had. Now less is in. It's kinda like whiplash for us. That being said I like this trend because people need to be more mindful of overconsuption. I like the idea of people showing how they actually live. I like that people can be happy with less across income levels. I hope this trend uplifts the voices of low income people. Love your videos❤ Thanks🎉
I've never lived in poverty but i completely understand how someone that has might feel about this. But also: isn't the normalization of overconpsuntion the reason why poor people are made fun of because of their underconpsuntion? Isn't the capitalistic system that benefits from overconpsuntion the reason why most low income people live in poverty in the first place? I think that low income people that feel resentful about this type of content should realize that the reason of their suffering wasn't the low conpsuntion, but the society and the economic system that benefit from their struggles and feelings. I say all of this in the most respectful way possible (and sorry about any error, english is not my first language).
I love the underconsumption-core trend, but something that has been bothering me is seeing privileged minimalists trying to pass as regular people, like, you got to spend 4,000 dollars on your now only pair of sunglasses five years ago, I got three from the thrift over the course of my late teens and still wear them, we are not the same. I feel like it has to do with the minimalist movement typically portrayed on social media being outdated because of its lack of connection to regular people; highly aesthetically pleasing all white homes and tiny apartments accompanied by the assumption that our problem is having too much stuff and having the money to invest in high quality items in order to fix it are no longer aspirational nor relatable after the maximalist post-COVID trend and cost of living crisis that's currently taking place
I’m not gonna name the creator directly, but a youtuber that I used to watch who has made underconsumption core content also has also said in a previous video that she bought a smart device that opens and closes her curtains based on the temperature outside. Which is one of the reasons why I no longer eff with bourgeoisie environmentalists.
I feel you. While I love the principles of minimalism, it has become too much of an aesthetic, that not everyone can afford. Same happened to zero waste. Everyone threw out their plasticware and bought aesthetic glass stuff and other fancy reusables instead in order to shop at wholefoods and other expensive supermarkets. However zero waste looks quite a lot like underconsumption, because it means also repairing stuff and upcycling and repurposing things, but that's the rather unsexy side of it so poeple bought more into thr aesthetic that the true principles. I hope that with the underconsumption trend we get to see exactly this. The ugly side of owning things beyond their shiny and new era. Used and well loved makeup, mended clothes, random repurposed items. It normalizes owning "ugly" items and is almost like a counter aesthetic to all the over curated and colour coordinated trends on social media. I hope that these aspects of unsightliness and chaos and the stories behind certain items will become the pillars of this -core aesthetic. This would gradually rule out more curated content of grifting creators and make space for real authentic people of different economic backgrounds.
This!! There's a huge difference between people who want to LARP being low income because it's cool and aesthetic at the moment and those who don't have a choice in the matter. Just leaves a weird taste in my mouth.
I think you are spot ON! I think it's totally in the comments and in the guilt. And also in the urge to be snotty 😁 I watched a commentary on this same topic and someone wrote something like "Another excuse for rich people to LARP as poor people" And I said something like "I think this is just people being thrifty" and I got ATTACKED! Is this not crazy? Is it me?
I still think it's a shame some people in this "trend" don't maintain their clothes. You can live a very thrifty and low consumption life AND have clean and mended clothes.
And, as someone who lived under the poverty line in my country (not anymore) it irks me. I had to be super careful about my clothes to "pass" as someone with an average income, so I could keep my job. Seeing people who, clearly, can learn to mend or pay someone to do it and still choose to go buy with ragged clothes just because they are influencers and "trendy" is mind blowing.
@@cassandrak9890 i feel like mending content is pretty common on social media but i guess that's just my bubble? i see more visible mending posts than i ever have in the past. i love it and i want to learn to do more
@@cassandrak9890 I was taught to sew when I was younger and I’ve never had to get anything tailored or throw something away because of holes. I wish more people were taught these tricks because they can be life saving!
Liz, I love your content so much and I was so excited to see you cover this! My only little thing I will say is when people say that some underconsumption-core habits are hazardous by the way of expired makeup etc., I think it comes from the knowledge people are getting from real makeup artists and dermatologists talking about the dangers of using expired products on the platform itself as well as UA-cam (luxeria, James and Robert welsh etc) People on the internet especially can become hyper vigilant and I can understand wanting to tell people about the knowledge you just gained. You can get horrible eye infections from expired mascara, or eyeliner due to bacterial growth on a well loved product. It had impacted people who have become blinded by products including expired lash glue and chemicals on fake eyelashes. You can get sores on your lips from lip products way past their date because the chemical bonds break down post expiry and they can have unexpected effects on skin. The more knowledge you gain, I think it’s normal to have a spike in people talking about it a lot before it comes down and becomes more normalizes. We know we shouldn’t drink expired milk, but most people don’t even realize their beloved eyeshadow palette is expired and harboring harmful bacteria because they’ve used their fingers and dirty makeup brushes for 3 years on it everyday. To conclude, I don’t think people who might be a little upset over some habits are necessarily projecting but I can also understand that if you feel “called out”, one should check themselves first and understand why they feel that way before saying someone is being preachy or judgmental.
i’ve seen a lot of people making their own candles in glasses that aren’t heat safe, thus causing the glass to heat up and explode. animals and kids get hurt by this, it’s not an uncommon thing. :( i’ve also seen people using their old chargers that are sparking and just taping them up. the comments on these videos do tend to be forewarning to the creator and urging them to not promote this specific idea since it can be dangerous (house fires) i agree with everything else you mentioned though :)
I have to appreciate your bare background for this video - not sure if intentional or not but amazing. There are so many sides to this coin and excited to hear your take. For me, it’s been helpful and encouraging to have the messaging around - my husband and I just went out and got a cheap leather conditioner/wood polish and finished two pieces of furniture, polished several pairs of shoes, and two leather jackets. We spent $30 and an hour doing this and now we have at least 12 material goods that feel brand new and that tbh we might have decluttered otherwise! Trying to get into the habit of care and repair, as someone who came from a suburban upbringing where if it looked old and worn out, it had to go 😢
I’m honestly super appreciative of this trend. I don’t think there’s any harm in this trend and if anything it’s super positive because 1. it’s opening up discourse on our consumption especially as Americans! 2. It’s honestly made social media more refreshing and i personally feel more grateful for what i have and less influenced to want more 3. It's promoting a more sustainable form of consumption compared to the maximalist and giant shopping haul culture thats been especially rampant in the last decade. I'm all for it and i hope this is a small step toward Americans shifting their views on consumption and moving toward a more sustainable way of living. Also, i think its important to remember that our individual choices and consumer habits have an impact and potential consequence BUT normal individual consumption is a drop in the bucket compared to what corporations and the 1% are doing in regard to sustainability. hopefully more people talking about lower consumption will force those in higher places to change ❤
i have an absurd amount of anxiety caused by my consumption habits ever since i started reading about sustainability, so for me personally this trend just adds fuel to the fire that is my constant obssesive thoughts about if my level of consumption is too much, am i killing the planet, i dont deserve to buy myself this very basic thing etc
Oh gosh, I can sympathise with this! It's so tough, I tie myself in knots over like whether I should get some food product because it comes in plastic and so on and so on.... I try and remind myself that climate change a collective problem with collective solution and that I can help a little bit but the difference I make as one person is only small. I've started advocating for change at work or with local community or voting differently and try and see that as making a bigger differece. It's so hard though!
Not saying you necessarily have this, but you might be interested in reading about moral OCD. I think the constant oversharing of people's personal lives on social media promotes this sort of panopticon feeling where you feel like you might be watched and judged at all times, so you start policing your own behaviour, which isn't the same as comfortably changing your behaviour. I can relate to having a lot of anxiety about buying new things, and a fair bit of my stress is around not knowing how to get rid of old things "sustainably", even though our society isn't really set up to allow an individual to do that. It really sucks to constantly be weighing up whether you're a good person, and it gets in the way of forming genuine connections with local community (the people that you're most likely to be able to help and make change with - rather than strangers on the internet)
Cut out social media for two months, distance yourself from people who fuel that feeling irl and see how you feel then. For me such anxieties and obsessions rise and fall with constant information overload.
like the comment said before me^ try taking a break from consuming MEDIA .. social media, tiktok, even youtube. the need to buy all these new things wont be as strong if you aren’t looking at a million ads everyday, or comparing urself to others with “”better, newer”” things. the guilt will eventually fade. tiktok is awful if u suffer from obsessive thoughts, the algorithm feeds you what it thinks will make u insecure / angry
One of my fave sustianabilty creators Shelbie has a saying that really helps me when the climate dread kicks in, "You can not do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do." Which basically means, we as individuals cannot do everything that needs doing to fix the planet, but all our little changes help! We can't beat ourselves up for not being able to do more. Just doing the little we can still makes a difference. ❤
Nice analysis. Regular/common lifestyles being framed as 'under' consumption would only make sense as a direct response to the millions of influencers on there pushing products. The general shift toward thrifting and the lived-in look also makes sense when you consider that many gen z are in the phase of life where they move out and start to get their own items if they can. It's not exactly novel for a low-to-middle income 20-something on their own to have a diy/thrifty "phase" and pick up or continue frugal habits. And to appreciate having that affirmed on their feeds! Now that a common phase of life/lifestyle has become a -core, brands will find their way in. There's definitely a market for affordable items that are good enough quality to only buy once, especially as more of those being marketed to on tikok begin to enter their thirties.
I’ve been homeless, I’ve been low income most of my life. I don’t care what people are doing to make underconsumption better or the economy better, I’m for it. Nobody on one side of the screen is judging you if you can’t interact with them and they don’t know who you are. I look at these kinds of things as just more opportunity to help us individually figure out how we can contribute. The only negative I can really see that can have a rebound effect is if people are so extremely non consumptive that the small and healthy secondhand shopping network that sustains our ability to cycle through things safely won’t end up in landfills (which is the whole reason reselling is better than goodwill or donation etc).
Love your voice and content. With my neurodivergence couldn’t stop starting at the vent behind you. :( You lighting is beautiful. Appreciate your definition of ‘core’. Hearing it always caused me to miss the point.
Adding -core is also an easy way to find others that are interested in what it is you are doing, thinking, etc. Most people just want to connect with like minded people. We are pack animals by nature. And historically we had that in communities, religion, clubs for sports or hobbies, but now we do that online. Having a word for something makes it ‘up-look-able’.
Definitely agree that, for at least some of these people feeling "judged", it reads as them projecting. Because the few videos I've seen of "underconsumption-core" feel very refreshing to see people living, well, normal. Not like the perfect lives we see displayed on social media. Growing up lower middle-class, yeah, a lot of it is just.... how I grew up. Then in my early days of marriage we were DIRT poor, poverty level, living with family. And now, only within the last year or two, suddenly we are living quite comfortably, but the mentality is still there.
