I think myself and likely others really underestimate how powerful social influences are. When I had social media, I would find myself wanting so many items that are thought I was buying "because they made me happy" and I would so weakly justify this. The amount of instagram and snapchat photos directed to people of my age group and gender (young females) like highlighters, bath bombs, starbuck drinks,etc. is actually ridiculous. Yet, the more exposed you are, the more you can convince yourself it's useful.
I would justify spending money on makeup products I never could use up because I thought I enjoyed makeup and it was improving my self confidence, yet that changed when I quit social media. I noticed a few months later that not only did I not care about the products I use to see on social media, I didn't even think about them. This whole idea of me trying to believe they were somehow useful to my life was completely wiped down the drain.
I'm getting ready to go back to college and back to school time would make me want to buy every cute notebook or cool pen I could find (that I would most times never use). It was even worse when "back to school hauls" became a thing on YouTube a few years back. Now, all I want is a pack of pens and some sticky notes. I got my laptop and that is about all I need.
I'm not saying that there aren't people who enjoy these sorts of products and have a genuine interest in them. I just found for myself personally that most of the things I thought I wanted as I believed they would improve my life were mostly powered by social influences. I guess some people are more prone to having their judgement socially skewed than others.
I was able to recognize what material items actually matter to me that I consider worth investing in like music (headphones, vinyl, concert tickets, etc.) It's quite liberating and also funny to look back and wonder why the hell I thought those things were apparently so important.
Oh, and before I end this, I must add that I did not quit social media solely to stop buying stuff I didn't need.
August 28, 2017 at 10:12AM