Thanks for sharing! I'm not naturally a very reflective person, so I appreciate hearing an analysis from someone I feel I share a lot of values with. I appreciate your ability to approach the subject empathetically while sharing your opinion, and simultaneously acknowledging other points of view, your own bias, and blind spots you may have. In terms of the semantics, I think using that antonym "under" highlights the intentional choice to oppose over consumption, so the label is useful in that way. Its less about whether ones behaviour is lower or higher than the average, or "normal" consumption, but instead is about normalizing something other than overconsumption. Overall, I think the under-consumption content is a net positive thing. Instead of glorifying content that encourages consumption and lifestyles that aren't realistic for a lot of people, it's creating a space for like minded people to connect where they aren't always sharing something new and shiny. From my view I see it as creating space for a counter-culture, an alternative to what people have been seeing. So I think its positive for people to connect over things they already do, or it can be inspiration for people to change their own behaviour, or perhaps give them pause to reflect and be more intentional with their choices. I think I've been really critical of myself in the past for not doing sustainability "perfectly". But over time I've come to realize that perfection isn't realistic, and so I just do the best I can. I've also realize sometimes other factors take importance when making decisions about my consumption. One area for me is that I am going to have more food packaging waste than I want because of my celiac diagnosis. Unfortunately, shopping at a bulk store for ingredients just isn't safe for me anymore, and I prioritize my health over the waste I create. Overall, I'm on board with this new "-core", and think having that label makes finding this type of content easier, and if it helps to foster just a little more sustainability than that's a good thing.
I'm a big "buy it for life" girlie. I'm always kinda shocked at how a lot of my coworkers need to work double what i work just to support their lifestyle. But often I see them buying things they don't need or living way above their means as a status symbol. It's so odd to me. cool video by the way, I just discovered your channel and I've been binging while crocheting
If I buy something, I’m making sure it’s lasting as long as possible. I’m never going to buy a new one until I’ve gotten every last seconds worth out of the one I have and it falls apart
@@kirbthebeanI love the phrase "I'm too poor to buy cheap sh*t". Makes me think.about saving up for nice items that will last a lifetime, especially if I have trial-run the cheaper version of something and used it constanlty until it "d!ed".
I'm not on tiktok so I could be missing some nuances. But from my own sustainability journey, a reason why people may find it preachy is that there is an element of shaming that goes with it. Some sustainability influencers seem to put a lot of pressure on people to conform to their own ideals and don't acknowledge that people may be in different places in their journeys or have different needs. That can make people feel defensive too. The only negative I can see to underconsumption-core is people throwing away items from when they were over-consuming to jump on the latest trend. Besides that, it's great that it's trending.
I do my best to take care of what I have, and I have a couple pairs of shoes that have lasted me for years and I’ve been wearing the same clothes for a while. If I see something I like, I’ll buy it but I’m not going to spend outrageous amounts of money on clothes that I don’t really need. I really wish social media would just normalize being normal instead of always jumping to extremes
i always saw the "core" in under consumption core as a way of "romanticize" a behavior in order to get you to try it more? you know like when someone hates studying but try to frame it as dark academia core or whatever. its just a way to romanticize it and fight the urge to consume and buy more. i personally am not rich and cant buy new things all the time, but as someone that is into fashion and makeup, its so refreshing to see a trend that for once DOESNT make me want to buy something, but encourage us to use what we already have without feeling the guilt of wanting new and trendy things all the time. I've also been seeing a lot of "project pan" on my tl, that encourages us makeup and hair girlies to use what we have until the end and seeing the progress of what we actually use before buying new things. its so refreshing and interesting, i love this trend!!
The worst “hazard” videos I’ve seen are cars missing whole consoles, broken wires, doors, locks etc…that are very dangerous and idk how their cars pass inspection 💀
Loved this video! Such a thoughtful breakdown of the trend, I didn’t understand the people posting their overconsumption either but your unpacking of the situation makes so much sense to me. I think the trend is a great start to open people’s eyes to how normalized it has become to overconsume but obviously it just scratches the surface
This is such a first world discussion it feels like a comedy sketch 😂😂😂 (love your content, btw. And as someone who follows a lot of minimalist, thrifty, environmental conscious people, this was my thought every time I saw someone talking about it).
Honestly I hope that “hypercomsumers” feel judged. I’m personally judging them😂 we all have a shared responsibility to examine our own behaviors and how they impact ourselves, those around us, and our planet. If we can change the narrative that over consumption behaviors ARE problematic instead of aspirational, I think we could see real change on the consumer end
Very well said. One of the things I really appreciate about your videos is the emphasis on personal style & using your own wardrobe over trends. I’ve found it surprisingly difficult to find other fashion UA-camrs who aren’t so trend-obsessed. If anyone knows of any other UA-camrs with similar values/ perspectives, please share❤ love to you & everyone reading this❤❤❤
You ate. I fully expected this to be a video just agreeing with the most popular opinions or Twitter posts (As this is what a of UA-camrs do) and was really pleasantly surprised to hear such a well thought out video.
the tiktoks you pointed out with the hoards behind the one item honestly come across more satirizing the underconsumption videos where they have “one” of a thing but that is the most trending of that one thing, like in a “are you actually only buying one thing until it’s completely used up or did you just get rid of everything you already had and just bought the new trendy thing” kind of way
I totally agree about people projecting self-judgement onto the content creator. I consider myself to be a very eco-conscious, thrifty person, but even I felt a little bad about myself the first time I saw underconsumption tiktoks. I like your perspective that it's something to aspire to, but it isn't inherently judgmental because of society constantly advertising to us and telling us to consume. The more people see this type of stuff, the better. We all have to learn to be conscious of our habits, and it doesn't happen overnight!
11:39 I've seen a bunch of tiktoks with people using chargers with the wires exposed and just taping them with electrical tape instead so there definitely are some people who take it to a dangerous degree (also seen one with a car that did not look safe to drive at all, but I also don't know anything about cars so maybe that was fine, idk). Using expired makeup isn't necessarily dangerous, but when people start using expired sunscreen or even medication/vitamins, it at best doesn't have the same effect anymore, and at worst can cause allergic reactions or clash with other medications you take. That being said, there's not a lot of people I've doing this compared to people doing not dangerous things, so I wouldn't exactly say the trend has "gone too far", it's just that a few people take it too far as is with most trends.
I’ve always desired the idea of minimalism, but didn’t feel like I could achieve it simply because of the look. However, I love the idea of under consumption because it embodies so many practical and realistic values I love that it doesn’t have a particular look, but the message of it is what’s highlighted!
Underconsumption and normal consumption are not entirely subjective terms, even at an individual level. Consumption of goods and services requires consumption of energy, which is measured as per capita energy use. There are massive inequalities in energy consumption around the world. To give you an example, an average American consumes the same amount of energy in a month that an average Indian consumes in a year. I think it’s perfectly reasonable to call out the fact that none of these “underconsumption” video creators have any idea what true underconsumption looks or feels like. To someone like me watching from a third world country, this trend reeks of ignorance and privilege!
I can't say I agree with this take. Surely underconsumption on social media is being compared to overconsumption on social media, not consumption made by the average consumer in the world. There are people who talk about overconsuming as a point of pride (as seen in this video), but would we say, "There are billionaires who consume more than you. It is ignorant/privileged to say you're overconsuming"?
It would be hard not to roll my eyes at underconsumptioncore if i were in your shoes. But this trend is, ideally, trying to improve on the inequality of energy consumption between developing and developed nations. That inequality is huge and complex and won't go away overnight, nor will it be changed by individual behavior alone. Still, people are doing what they can and sharing their tips and tricks, which is better than doing nothing! Progress over perfection.
@@brittanytyler2620 I sorta think it's like a food/nutrition. A fitness influencer that promotes "less bad" content shouldn't be given a pass just because they previously had worse nutrition advice or just because there's another influencer that's more deranged. The problem with "regular consumption" being advertised as "normal consumption" is problematic. For example, the rightside post at 6:35 of this video claims that it's normal to keep buying makeup palettes even if you have one. That is, by most reasonable definitions of the word, overconsumption. Normalizing that as "you're doing enough, in fact, you're really consuming less than most people" is dangerous because it's still promoting unhealthy shopping habits. And I say this as a person that *is* someone who buys more makeup than I need. I recommend anyone interested in this topic to read the book "The art of frugal hedonism" which really opened my eyes to how much of what's advertised as regular is over consumption by the standards of most of history.
I hate to be that person but...isn't it better that people try to consume less? I know from your shoes it looks preachy and condescending, but isn't the messaging overall better to help close the gap and do the planet and people a favor (even if it is small)?
@@brittanytyler2620people from all over the world consume content on social media, not just people from the western world. By putting content on social media, one opens themselves up to reactions and criticism from users across the world. Also, critiquing “underconsumption” which is actually “normal” consumption does not automatically mean that I’m not critical of overconsumption or that I’m being critical of those condemning overconsumption. Overconsumption is bad. Period.
More of this style of content please, you have some really great things to say and some hot takes, we love a stylish and intellectual woman, what a double threat
I am kinda worried people are missing the point by making it an aesthetic. Everything that is produced is using resources, energy, and often underpaid labor. It’s upsetting to see people throw away perfectly good furniture, clothing, and house items when they could have been donated and it’s confusing that people aren’t aware of the work and resources that go into these objects. It’s not about who can do “underconsumption” the best, it’s about being mindful of the impact your purchases have on the environment and the people who make them. Also you’re totally right that when you don’t have a ton of money, you’re doing these things anyway because you automatically are more aware of your consumption. That’s part of why these videos always felt a bit off to me. Great video!
My Only gripe with this all, is that in this day and age. It seems like influencer trendy type of people can only seem to follow things when it’s a ‘trend’. Not on their own or free will. Maybe it’s just me, but it paints a picture that people are no longer thinking for themselves anymore. And that when they do stuff like this, there’s a sense of trying to show off.
Great video! I love that in the past 2 years or so that we've had de-influencing and underconsumption-core, and there's a growing consciousness around the fact that how the world currently operates just isn't sustainable or enjoyable. Like, who really enjoys looking for entertainment online and then being bombarded with ads and reminders of how little money you earn? And I can imagine that these kinds of sentiments happen often, particularly in times of economic downturn but we just didn't have the internet and social media panopticon before. And, unfortunately, even with the best intentions, even seemingly anti-capitalist or anti-consumerist messages end up getting swallowed by the same things they're fighting. But if showing worn out shoes or old phones gets at least 1-2 more people to think a bit more about their habits, that's a win.
Great, thoughtful video. Underconsumptioncore is clearly one social media phenomenon specifically responding to another one (hauls etc.) and people responding as if it’s a critique of their regular daily, unfilmed lives are missing the point.
I think this trend is pretty neat, I appreciate the exposure of "normal" consumption levels because let's face it, overconsumption IS encouraged and normalised online. It's refreshing to see that this is not reflected in people's real lives! We're shifting the Overton window little by little. I remember when it was really frowned upon to thrift clothes and now it's cool and aspirational.
i feel like this is more an example of "deinfluencing" which i think all your points also suggest. i think people are waking up from this dream of constant desire and marketing and begin to see the hoards of stuff around them and become overwhelmed by it thus feel shame/guilt/defensive. i know i have been feeling this lately as well, but that seems to be where some of the discourse may be coming from. (and i totally have a 10 yr lipstick for the record...smells fine looks fine i'm like we're good)
I agree with this video!! Very good points made 😊 I think that social media (as you mentioned in the video) LOVES to overdramatize things. Often times these "standards" for "underconsumtion" vs. "overconsumption" are WAYY too high. And I think (as with most labels) it depends on personal factors. Perhaps income, availability, etc. There is nothing wrong with "underconsumtion" just as much as there is nothing wrong with "normal" consumption. I really liked the metaphor you used with chocolate. It tastes good, and maybe even feels great! But there is a point to where eating too much can make you sick. Just with pretty much anything else. What I have learned is that the main issue here is that people LOVE to be so opinionated without the knowledge or understand of another's situation. The main thing we need to work on as a society is learning to look outside the box of our own minds and situations rather than being judgemental. And this goes for both sides. For example, I thrift my clothes because my style and way of self expression tends to lean more for the "type" of clothing being resold. But somebody like my mom may not find what they are looking for. It does not mean anybody is "over consuming". They just tend to lean more towards certain things. On another note, so many "sustainable" options are more expensive. Maybe all somebody can afford is packaging with plastic. Because that is what is available in their range. On the other hand, maybe another person likes keeping things nice and organized with all of their new gadgets and supplies. Either way, the packaging that most things come in gets thrown away. We need to step away from the "standards" of how to live based on content from the internet and just do what's best for us as individuals. And yes, there is unfortunately overconsumption that nobody will be able to control. Because that may be what somebody feels like they need. Whether that is or isn't "right" is not for us to decide.
I tend to find content about "under-consumption" helpful and refreshing from the constant need to consume and feel like I have everything. The truth is, it would never be enough anyway. For me, this content has shown me that consuming the next best thing is not always needed, and I can look at it from the perspective that this content has shown me ways in which I can be sustainable. But for that sustainability to also be attainable for my lifestyle. I am low income. So I cannot afford "overconsumption" even if I wanted to. Just as much as I can't afford some of the sustainable options. Because, as I've said before, they can be pretty expensive. So I have to allow myself that. Whether or not I achieve the "most" sustainability will not change the fact that this earth is already suffering. At the same time, I can take steps to sustain certain things in my life that is sustainable for me. It just seems like everybody wants control over the next person. Which can be considered "over-consumptiom" in itself. We do what works best for US and that is what's important. For example, I only ever see ads for fresh dog food made with natural ingredients. While yes, that is the healthier option and more sustainable for the environment, I am in no place to afford that. It doesn't make me a bad dog-parent. I choose affordable options, even if that is just normal kibble, because the most important thing is that my dog eats. An example of "underconsumtion" is that I am an avid candle user. I re-use my candle jars to contain miscellaneous things. It's not necessarily to "save the earth", because I know that I alone cannot, but more because it is more financially sustainable for me to reuse these things so that I can put that little bit of money towards something else. Another example, I bought a used car. But that car needs maintained, and it's parts will need to be replaced every once in awhile. I am not consuming "too much" or "too little" I am doing what is right for me, and that is what's important. Like I said earlier, I tend to enjoy this type of content because at the "core" (no pun intended) these people are doing what is right for them. And often times their creativity is pretty amazing and helpful to see!
I love this video and agree with every word you say here! I'm loving this trend right now, I've been living like this my whole life and am happy to see it being normalised. I feel that I have been judged for my lifestyle so often in my life, but I'm lucky to be someone who doesn't care too much about that. So many people around me are deep in debt because they are trying to keep up with all the overconsumption that they are under the impression of being "the normal way of living". Regarding the people who post their overconsumption content as a snotty reply to this trend...this might be a hot take and I might get some anger for it, but it seems to me that overconsumption is in some ways like an addiction, and people are often in denial about their addictive behaviours. Getting defensive is definitely something people might do when confronted about their addictive behaviour.
The comments you shared on the screen about a makeup bag being a biohazard just shows how we’ve fallen for this narrative that everything needs to be replaced after a couple years (for no apparent reason other than “it’s old”).
i like this trend because there is an acknowledgement of hyperconsumption... and I'm all for conscious consuming tbh not just purchasing whenever we feel like it
Great video. I’m happy for this “trend” as I really dislike Haul videos and do my best not to follow creators who make them. I agree that people in comments who feel “judged” are most likely projecting!
One thing that bothers me about these tiktoks is how aesthetically minimalist the trend tends to be. Like neutral clothes, neutral makeup, no wall art etc. I remember when I first got into sustainability being put off by how little colour there was.
I feel like there's a difference between giving an alternative perspective to "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality you often see on SoMe, and to making a new unobtainable norm that puts on an equal amount of pressure. Not that I've seen that yet with this trend, but I think it might be an issue that could develop over time. Great video ❤
okay nothing to do with the actual subject of the video but one of the ads you posted as an example is Eliza Faulkner and she’s a Canadian designer and all of her clothing is made locally in Montreal. She’s a super lovely and talented person and you should check out her stuff. For designer clothing it’s not crazy expensive especially if you are going to wear the piece for years and really appreciate it. I also love checking out the end of season sales and she also does sample sales as well at the end of seasons. She also works a lot in linen and natural fibres which I love.
I care about the planet too. And i still overconsum sometimes, that doesnt mean i dont have good values , it means im feeling stressed asf, and need to buy myself somthing for the dopamine , and guesse what i am working on better ways to cope but that takes lots of time and its not easy
Thank you for this video! I love this format, I think it'd be very interesting to dig even deeper into sociology. I'd also be interested to know if the trend stays with time and how it transforms. I wasn't aware of this trend as I'm not on TikTok anymore but I think it's overall positive that people take a step back and try to rethink their consumption. Also I'm from Belgium and I have this feeling that it's bigger in the US than in Europe but I may be mistaken. Anyhow, thanks again I'd love more of this type of content! I really do think analyzing trends says a lot about our society. (also, just discovered make up has an expiration date, oops)
Wonderful video Liz. It's kind of sad that people will argue about anything and everything. I don't think there is anything wrong with this trend, but I don't think its anything new (I do think its stupid that people are accusing these influencers as "appropriating" poverty for just normally consuming their stuff. Poverty isn't a culture, and normal consumption isn't poverty.) I grew up low income and "too rich" for financial help, and all of our close friends who lived near us were on food stamps. I've always had second hand clothing, I don't wear much makeup, I use all my shampoo and skincare products until they're out. Honestly, I'm not upset that this trend is promoting self reflection. Its better for the planet and for us, but to me, its not a new thing.
About the overconsumption core: I think it has to do with class. Most middle class people I know are living like the underconsumption core implies. But most middle class people I know have a background in/ or work in academics which makes them technically "low income" but because they had access to education their whole life, they are NOT "working class". Middle class children may grow up with thrifted books, but they grow up with books nonetheless. Middle class wealth lies mainly in education, not in material possessions. Meanwhile, I observed a lot of working class people trying to accumulate a lot of stuff because owning 17 lipsticks signals wealth to them. It's like the classes learned a different set of signifiers. I also think that cultural background matters a lot. What is considered "poor" in germany is totally different than US poor or brazilian poor. For example: I come from a german middle class family and everyone I know thinks the Kardashians are poor. Not in money ofc but they are poor in values and in education (which might not be true, but this is how we perceive them). They use heavy makeup, have fake nails, extensions and altered their body to fit into weird trends. The only people I know who (try to) look like that are all from low income families. I don't think that this is a german thing - even though germans might be more frugal than other nations - I think that this is the same thing the "old money asthaetic" adressed. New rich and old rich have a different set of signifiers and they clash in the over/underconsumption core "debate"
9:38 I have definitely seen videos where the level of underconsumption has gone into hazardous behavior. Specifically i’ve seen multiple examples of people using objects like straighteners and blowdryers broken with wiring exposed, which is most definitely a fire hazard!
Loved this analysis! I think there's so many reasons why underconsumption is trending, like obviously inflation and the economy being bad like you mentioned, and also the curiosity people have started have about finding one's own personal style. I'm hoping that underconsumption-core, 75 hard challenge etc just help steer the collective towards more sustainable methods to showcase their personal style (and to find their style if they haven't already)! I love fashion, but it's such a double edged sword because it is also a very wasteful industry. Hopefully things like this will help people slowly change their perspective on consumerism :)
just touching on the “dangers of underconsumptioncore” around 10-11:00ish minute mark - yes the examples of expired makeup does make the “safety concerns” sound a bit frivolous. on my fyp, I did see specific posts tagged as underconsumption showing electronics, ie. portable phone chargers, cable chargers and appliances, that had frayed electrics or missing cases that would pose a genuine safety hazard. on those posts is where I saw most comments encouraging the creator to buy a new electronic etc
I support anything that encourages people to consider the impact of their consumption. Sure it might just seem like a silly trend, but stuff like this can spark real change. Minimalism was a trend a few years back, but there are lots of people who changed their lives because of it. Same with zero waste content, same with no-buy content. Anything on social media is going to be subject to criticism, but it can still have a real-world beneficial impact. I changed the way I live about 10 years ago because I got into this kind of content. Would all of the deeper research into sustainability, veganism and consumerism I’ve done since have happened had I not been intrigued by the trash jar content that was popular at the time? Who knows. But I know that content that drew a lot of criticism at the time did spark my interest in an alternative, more sustainable way of living and for that I’ll always be grateful. Hopefully the underconsumption trend will do the same for many others.
Living a normal life is not a trend. Wasting your time on Tik Tok, blindly following every made-up trend is truly bizarre. Also, caring what strangers online think of you is truly bizarre.
I love this trend AND as a therapist, any trend like this (like minimalism, etc.) gets me a bit worried for those struggling with food. We just need to be careful not to apply this too strongly to our diets 😅
So the only danger I've seen from other videos is there are people who use broke appliances. (And broken I mean its falling apart and held together in questionable ways, with exposed inner parts that were never really meant to be exposed) and its only really a hazard because its electricians. (Hair dryers, straighteners etc) so there's a risk of being hurt / getting burned, or even a fire risk.
I feel like a lot of what's labeled "under" consumption is really "just the right amount" of consumption. They use the word "under" to contrast more with over consumption. "Under" gets more clicks than "normal". Over consumption is so prevalent on social media that is is mistakenly seen as the normal baseline, so anything less than that is mistakenly dubbed "under". I also don't think that low level of consumption is (or should be) only limited to poverty. Living below your means is a common lifestyle. It means even if you could afford to over consume, you choose not to. You consume the 'just right" amount so that your actual true NEEDS are met but you don't continue buying useless stuff beyond your actual needs. I've seen a lot of commentary seeing the images from "under consumption" and saying "it's called being poor" and I feel like that's over simplifying it. As though the minute you have a little free money, you HAVE to spend it and if you aren't spending every cent then you are either 'poor' or cosplaying as poor. Maybe you just don't want those same things that everyone is supposed to want.
I think there is at least one miscommunication maybe (?), I don't know what better word to use. The people who say that it's preachy are the same people who say that content with hauls make them buy stuff but with the opposite sign. I mean, if there is such profession as influencer than we assume that content (any content) influences people. It will be the same argument but different point of view - like "Why do you feel the need to buy things you see? Are you jealous? Are you insecure? Are you tying your own worth with the worth of things you have or don't have? Well, that's on you. People are not really telling you personally to buy stuff, they are just sharing what they have bought." That's what I mean. And I feel it's kind of dishonest to ignore it in discussing why do people feel judged by this trend. We either acknowledge that this is content and it influences us, or we don't. Everything is always in our heads, but at the same time we do get influenced. And I feel like the question why does everything have to be core or trend these days is at least partly about that. Kind of like 'Why do some people share everything they buy and others everything they don't buy? Why is it even online?" What I'm trying to say is, I think, in part it is just general annoyance with the whole internet-content thing, and whenever there is a core of some kind or just even individual posts about something there are always people annoyed at it. Someone will post about their holliday trip, and someone will comment on plane fuel. Someone will post about their child being born, and someome will comment about overpopulation. Someone will post about sewing a new shirt, and someome will comment, hey, why don't you just buy one. Internet is a very strange place - everything people put here suddenly becomes content. Like everybody is making a stand all the time (even when they don't). People are just sharing there lives but on the internet it's never just that, even if they didn't mean it that way when they posted it. And the thing about being broke, I think, again there is a miscommunication there. I really feel like that at least partly such comments are about circumstances when there is no choice but to live frugal, it's not a new core, it's something in which you have no other option. And it is very different from a person with some disposable income kind of saying "oh, that's so cool and the right way" but who is not forced to do it by external circumstances. It's kind of like there is no need to help people to whom it's not a choice because that's so great. I really am talking from exprerince here. And I do think of myself as a conscious buyer and user of things)) There was part of my life when I had low-income. So right now when I'm mending a dress I'm feeling really good about it, but my behavior is a choice not a nessesity. And it's a completly different feeling when you need to mend your things or you will have no things. I don't know how to explait it well but I do feel a certain ick from some (not all!) of this "underconsumption-core content", like, well-off people playing in being poor. And again I don't think they mean it that way and I do believe they just live like that, but it does come off out of touch some of the times. But there is part of this content that just look genuine. And I do feel that maybe there is another part of it where people had to cut consumption and felt so bad about it that they decided to play it up, to have some fun with it (to romanticizes it as you said), to kind of look for support, for confirmation then that is normal, for a community, and I do hope that it is helping them, because yeah, been there
This is such thoughtful comment, thank you!! Really interesting point about being "influenced" in both directions. I find myself getting new ideas from influencers, but I don't feel inadequate or insecure when they have more than me, so I also don't feel insecure when they consume less than me. But that doesn't mean other people aren't much more affected by influencers than I am!! I can definitely appreciate that perspective (and it's very useful to keep in mind as an influencer myself). Also a really good point that it's different when it's not a choice!! The freedom to make your own choices is so important to quality of life, and being forced to do something, even if it's "good" for the world, is NOT the same as getting to make that choice for yourself
I am low-income (fixed income disabled) and I do consume less than many Americans out of necessity, but I also love the aesthetic of pre-loved items and I care about sustainability as much as I can at my income (read: “I shop at thrift stores, but still buy household items packaged in plastic because more sustainable options are too expensive”).
I do agree that “underconsumption” by US standards is still overconsumption to a lot of the world, but I appreciate the effort towards a sustainable lifestyle.
👏
Same with both fixed income and your prospective
I feel like “normal consumption” for a middle class family is a mixture of under and over consumption. My family has towels, shoes, etc that are over 20 years old but we also have random Amazon stuff (that’s new and not sustainably made or was used once and then never again). It’s easy to fall in the trap of overconsumption but also having stuff that lasts a long time as well is normal. We can always strive to be better but it’s good to accept how the system wants us to spend.
Perfectly said!
This is a really good point - I agree that “normal consumption” is often a mix of under+over consumption. Hopefully the trend does push people to recognize where they overconsume in their lives and critically question that behavior.
While trends seem to be villanized, this trend truly points to a change in the economy and a realization of the overconsumtion a lot of us suffer from.
I have seen plenty of low income individuals overconsume. I believe it comes from the public being sick of being sold to. Everything has become an ad and fast paced.
I think underconsumption is similar to cottage core. A drive to move away from the hustle and spend culture.
During a loneliness crisis, it feels parallel to a move away from materialism and a focus on true connection and happiness.
As someone that’s always been low income, it’s definitely obnoxious that when rich or popular people don’t overconsume it’s aesthetic but when I don’t overconsume it’s lame and out of trend (at least according to the capitalist nightmare side of social media). Certainly illustrates how good deeds are viewed differently depending on how much social capita someone has. However, if making under-/normal consumption an aesthetic makes more people develop those good habits, this trend can have a good impact.
This is what annoys me about this trend. Influencers acting as if it's innovative and trendy to e.g. reuse plastic containers as lunchboxes, while some of us normal people got bullied for it.
And I disagree with "They just show how have been living like this before already". The ones I saw literally were convinced it was innovative
usually, I'd agree on the hope and some people will surely be influenced by it, but I fear as a trend it will firstly lead to artificially produced items that fit the aesthethic and lead to more overconsumption and then the trend will fade
Like it’s “what’s classy if you are rich but trashy if you are poor” all over again
this, exactly this! pretty much what i wanted to type and now i don't have to because you already put it into words perfectly :)
we can only wish for the trend to explode and suddenly all the world rethinking their sick consumption habits ^^
Yes 100% agree with this. Like how tiny homes are cool, but living in a trailer park is not
I also think this is a really interesting trend and it's cool to see you unpack it! I grew up very low income, and honestly I think de-stigmatising re-using things or not having the latest trendy version of a thing would have been really helpful to my younger self. I always felt a bit embarrassed about my old lunch containers instead of having cute lunch boxes or having the same pencil case for years or whatever. In a way I still feel like that, so these videos make me feel kind of relieved that everyone doesn't have beautiful, coordinated everything in their homes when I'm re-using takeout containers to store loads of things.
On the other hand - I do think the down-side is to internalise climate anxiety and see our duty to fix the problems of capitalism as individuals. There's no ethical consumption under capitalism, after all - low, or under or over consumption! We can all pitch in to make small changes, but the biggest change we can make is holding the system to account.
I agree on the de-stigmatising point so much!
Love this! 🎉
The best way to hold a capitalistic system to account is by not buying into it. By buying only what you need and nothing more, you're effectively telling the system it doesn't work for you. If enough people are doing it, we should expect a change to the system, but that will also require activism (voting, petitioning...) on a much larger scale than what happens today.
Next trend should be underconsumption of social media-core ✨ It’s great for the environment (and just plain sensible) to only have one water bottle, but why people feel the need to share that fact on the internet really boggles my mind 😅
One way to look at this trend is to think that it trivializes a serious issue. But another, (imo) more productive way to look at it is that it sheds light on our consumption habits and makes consumption reduction "cool" for folks who might not otherwise have thought about it.
You seem like you naturally think with a sustainability mindset, which is great. I think a lot of social media is built around consumption, so I'm happy that this trend exists as counterprogramming to that.
i think posting about this is a way of finding community in this late state capitalist world with severe lack of third-place-meeting opportunities and provides you with hopefully like minded folks that you otherwise wouldnt have met within your reach. then you may feel less alone and also better about yourself/your life. being online so much and posting can have different reasons: other hobbies to pass your time are often expensive/exclusive/out of reach/maybe youre too tired from your minimum wage job to actually DO something after hours; maybe mental health issues dont allow ppl to do other things but therapy is also often out of reach to ppl
@@marymcnally2552 'Counterprogramming' is a great word for it. Like, yes, this way of living is quite normal for most people, but for the tiktok-pilled, easily influenced folks who may not have these values yet, hopefully it will get them into a more reasonable way of thinking than the previous overconsumptive trends popular on social media
I think in the case of "only one water bottle" as a thing: it is a reactionary movement to the whole "people collecting stanley cups because tik tok said so". Some kids were bullied at school and everything so in my opinion it is an effort to normalise/ make cool owning one and only one.
@@maltebubenheim2007 this is turning into a nice parallel discussion 👌 Obviously you’re right, and I’m not judging people for finding entertainment or comfort or a sense of community online. I’m also posting this on youtube, so I know. But social media companies, whether we like it or not, are a part of the problem, and I personally don’t believe that they’ll be a part of the sollution. I’ve seen sustainability turned into yet another way to make money a bit too often to have that hope.
it does seem like if they'd just called it conscious consumption or low waste or something, there might be fewer pedantic arguments. although people would find a way.
lol I agree this would be a better term! seems like people went with "under" because it contrasts with "over"consumption and didn't think about it too hard after that hahah
I remember be an in college the trend was “zero waste” and people felt super attacked by that term as well. I think words get in the way sometimes
Mindful consumption?
That's why I start calling the way I buy things 'conscious consumption'. I go through 'are there alternatives to this product that are better for me or for the environment?' I'm also not doing it to be trendy.
@@doricetimko5403 I like that term too
I agree with your comments about the over-critical angry comments being projection and guilt based honestly. They feel bad when they see influencers living with less, the feel bad when influencers have more. There's no way to win except not comparing yourself or the things you have to what other people have
I agree with your theory about people feeling judged. I personally really like underconsumption-core videos. As a low-income person, social media used to make me feel like nice aesthetics came at a price point that I just couldn't reach. To me, the videos are just a reminder to appreciate what I have and that a well-used item can be aesthetic too. It's nice. And I don't know why folks are getting so upset about it. I think, like you said, they're feeling discomfort for other reasons. Also, it seems like people think that content has a moral component to it, when really it's just entertainment. So many times, someone will post some part of their life, and everyone in the comments will be arguing over whether their actions are good or bad. Sometimes a video is just a video.
I gave myself the challenge to use up all my make uo before buying something new (unless it is something I cant replace with other products I have). So far it has taken me THREE years to use up:
- all the small sample-size products
- a highlighter pan
- a 24 color eyeshadow palette
- a contour pan
- a blush pan
- 1 mascara tube
- 1 foundation pan
- 2 concaler sticks
- 3 eyeliners
- 4 chapsticks
- 1 single bullet lipstick.
I STILL have more than half of the products I started with!! In between, however, I've been gifted many products. Even some that were already worn but the previous owner.
This challange has been really impactful for me. I had a period in my life in which I obssesed over make up and now I can see and feel the REAL weight of all those things I bough without giving it a second thought. They still work, but I never realized I would be puting on the same lipstick as five years ago.
In conclusion, make up is closer to a pet than I would have imagined!
Speaking of that, I now decided to buy the "travel size" version of a product instead of the regular size one (e.g. mascara, concealer, etc...) Even if the regular sized ones is much more convenient in terms of money, I would never be able to use even half of the product before the expiration date. Only then, I'm able to use most of it, but I understand this works only for people who don't wear make up on a daily basis...
I'm a makeup art enthusiast, so I do own a lot of color cosmetics (mostly powder eyeshadow) but haven't purchased any new since 2021 😅. I've also received gifts and PR on my tiny nano insta. I don't think I'll ever go on the bender I did from 2020-2021 again, panning has taught me some major lessons! And I also buy travel sizes if I do want something that's not an everyday use item. Powder products don't go bad as quickly as liquid and cream so I do buy those full size, and cream products I buy mini wherever I can if I'm interested in a new shade of lipstick. I mostly wear lip gloss and oil so I don't even buy lipstick anymore.
as someone who grew up poor and in a very small house, i LOVE underconsumption. i grew up in a household that always valued using what you have over buying new, even if that means fixing it. i’m in college now, but im currently staying with my parents for the summer and i am currently using a duct taped broom to sweep the floor, and we make coffee in a french press pitcher without a handle.
another thing that i think really contributes to overconsumption in society is the need for convenience, and as someone with ADHD i get it, but at the same time people are tossing things that have something “wrong” that doesn’t actually hinder the serviceability of the product, just makes it need a little more effort or to use it differently. take our french press pitcher for example - the actual press part of it is still perfectly usable, but there’s just no handle, so we literally just make coffee as normal and then use pot holders to pour coffee. i think a lot of people would start looking for a new one, and i’m not saying i judge those people for that, but i think with how capitalism is really pushing to buy new all the time and pushing for convenience as a societal value, i think a lot of peoples knee jerk reaction is to buy new at the slightest bit of “unusability”.
Growing up in the house i did, we have always really valued being thrifty and using what we have before we buy new, and that mostly came from literally not being able to afford new, but it’s really shaped my values of consumption. Also, with the house being so small, it’s literally sometimes counterintuitive for us to buy everything new because we don’t have the space. Overall, though we didn’t have a lot growing up, I wouldn’t change it for the world because it has made me value underconsumption, independence, and fixing over buying.
tl;dr it's hard these days to not try to fix every problem by buying something
I was really proud this week for talking myself out of buying a new teapot. I want to cut down on my caffeine intake and I was thinking that I should get a smaller teapot for that goal (you can't really brew half a teapot cuz the tea strainer doesn't go all the way down), but then I decided I could pour off a cup of brewed tea into a bottle to keep in the fridge. And then every couple of days I would have a day's worth of tea waiting for me.
Unfortunately there is a segment of the population that feels the need to put other people (often younger generations) "in their place" by mocking whatever new term is trending. I say this as a Gen Xer who works with millennials and a Gen Z. I've never been cool so I don't worry too much about being out of touch but ooo boy, I see some of my Gen and older getting hot about absolutely nothing that should concern them.
Maybe because they're unhappy with their own life.
Sometimes I get annoyed by trivial things too, and I try to remind myself that unless their choices directly impact my job, safety, or family, it's none of my business.
underconsumption is such a funny concept because it implies you're not consuming enough, rather than the "right" amount or too much. it seems like for it to be true underconsumption, there would be some deprivation involved? or like, so little consumption that businesses can't function, if you're looking from the economic perspective.
it seems like zero waste could be considered underconsumption maybe but it doesn't sound like that's where it's going? i don't personally believe that anything is truly zero waste, but I like zero waste content in terms of ways to cut down the waste in one's life and repurpose things that you might generally throw away. (my personal favorite is drying citrus peel to use as a seasoning, i love having dried orange, lemon, and lime zest to use in my cooking and baking).
I hate the use of "core" tacked onto almost everything. It's stupid. I agree that projection is very common. I am also glad that I'm not on TikTok. I think the 'trend' is also born of the whole 'let's share my entire life' thing that is all over social media. I remember remarking a while ago (apparently it's no longer a trend) about how dumb it seemed to me to post pictures of food or post you were really tired or happy or whatever with pictures taken just about anywhere possible. My feeling was 'who cares'? I kind of feel that way about this, too, unless it's in a 'here are some things people can do to consume less' way and not in a 'this is how I under-consume' way. I've been thrift shopping most of my adult life, as well as recycling, but I don't have the need to share what I do everywhere.
I mean the argument is definitely there that the core suffix can sort of cheapen the message but on the other hand the suffix can help spread the message of lessening consuming on social media
I agree - wtf does core even mean in this context 😂😂😂😂 (sometimes I feel like we as internet users are just randomly changing the definitions of words 😂)
from my knowledge, I think the "core" in this is actually kind of tongue in cheek, almost jokey.
Thoughtful and even-handed. If we could all talk to each other about anything/everything this way, the world would be a nicer, less dangerous place.
i've felt pretty guilty about my consumptions habits but i've come to terms with a few rules/ statements that have have helped a lot. of course take these all with a grain of salt or dont take them at all! i dont care, just sharing my experience!
here they are :)
- sustainable lifestyles aren't that obtainable for most people, including me! i do what i can, where i can and move on
- i deserve new things but i should use what i have until it doesn't work or no longer fits my needs. then i can buy a new product from a more sustainable brand (ex. you can buy yourself a new basic t-shirt if the old one doesn't fit or rips!)
- if i don't love it, i don't buy it
It’s definitely gotten hazardous in some places. The subreddit r/anticonsumption is great but some people are going too far. I’ve seen posts of people putting disposable plastic in the dishwasher and reusing for years, people using disposable razors for years, and other examples of people cleaning and reusing items that are very limited use for hygiene reasons.
I grew up doing all those things too though and not for environmental reasons lol. I understand that maybe we shouldn't be promoting these practices as if it's a competition, but it's also not that dramatic
Since Covid it feels like a timeline for 10 years has happened within the last 3 years and no one can keep up. A lot of people I know just pick and choose what news and information they want to hear and forget the rest because it’s too stressful. But I unfortunately live in an area where I can’t afford to stay but more older people can and just ignore the bad things going on. Obviously not every person older than me is doing this but it feels like no one cares about anything in California🤷🏻♀️ At this point I don’t even know what to do
Thank you Liz! As a person who commented "this is normal consumption, not under" to a video a couple weeks ago, you helped me see many aspects of this trend! I appreciate that anything that is challenging overconsumption is trending on social media. The "under" bothers me a little, because it makes us feel better, like we are actively depriving ourselves to save the environment, when this is not the case in most of the videos, since having only one of most items is enough, not deprivation.
Okay I just found this and I love it 😂: ua-cam.com/users/shortsiiVyh1B0zSM?si=IMupxHR3ZlV1tGkR
The only negative side to this trend is if people are showing off how they reuse single-use plastic containers/bottles for food and drink storage, or just continue using kitchen items in general that can be harmful to one's health. For example, teflon pans where the non-stick coating is scratched and worn, or old plastic cooking utensils and containers. Hard plastic contain BPA, a chemical linked to several health problems, including infertility, obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Also, microplastics are terrible too, a study found that we could all be consuming up to 5 grams (the equivalent of a credit card) WEEKLY , so avoid buying and using plastic stuff.
Depends on what kind of plastic it is. If it’s marked as “3” or “7”, then yeah, you probably shouldn’t use that and get rid of the packaging that is made of that. But! Most of the reusable plastic containers are made with pp plastic that is marked as “5”, and does not contain this chemical, and, in fact, so stable that containers made of this plastic are used in chemical labs.
It’s easy to demonise all plastics, but it’s better and more eco-friendly to just use what you have and educate yourself a little bit.
it's important to show normal people's consumption imo. not everyone can or should be like the influencers with amazon affiliate links in their bios to sell everything they show in their videos. and it's important to show underconsumption as aspirational and positive.
I absolutely love the way you talk about this, so true!! For me personally, I love to see the core trending, because I love fashion and makeup, but also rarely use them to their death, so I have these piles and piles of stuff at home, a lot of it second hand bought, but they're still piling (mostly out of fear of not having the thing after I use it up, as I should), so seeing people enjoying their things, loving them properly and using up makeup and being happy just makes me also happy and like,, determined to do the same with my stuff :DD
This is why I have always loved your styling videos. It's totally a way of making do with what you have.
My great grandparents were married in 1932 in the middle of the Great Depression. When I was growing up, they were great at showing me how to under consume through their normal everyday actions. And I highly appreciate that.
My parents raised me like that as well, and recently I started to embrace it more. Whenever I can show capitalism the middle finger, I'll do so.
I think the contrarian response would make more sense as an admission of a flaw if there weren't also still so many people out there who DO flaunt overconsumption as a.status symbol, showing that they can buy whatever and waste whatever and not care because they have money (and perhaps main-character syndrome).
I am not on Tik tok. I just hear about youtubers talk about this trend.
I am low income right now and I grew up pretty poor. Like we were lucky if we had food on the table. So yeah it was underconsuption core... all the way. I never had the latest cool new clothes or toys, etc. All my clothes were second-hand etc.
I think some of my bitterness when I hear about this trend is from the trauma of poverty.
People in poverty do not get to be overconsumers in the way people at higher incomes do.
We had no choice to be frugal or thrifty or have nothing.
I think people who come from backgrounds like mine might see stuff like this and think oh "they wana be like us now... hahaha. "
Many of us were made fun of for having less all the time. Or left out because we could not afford things that our peers had. Now less is in. It's kinda like whiplash for us.
That being said I like this trend because people need to be more mindful of overconsuption.
I like the idea of people showing how they actually live.
I like that people can be happy with less across income levels.
I hope this trend uplifts the voices of low income people.
Love your videos❤ Thanks🎉
Thank you for this thoughtful reply! I haven't experienced poverty and I appreciate hearing a perspective on the trend from someone who has.
I've never lived in poverty but i completely understand how someone that has might feel about this. But also: isn't the normalization of overconpsuntion the reason why poor people are made fun of because of their underconpsuntion? Isn't the capitalistic system that benefits from overconpsuntion the reason why most low income people live in poverty in the first place? I think that low income people that feel resentful about this type of content should realize that the reason of their suffering wasn't the low conpsuntion, but the society and the economic system that benefit from their struggles and feelings. I say all of this in the most respectful way possible (and sorry about any error, english is not my first language).
I love the underconsumption-core trend, but something that has been bothering me is seeing privileged minimalists trying to pass as regular people, like, you got to spend 4,000 dollars on your now only pair of sunglasses five years ago, I got three from the thrift over the course of my late teens and still wear them, we are not the same.
I feel like it has to do with the minimalist movement typically portrayed on social media being outdated because of its lack of connection to regular people; highly aesthetically pleasing all white homes and tiny apartments accompanied by the assumption that our problem is having too much stuff and having the money to invest in high quality items in order to fix it are no longer aspirational nor relatable after the maximalist post-COVID trend and cost of living crisis that's currently taking place
I’m not gonna name the creator directly, but a youtuber that I used to watch who has made underconsumption core content also has also said in a previous video that she bought a smart device that opens and closes her curtains based on the temperature outside. Which is one of the reasons why I no longer eff with bourgeoisie environmentalists.
I feel you. While I love the principles of minimalism, it has become too much of an aesthetic, that not everyone can afford. Same happened to zero waste. Everyone threw out their plasticware and bought aesthetic glass stuff and other fancy reusables instead in order to shop at wholefoods and other expensive supermarkets. However zero waste looks quite a lot like underconsumption, because it means also repairing stuff and upcycling and repurposing things, but that's the rather unsexy side of it so poeple bought more into thr aesthetic that the true principles.
I hope that with the underconsumption trend we get to see exactly this. The ugly side of owning things beyond their shiny and new era. Used and well loved makeup, mended clothes, random repurposed items. It normalizes owning "ugly" items and is almost like a counter aesthetic to all the over curated and colour coordinated trends on social media. I hope that these aspects of unsightliness and chaos and the stories behind certain items will become the pillars of this -core aesthetic. This would gradually rule out more curated content of grifting creators and make space for real authentic people of different economic backgrounds.
This!! There's a huge difference between people who want to LARP being low income because it's cool and aesthetic at the moment and those who don't have a choice in the matter. Just leaves a weird taste in my mouth.
I think you are spot ON! I think it's totally in the comments and in the guilt. And also in the urge to be snotty 😁 I watched a commentary on this same topic and someone wrote something like "Another excuse for rich people to LARP as poor people" And I said something like "I think this is just people being thrifty" and I got ATTACKED! Is this not crazy? Is it me?
I agree so much!
😂 ☺️
I still think it's a shame some people in this "trend" don't maintain their clothes. You can live a very thrifty and low consumption life AND have clean and mended clothes.
Yes!! The art of mending is becoming a lost one ❤️🩹 plus you can make it so cute with visible mending or sashiko techniques!
And, as someone who lived under the poverty line in my country (not anymore) it irks me. I had to be super careful about my clothes to "pass" as someone with an average income, so I could keep my job. Seeing people who, clearly, can learn to mend or pay someone to do it and still choose to go buy with ragged clothes just because they are influencers and "trendy" is mind blowing.
@@cassandrak9890 i feel like mending content is pretty common on social media but i guess that's just my bubble? i see more visible mending posts than i ever have in the past. i love it and i want to learn to do more
@@cassandrak9890 I was taught to sew when I was younger and I’ve never had to get anything tailored or throw something away because of holes. I wish more people were taught these tricks because they can be life saving!
Sundays are the best cuz liz, laini, and alexa upload
And Percia!
Omg yeah LOLLLL this comment feels like it was for me
for real! i'm so excited every sunday
Liz, I love your content so much and I was so excited to see you cover this! My only little thing I will say is when people say that some underconsumption-core habits are hazardous by the way of expired makeup etc., I think it comes from the knowledge people are getting from real makeup artists and dermatologists talking about the dangers of using expired products on the platform itself as well as UA-cam (luxeria, James and Robert welsh etc) People on the internet especially can become hyper vigilant and I can understand wanting to tell people about the knowledge you just gained. You can get horrible eye infections from expired mascara, or eyeliner due to bacterial growth on a well loved product. It had impacted people who have become blinded by products including expired lash glue and chemicals on fake eyelashes. You can get sores on your lips from lip products way past their date because the chemical bonds break down post expiry and they can have unexpected effects on skin. The more knowledge you gain, I think it’s normal to have a spike in people talking about it a lot before it comes down and becomes more normalizes. We know we shouldn’t drink expired milk, but most people don’t even realize their beloved eyeshadow palette is expired and harboring harmful bacteria because they’ve used their fingers and dirty makeup brushes for 3 years on it everyday. To conclude, I don’t think people who might be a little upset over some habits are necessarily projecting but I can also understand that if you feel “called out”, one should check themselves first and understand why they feel that way before saying someone is being preachy or judgmental.
i’ve seen a lot of people making their own candles in glasses that aren’t heat safe, thus causing the glass to heat up and explode. animals and kids get hurt by this, it’s not an uncommon thing.
:( i’ve also seen people using their old chargers that are sparking and just taping them up. the comments on these videos do tend to be forewarning to the creator and urging them to not promote this specific idea since it can be dangerous (house fires)
i agree with everything else you mentioned though :)
I have to appreciate your bare background for this video - not sure if intentional or not but amazing. There are so many sides to this coin and excited to hear your take. For me, it’s been helpful and encouraging to have the messaging around - my husband and I just went out and got a cheap leather conditioner/wood polish and finished two pieces of furniture, polished several pairs of shoes, and two leather jackets. We spent $30 and an hour doing this and now we have at least 12 material goods that feel brand new and that tbh we might have decluttered otherwise! Trying to get into the habit of care and repair, as someone who came from a suburban upbringing where if it looked old and worn out, it had to go 😢
I’m honestly super appreciative of this trend. I don’t think there’s any harm in this trend and if anything it’s super positive because 1. it’s opening up discourse on our consumption especially as Americans! 2. It’s honestly made social media more refreshing and i personally feel more grateful for what i have and less influenced to want more 3. It's promoting a more sustainable form of consumption compared to the maximalist and giant shopping haul culture thats been especially rampant in the last decade. I'm all for it and i hope this is a small step toward Americans shifting their views on consumption and moving toward a more sustainable way of living. Also, i think its important to remember that our individual choices and consumer habits have an impact and potential consequence BUT normal individual consumption is a drop in the bucket compared to what corporations and the 1% are doing in regard to sustainability. hopefully more people talking about lower consumption will force those in higher places to change ❤
i have an absurd amount of anxiety caused by my consumption habits ever since i started reading about sustainability, so for me personally this trend just adds fuel to the fire that is my constant obssesive thoughts about if my level of consumption is too much, am i killing the planet, i dont deserve to buy myself this very basic thing etc
Oh gosh, I can sympathise with this! It's so tough, I tie myself in knots over like whether I should get some food product because it comes in plastic and so on and so on.... I try and remind myself that climate change a collective problem with collective solution and that I can help a little bit but the difference I make as one person is only small. I've started advocating for change at work or with local community or voting differently and try and see that as making a bigger differece. It's so hard though!
Not saying you necessarily have this, but you might be interested in reading about moral OCD.
I think the constant oversharing of people's personal lives on social media promotes this sort of panopticon feeling where you feel like you might be watched and judged at all times, so you start policing your own behaviour, which isn't the same as comfortably changing your behaviour. I can relate to having a lot of anxiety about buying new things, and a fair bit of my stress is around not knowing how to get rid of old things "sustainably", even though our society isn't really set up to allow an individual to do that. It really sucks to constantly be weighing up whether you're a good person, and it gets in the way of forming genuine connections with local community (the people that you're most likely to be able to help and make change with - rather than strangers on the internet)
Cut out social media for two months, distance yourself from people who fuel that feeling irl and see how you feel then. For me such anxieties and obsessions rise and fall with constant information overload.
like the comment said before me^ try taking a break from consuming MEDIA .. social media, tiktok, even youtube. the need to buy all these new things wont be as strong if you aren’t looking at a million ads everyday, or comparing urself to others with “”better, newer”” things. the guilt will eventually fade. tiktok is awful if u suffer from obsessive thoughts, the algorithm feeds you what it thinks will make u insecure / angry
One of my fave sustianabilty creators Shelbie has a saying that really helps me when the climate dread kicks in, "You can not do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do." Which basically means, we as individuals cannot do everything that needs doing to fix the planet, but all our little changes help! We can't beat ourselves up for not being able to do more. Just doing the little we can still makes a difference. ❤
Nice analysis. Regular/common lifestyles being framed as 'under' consumption would only make sense as a direct response to the millions of influencers on there pushing products.
The general shift toward thrifting and the lived-in look also makes sense when you consider that many gen z are in the phase of life where they move out and start to get their own items if they can. It's not exactly novel for a low-to-middle income 20-something on their own to have a diy/thrifty "phase" and pick up or continue frugal habits. And to appreciate having that affirmed on their feeds!
Now that a common phase of life/lifestyle has become a -core, brands will find their way in. There's definitely a market for affordable items that are good enough quality to only buy once, especially as more of those being marketed to on tikok begin to enter their thirties.
I’ve been homeless, I’ve been low income most of my life. I don’t care what people are doing to make underconsumption better or the economy better, I’m for it. Nobody on one side of the screen is judging you if you can’t interact with them and they don’t know who you are. I look at these kinds of things as just more opportunity to help us individually figure out how we can contribute.
The only negative I can really see that can have a rebound effect is if people are so extremely non consumptive that the small and healthy secondhand shopping network that sustains our ability to cycle through things safely won’t end up in landfills (which is the whole reason reselling is better than goodwill or donation etc).
Love your voice and content. With my neurodivergence couldn’t stop starting at the vent behind you. :( You lighting is beautiful. Appreciate your definition of ‘core’. Hearing it always caused me to miss the point.
Adding -core is also an easy way to find others that are interested in what it is you are doing, thinking, etc.
Most people just want to connect with like minded people. We are pack animals by nature. And historically we had that in communities, religion, clubs for sports or hobbies, but now we do that online.
Having a word for something makes it ‘up-look-able’.
Definitely agree that, for at least some of these people feeling "judged", it reads as them projecting. Because the few videos I've seen of "underconsumption-core" feel very refreshing to see people living, well, normal. Not like the perfect lives we see displayed on social media. Growing up lower middle-class, yeah, a lot of it is just.... how I grew up. Then in my early days of marriage we were DIRT poor, poverty level, living with family. And now, only within the last year or two, suddenly we are living quite comfortably, but the mentality is still there.
Thanks for sharing! I'm not naturally a very reflective person, so I appreciate hearing an analysis from someone I feel I share a lot of values with. I appreciate your ability to approach the subject empathetically while sharing your opinion, and simultaneously acknowledging other points of view, your own bias, and blind spots you may have.
In terms of the semantics, I think using that antonym "under" highlights the intentional choice to oppose over consumption, so the label is useful in that way. Its less about whether ones behaviour is lower or higher than the average, or "normal" consumption, but instead is about normalizing something other than overconsumption.
Overall, I think the under-consumption content is a net positive thing. Instead of glorifying content that encourages consumption and lifestyles that aren't realistic for a lot of people, it's creating a space for like minded people to connect where they aren't always sharing something new and shiny. From my view I see it as creating space for a counter-culture, an alternative to what people have been seeing. So I think its positive for people to connect over things they already do, or it can be inspiration for people to change their own behaviour, or perhaps give them pause to reflect and be more intentional with their choices.
I think I've been really critical of myself in the past for not doing sustainability "perfectly". But over time I've come to realize that perfection isn't realistic, and so I just do the best I can. I've also realize sometimes other factors take importance when making decisions about my consumption. One area for me is that I am going to have more food packaging waste than I want because of my celiac diagnosis. Unfortunately, shopping at a bulk store for ingredients just isn't safe for me anymore, and I prioritize my health over the waste I create.
Overall, I'm on board with this new "-core", and think having that label makes finding this type of content easier, and if it helps to foster just a little more sustainability than that's a good thing.
I'm a big "buy it for life" girlie. I'm always kinda shocked at how a lot of my coworkers need to work double what i work just to support their lifestyle. But often I see them buying things they don't need or living way above their means as a status symbol. It's so odd to me. cool video by the way, I just discovered your channel and I've been binging while crocheting
If I buy something, I’m making sure it’s lasting as long as possible. I’m never going to buy a new one until I’ve gotten every last seconds worth out of the one I have and it falls apart
@@kirbthebeanI love the phrase "I'm too poor to buy cheap sh*t". Makes me think.about saving up for nice items that will last a lifetime, especially if I have trial-run the cheaper version of something and used it constanlty until it "d!ed".
I'm not on tiktok so I could be missing some nuances. But from my own sustainability journey, a reason why people may find it preachy is that there is an element of shaming that goes with it. Some sustainability influencers seem to put a lot of pressure on people to conform to their own ideals and don't acknowledge that people may be in different places in their journeys or have different needs. That can make people feel defensive too.
The only negative I can see to underconsumption-core is people throwing away items from when they were over-consuming to jump on the latest trend. Besides that, it's great that it's trending.
I do my best to take care of what I have, and I have a couple pairs of shoes that have lasted me for years and I’ve been wearing the same clothes for a while. If I see something I like, I’ll buy it but I’m not going to spend outrageous amounts of money on clothes that I don’t really need. I really wish social media would just normalize being normal instead of always jumping to extremes
Freecycle should be more widely promoted. It’s a great way to avoid ‘dumpster’ overload if things are usable
i always saw the "core" in under consumption core as a way of "romanticize" a behavior in order to get you to try it more? you know like when someone hates studying but try to frame it as dark academia core or whatever. its just a way to romanticize it and fight the urge to consume and buy more. i personally am not rich and cant buy new things all the time, but as someone that is into fashion and makeup, its so refreshing to see a trend that for once DOESNT make me want to buy something, but encourage us to use what we already have without feeling the guilt of wanting new and trendy things all the time. I've also been seeing a lot of "project pan" on my tl, that encourages us makeup and hair girlies to use what we have until the end and seeing the progress of what we actually use before buying new things. its so refreshing and interesting, i love this trend!!
The worst “hazard” videos I’ve seen are cars missing whole consoles, broken wires, doors, locks etc…that are very dangerous and idk how their cars pass inspection 💀
In under consumption core tiktok videos
It is just like Batman said, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change. Whoo!"
Loved this video! Such a thoughtful breakdown of the trend, I didn’t understand the people posting their overconsumption either but your unpacking of the situation makes so much sense to me.
I think the trend is a great start to open people’s eyes to how normalized it has become to overconsume but obviously it just scratches the surface
This is such a first world discussion it feels like a comedy sketch 😂😂😂 (love your content, btw. And as someone who follows a lot of minimalist, thrifty, environmental conscious people, this was my thought every time I saw someone talking about it).
Thanks for sharing your always thoughts on the subject. Super interesting and I think you are right about people projecting 🙂
Honestly I hope that “hypercomsumers” feel judged. I’m personally judging them😂 we all have a shared responsibility to examine our own behaviors and how they impact ourselves, those around us, and our planet. If we can change the narrative that over consumption behaviors ARE problematic instead of aspirational, I think we could see real change on the consumer end
Very well said. One of the things I really appreciate about your videos is the emphasis on personal style & using your own wardrobe over trends. I’ve found it surprisingly difficult to find other fashion UA-camrs who aren’t so trend-obsessed.
If anyone knows of any other UA-camrs with similar values/ perspectives, please share❤
love to you & everyone reading this❤❤❤
You ate. I fully expected this to be a video just agreeing with the most popular opinions or Twitter posts (As this is what a of UA-camrs do) and was really pleasantly surprised to hear such a well thought out video.
the tiktoks you pointed out with the hoards behind the one item honestly come across more satirizing the underconsumption videos where they have “one” of a thing but that is the most trending of that one thing, like in a “are you actually only buying one thing until it’s completely used up or did you just get rid of everything you already had and just bought the new trendy thing” kind of way
I totally agree about people projecting self-judgement onto the content creator. I consider myself to be a very eco-conscious, thrifty person, but even I felt a little bad about myself the first time I saw underconsumption tiktoks. I like your perspective that it's something to aspire to, but it isn't inherently judgmental because of society constantly advertising to us and telling us to consume. The more people see this type of stuff, the better. We all have to learn to be conscious of our habits, and it doesn't happen overnight!
11:39 I've seen a bunch of tiktoks with people using chargers with the wires exposed and just taping them with electrical tape instead so there definitely are some people who take it to a dangerous degree (also seen one with a car that did not look safe to drive at all, but I also don't know anything about cars so maybe that was fine, idk). Using expired makeup isn't necessarily dangerous, but when people start using expired sunscreen or even medication/vitamins, it at best doesn't have the same effect anymore, and at worst can cause allergic reactions or clash with other medications you take. That being said, there's not a lot of people I've doing this compared to people doing not dangerous things, so I wouldn't exactly say the trend has "gone too far", it's just that a few people take it too far as is with most trends.
THANK U i was about to say this exact thing
The only dangerous ones I have seen is people making the active choice to not replace bloated lithium batteries or exposed wires
thought this was a very well thought out and interesting video !!!! love it
I like the underconsumption core trend. To me it's something positive and makes being mindful with consumption cool and enjoyable.
I’ve always desired the idea of minimalism, but didn’t feel like I could achieve it simply because of the look. However, I love the idea of under consumption because it embodies so many practical and realistic values I love that it doesn’t have a particular look, but the message of it is what’s highlighted!
Underconsumption and normal consumption are not entirely subjective terms, even at an individual level. Consumption of goods and services requires consumption of energy, which is measured as per capita energy use. There are massive inequalities in energy consumption around the world. To give you an example, an average American consumes the same amount of energy in a month that an average Indian consumes in a year. I think it’s perfectly reasonable to call out the fact that none of these “underconsumption” video creators have any idea what true underconsumption looks or feels like. To someone like me watching from a third world country, this trend reeks of ignorance and privilege!
I can't say I agree with this take. Surely underconsumption on social media is being compared to overconsumption on social media, not consumption made by the average consumer in the world. There are people who talk about overconsuming as a point of pride (as seen in this video), but would we say, "There are billionaires who consume more than you. It is ignorant/privileged to say you're overconsuming"?
It would be hard not to roll my eyes at underconsumptioncore if i were in your shoes. But this trend is, ideally, trying to improve on the inequality of energy consumption between developing and developed nations. That inequality is huge and complex and won't go away overnight, nor will it be changed by individual behavior alone. Still, people are doing what they can and sharing their tips and tricks, which is better than doing nothing! Progress over perfection.
@@brittanytyler2620 I sorta think it's like a food/nutrition. A fitness influencer that promotes "less bad" content shouldn't be given a pass just because they previously had worse nutrition advice or just because there's another influencer that's more deranged. The problem with "regular consumption" being advertised as "normal consumption" is problematic. For example, the rightside post at 6:35 of this video claims that it's normal to keep buying makeup palettes even if you have one. That is, by most reasonable definitions of the word, overconsumption. Normalizing that as "you're doing enough, in fact, you're really consuming less than most people" is dangerous because it's still promoting unhealthy shopping habits. And I say this as a person that *is* someone who buys more makeup than I need. I recommend anyone interested in this topic to read the book "The art of frugal hedonism" which really opened my eyes to how much of what's advertised as regular is over consumption by the standards of most of history.
I hate to be that person but...isn't it better that people try to consume less? I know from your shoes it looks preachy and condescending, but isn't the messaging overall better to help close the gap and do the planet and people a favor (even if it is small)?
@@brittanytyler2620people from all over the world consume content on social media, not just people from the western world. By putting content on social media, one opens themselves up to reactions and criticism from users across the world. Also, critiquing “underconsumption” which is actually “normal” consumption does not automatically mean that I’m not critical of overconsumption or that I’m being critical of those condemning overconsumption. Overconsumption is bad. Period.
More of this style of content please, you have some really great things to say and some hot takes, we love a stylish and intellectual woman, what a double threat
I am kinda worried people are missing the point by making it an aesthetic. Everything that is produced is using resources, energy, and often underpaid labor. It’s upsetting to see people throw away perfectly good furniture, clothing, and house items when they could have been donated and it’s confusing that people aren’t aware of the work and resources that go into these objects. It’s not about who can do “underconsumption” the best, it’s about being mindful of the impact your purchases have on the environment and the people who make them. Also you’re totally right that when you don’t have a ton of money, you’re doing these things anyway because you automatically are more aware of your consumption. That’s part of why these videos always felt a bit off to me. Great video!
My Only gripe with this all, is that in this day and age. It seems like influencer trendy type of people can only seem to follow things when it’s a ‘trend’. Not on their own or free will. Maybe it’s just me, but it paints a picture that people are no longer thinking for themselves anymore. And that when they do stuff like this, there’s a sense of trying to show off.
Nah it has always been that way. Back in the days it was magazines that set trends, today its influencers. Nothing new under the sun.
you're so close to 100k! excited for you, you deserve it
I love your hair's styling omfg
I love this trend. It makes me take a steo back and look at my spending habits and makes me think about how much I already own (too much)
Great video! I love that in the past 2 years or so that we've had de-influencing and underconsumption-core, and there's a growing consciousness around the fact that how the world currently operates just isn't sustainable or enjoyable. Like, who really enjoys looking for entertainment online and then being bombarded with ads and reminders of how little money you earn? And I can imagine that these kinds of sentiments happen often, particularly in times of economic downturn but we just didn't have the internet and social media panopticon before. And, unfortunately, even with the best intentions, even seemingly anti-capitalist or anti-consumerist messages end up getting swallowed by the same things they're fighting. But if showing worn out shoes or old phones gets at least 1-2 more people to think a bit more about their habits, that's a win.
Great, thoughtful video. Underconsumptioncore is clearly one social media phenomenon specifically responding to another one (hauls etc.) and people responding as if it’s a critique of their regular daily, unfilmed lives are missing the point.
I think this trend is pretty neat, I appreciate the exposure of "normal" consumption levels because let's face it, overconsumption IS encouraged and normalised online. It's refreshing to see that this is not reflected in people's real lives! We're shifting the Overton window little by little. I remember when it was really frowned upon to thrift clothes and now it's cool and aspirational.
yesssss let’s go video essay liz!!!!
this was so good do more!!🕺🏾
Thank you! Using old makeup is normal consumption, no one tosses their products after the best by date of 6 months to one year.
i feel like this is more an example of "deinfluencing" which i think all your points also suggest. i think people are waking up from this dream of constant desire and marketing and begin to see the hoards of stuff around them and become overwhelmed by it thus feel shame/guilt/defensive. i know i have been feeling this lately as well, but that seems to be where some of the discourse may be coming from. (and i totally have a 10 yr lipstick for the record...smells fine looks fine i'm like we're good)
I agree with this video!! Very good points made 😊
I think that social media (as you mentioned in the video) LOVES to overdramatize things. Often times these "standards" for "underconsumtion" vs. "overconsumption" are WAYY too high. And I think (as with most labels) it depends on personal factors. Perhaps income, availability, etc. There is nothing wrong with "underconsumtion" just as much as there is nothing wrong with "normal" consumption. I really liked the metaphor you used with chocolate. It tastes good, and maybe even feels great! But there is a point to where eating too much can make you sick. Just with pretty much anything else. What I have learned is that the main issue here is that people LOVE to be so opinionated without the knowledge or understand of another's situation. The main thing we need to work on as a society is learning to look outside the box of our own minds and situations rather than being judgemental. And this goes for both sides. For example, I thrift my clothes because my style and way of self expression tends to lean more for the "type" of clothing being resold. But somebody like my mom may not find what they are looking for. It does not mean anybody is "over consuming". They just tend to lean more towards certain things. On another note, so many "sustainable" options are more expensive. Maybe all somebody can afford is packaging with plastic. Because that is what is available in their range. On the other hand, maybe another person likes keeping things nice and organized with all of their new gadgets and supplies. Either way, the packaging that most things come in gets thrown away. We need to step away from the "standards" of how to live based on content from the internet and just do what's best for us as individuals. And yes, there is unfortunately overconsumption that nobody will be able to control. Because that may be what somebody feels like they need. Whether that is or isn't "right" is not for us to decide.
I tend to find content about "under-consumption" helpful and refreshing from the constant need to consume and feel like I have everything. The truth is, it would never be enough anyway. For me, this content has shown me that consuming the next best thing is not always needed, and I can look at it from the perspective that this content has shown me ways in which I can be sustainable. But for that sustainability to also be attainable for my lifestyle.
I am low income. So I cannot afford "overconsumption" even if I wanted to. Just as much as I can't afford some of the sustainable options. Because, as I've said before, they can be pretty expensive. So I have to allow myself that. Whether or not I achieve the "most" sustainability will not change the fact that this earth is already suffering. At the same time, I can take steps to sustain certain things in my life that is sustainable for me. It just seems like everybody wants control over the next person. Which can be considered "over-consumptiom" in itself. We do what works best for US and that is what's important. For example, I only ever see ads for fresh dog food made with natural ingredients. While yes, that is the healthier option and more sustainable for the environment, I am in no place to afford that. It doesn't make me a bad dog-parent. I choose affordable options, even if that is just normal kibble, because the most important thing is that my dog eats. An example of "underconsumtion" is that I am an avid candle user. I re-use my candle jars to contain miscellaneous things. It's not necessarily to "save the earth", because I know that I alone cannot, but more because it is more financially sustainable for me to reuse these things so that I can put that little bit of money towards something else. Another example, I bought a used car. But that car needs maintained, and it's parts will need to be replaced every once in awhile. I am not consuming "too much" or "too little" I am doing what is right for me, and that is what's important.
Like I said earlier, I tend to enjoy this type of content because at the "core" (no pun intended) these people are doing what is right for them. And often times their creativity is pretty amazing and helpful to see!
I love this video and agree with every word you say here! I'm loving this trend right now, I've been living like this my whole life and am happy to see it being normalised. I feel that I have been judged for my lifestyle so often in my life, but I'm lucky to be someone who doesn't care too much about that. So many people around me are deep in debt because they are trying to keep up with all the overconsumption that they are under the impression of being "the normal way of living". Regarding the people who post their overconsumption content as a snotty reply to this trend...this might be a hot take and I might get some anger for it, but it seems to me that overconsumption is in some ways like an addiction, and people are often in denial about their addictive behaviours. Getting defensive is definitely something people might do when confronted about their addictive behaviour.
The comments you shared on the screen about a makeup bag being a biohazard just shows how we’ve fallen for this narrative that everything needs to be replaced after a couple years (for no apparent reason other than “it’s old”).
i like this trend because there is an acknowledgement of hyperconsumption... and I'm all for conscious consuming tbh not just purchasing whenever we feel like it
Great video. I’m happy for this “trend” as I really dislike Haul videos and do my best not to follow creators who make them. I agree that people in comments who feel “judged” are most likely projecting!
One thing that bothers me about these tiktoks is how aesthetically minimalist the trend tends to be. Like neutral clothes, neutral makeup, no wall art etc. I remember when I first got into sustainability being put off by how little colour there was.
I feel like there's a difference between giving an alternative perspective to "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality you often see on SoMe, and to making a new unobtainable norm that puts on an equal amount of pressure. Not that I've seen that yet with this trend, but I think it might be an issue that could develop over time. Great video ❤
I really love this trend! I haven't loved the negativity surrounding it, and I really like your perspective! :)
okay nothing to do with the actual subject of the video but one of the ads you posted as an example is Eliza Faulkner and she’s a Canadian designer and all of her clothing is made locally in Montreal. She’s a super lovely and talented person and you should check out her stuff. For designer clothing it’s not crazy expensive especially if you are going to wear the piece for years and really appreciate it. I also love checking out the end of season sales and she also does sample sales as well at the end of seasons. She also works a lot in linen and natural fibres which I love.
I care about the planet too. And i still overconsum sometimes, that doesnt mean i dont have good values , it means im feeling stressed asf, and need to buy myself somthing for the dopamine , and guesse what i am working on better ways to cope but that takes lots of time and its not easy
Thank you for this video! I love this format, I think it'd be very interesting to dig even deeper into sociology. I'd also be interested to know if the trend stays with time and how it transforms. I wasn't aware of this trend as I'm not on TikTok anymore but I think it's overall positive that people take a step back and try to rethink their consumption. Also I'm from Belgium and I have this feeling that it's bigger in the US than in Europe but I may be mistaken. Anyhow, thanks again I'd love more of this type of content! I really do think analyzing trends says a lot about our society.
(also, just discovered make up has an expiration date, oops)
Wonderful video Liz. It's kind of sad that people will argue about anything and everything. I don't think there is anything wrong with this trend, but I don't think its anything new (I do think its stupid that people are accusing these influencers as "appropriating" poverty for just normally consuming their stuff. Poverty isn't a culture, and normal consumption isn't poverty.) I grew up low income and "too rich" for financial help, and all of our close friends who lived near us were on food stamps. I've always had second hand clothing, I don't wear much makeup, I use all my shampoo and skincare products until they're out. Honestly, I'm not upset that this trend is promoting self reflection. Its better for the planet and for us, but to me, its not a new thing.
About the overconsumption core: I think it has to do with class. Most middle class people I know are living like the underconsumption core implies. But most middle class people I know have a background in/ or work in academics which makes them technically "low income" but because they had access to education their whole life, they are NOT "working class". Middle class children may grow up with thrifted books, but they grow up with books nonetheless. Middle class wealth lies mainly in education, not in material possessions. Meanwhile, I observed a lot of working class people trying to accumulate a lot of stuff because owning 17 lipsticks signals wealth to them. It's like the classes learned a different set of signifiers.
I also think that cultural background matters a lot. What is considered "poor" in germany is totally different than US poor or brazilian poor. For example: I come from a german middle class family and everyone I know thinks the Kardashians are poor. Not in money ofc but they are poor in values and in education (which might not be true, but this is how we perceive them). They use heavy makeup, have fake nails, extensions and altered their body to fit into weird trends. The only people I know who (try to) look like that are all from low income families. I don't think that this is a german thing - even though germans might be more frugal than other nations - I think that this is the same thing the "old money asthaetic" adressed. New rich and old rich have a different set of signifiers and they clash in the over/underconsumption core "debate"
thank you beepworld for the nuance
9:38
I have definitely seen videos where the level of underconsumption has gone into hazardous behavior. Specifically i’ve seen multiple examples of people using objects like straighteners and blowdryers broken with wiring exposed, which is most definitely a fire hazard!
Loved this analysis! I think there's so many reasons why underconsumption is trending, like obviously inflation and the economy being bad like you mentioned, and also the curiosity people have started have about finding one's own personal style. I'm hoping that underconsumption-core, 75 hard challenge etc just help steer the collective towards more sustainable methods to showcase their personal style (and to find their style if they haven't already)! I love fashion, but it's such a double edged sword because it is also a very wasteful industry. Hopefully things like this will help people slowly change their perspective on consumerism :)
I wonder if we can have sharing wealth core, and caring about the ocean core next.
just touching on the “dangers of underconsumptioncore” around 10-11:00ish minute mark - yes the examples of expired makeup does make the “safety concerns” sound a bit frivolous.
on my fyp, I did see specific posts tagged as underconsumption showing electronics, ie. portable phone chargers, cable chargers and appliances, that had frayed electrics or missing cases that would pose a genuine safety hazard. on those posts is where I saw most comments encouraging the creator to buy a new electronic etc
This was really insightful! Appreciated your thoughts as always :)
I support anything that encourages people to consider the impact of their consumption. Sure it might just seem like a silly trend, but stuff like this can spark real change. Minimalism was a trend a few years back, but there are lots of people who changed their lives because of it. Same with zero waste content, same with no-buy content. Anything on social media is going to be subject to criticism, but it can still have a real-world beneficial impact.
I changed the way I live about 10 years ago because I got into this kind of content. Would all of the deeper research into sustainability, veganism and consumerism I’ve done since have happened had I not been intrigued by the trash jar content that was popular at the time? Who knows. But I know that content that drew a lot of criticism at the time did spark my interest in an alternative, more sustainable way of living and for that I’ll always be grateful. Hopefully the underconsumption trend will do the same for many others.
Great handling of this topic! Loved the video
Living a normal life is not a trend. Wasting your time on Tik Tok, blindly following every made-up trend is truly bizarre. Also, caring what strangers online think of you is truly bizarre.
I love this trend AND as a therapist, any trend like this (like minimalism, etc.) gets me a bit worried for those struggling with food. We just need to be careful not to apply this too strongly to our diets 😅
So the only danger I've seen from other videos is there are people who use broke appliances. (And broken I mean its falling apart and held together in questionable ways, with exposed inner parts that were never really meant to be exposed) and its only really a hazard because its electricians. (Hair dryers, straighteners etc) so there's a risk of being hurt / getting burned, or even a fire risk.
I feel like a lot of what's labeled "under" consumption is really "just the right amount" of consumption. They use the word "under" to contrast more with over consumption. "Under" gets more clicks than "normal". Over consumption is so prevalent on social media that is is mistakenly seen as the normal baseline, so anything less than that is mistakenly dubbed "under". I also don't think that low level of consumption is (or should be) only limited to poverty. Living below your means is a common lifestyle. It means even if you could afford to over consume, you choose not to. You consume the 'just right" amount so that your actual true NEEDS are met but you don't continue buying useless stuff beyond your actual needs. I've seen a lot of commentary seeing the images from "under consumption" and saying "it's called being poor" and I feel like that's over simplifying it. As though the minute you have a little free money, you HAVE to spend it and if you aren't spending every cent then you are either 'poor' or cosplaying as poor. Maybe you just don't want those same things that everyone is supposed to want.
I think there is at least one miscommunication maybe (?), I don't know what better word to use. The people who say that it's preachy are the same people who say that content with hauls make them buy stuff but with the opposite sign. I mean, if there is such profession as influencer than we assume that content (any content) influences people. It will be the same argument but different point of view - like "Why do you feel the need to buy things you see? Are you jealous? Are you insecure? Are you tying your own worth with the worth of things you have or don't have? Well, that's on you. People are not really telling you personally to buy stuff, they are just sharing what they have bought." That's what I mean. And I feel it's kind of dishonest to ignore it in discussing why do people feel judged by this trend. We either acknowledge that this is content and it influences us, or we don't. Everything is always in our heads, but at the same time we do get influenced. And I feel like the question why does everything have to be core or trend these days is at least partly about that. Kind of like 'Why do some people share everything they buy and others everything they don't buy? Why is it even online?" What I'm trying to say is, I think, in part it is just general annoyance with the whole internet-content thing, and whenever there is a core of some kind or just even individual posts about something there are always people annoyed at it. Someone will post about their holliday trip, and someone will comment on plane fuel. Someone will post about their child being born, and someome will comment about overpopulation. Someone will post about sewing a new shirt, and someome will comment, hey, why don't you just buy one. Internet is a very strange place - everything people put here suddenly becomes content. Like everybody is making a stand all the time (even when they don't). People are just sharing there lives but on the internet it's never just that, even if they didn't mean it that way when they posted it.
And the thing about being broke, I think, again there is a miscommunication there. I really feel like that at least partly such comments are about circumstances when there is no choice but to live frugal, it's not a new core, it's something in which you have no other option. And it is very different from a person with some disposable income kind of saying "oh, that's so cool and the right way" but who is not forced to do it by external circumstances. It's kind of like there is no need to help people to whom it's not a choice because that's so great. I really am talking from exprerince here. And I do think of myself as a conscious buyer and user of things)) There was part of my life when I had low-income. So right now when I'm mending a dress I'm feeling really good about it, but my behavior is a choice not a nessesity. And it's a completly different feeling when you need to mend your things or you will have no things. I don't know how to explait it well but I do feel a certain ick from some (not all!) of this "underconsumption-core content", like, well-off people playing in being poor. And again I don't think they mean it that way and I do believe they just live like that, but it does come off out of touch some of the times. But there is part of this content that just look genuine. And I do feel that maybe there is another part of it where people had to cut consumption and felt so bad about it that they decided to play it up, to have some fun with it (to romanticizes it as you said), to kind of look for support, for confirmation then that is normal, for a community, and I do hope that it is helping them, because yeah, been there
This is such thoughtful comment, thank you!! Really interesting point about being "influenced" in both directions. I find myself getting new ideas from influencers, but I don't feel inadequate or insecure when they have more than me, so I also don't feel insecure when they consume less than me. But that doesn't mean other people aren't much more affected by influencers than I am!! I can definitely appreciate that perspective (and it's very useful to keep in mind as an influencer myself).
Also a really good point that it's different when it's not a choice!! The freedom to make your own choices is so important to quality of life, and being forced to do something, even if it's "good" for the world, is NOT the same as getting to make that choice for yourself
I definitely agree with you on your projection theory!!