Just wanted to tell you that you have very QUICKLY become a favorite RUclipsr for me. Not only is your information extremely helpful, but you also explain your thinking very eloquently and honestly. I appreciate you so much! And thank you!!❤
I'm honored! I'm glad to hear it comes across as eloquent and honest - I struggle sometimes to know if I'm able to successfully express what I really mean - I know I might take some things "too seriously" or "think too much" sometimes, and it really helps to receive comments like yours to feel like at least some people get me! 🥹
@@Alexas.nobuyyear I very much get you! I should have added to my previous comment that you are very relatable and inspiring. Again, Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are much needed❤️🥰
Watching that TikTok influencer flaunt all those PR products made me feel a bit physically unwell. It was quite grotesque to me. As someone who has also made the decision to remove myself from the world of over-consumption, I am much more sensitive to this type of content. It just feels so wrong, unnecessarily and wasteful. I so enjoy your content. I could listen to your musings for hours. Thank you so much for creating this channel. I really appreciate the effort you go to, to make these well-considered and interesting videos.
Yes it is grotesque to me too - I wasn't planning on ever doing videos like this but when I saw that served to me on TikTok I couldn't NOT say anything... And thank you! Happy to hang out with you here 🥰
What bugs me beyond belief is how I volunteer at a child advocacy center as a donation coordinator, and SO MANY, if not ALL, of the major and popular companies (76 and counting, some of them shown in this PR unboxing and have seen ALL of them in OTHER PR unboxings!) have told me that they can’t donate hygiene/skincare products. Nothing has made me more of an anti consumption person than this experience over the last 6 months. I guess they just give the products to influencers instead of children recovering from awful abuse. Can’t even articulate how upsetting that is to see. According to them, (tax deductible!) donations to a noble cause aren’t worth it compared to making an extra few dollars off of TikTok users.
That's so interesting, (and indeed upsetting!) I'd think that if they DID have "donation campaigns" and maybe made videos about people in need receiving their products - or even just their support (money donation?) - they'd get MORE brand loyalty from customers than they do by sending things to influencers! I know that that's not true, or they'd all be doing it, but I wish that's how it could be.
well yeah, this is a form of advertising. they are "gifts" but it isn't charitable donations. them donating these products is never going to be a consideration
I think it's important to note that PR is NOT a gift. It's given without monitary payment, sure, but to the brand it's an investment and the creator is paying by advertising the product. That's might seem optional, because technically there is no contractual obligation, but if the creator doesn't show stuff, the packages will soon stop coming...
@@TheThriftyTherapist totaly agree... and she said about every product she LOVES it. Is it possible to love this huge amount of things if she probably won't use at least half of this stuff? 😂 I don't know, may be I'm wrong on this, but it triggered me
Umm, that influencer who returned from vacation in Hawaii to all of those packages. This kind of thing used to make me feel jealous but now I feel sort of revolted??
Same! And now I look at it and think "how did I EVER feel jealous or not revolted before???" Hooray for us making progress (or for social media displays getting more and more ridiculous?) 😅
Another thought, 29:50 , looonnngg ago when people sold things in person to a town full of folks, the latest snake oil(visualize out west in cowboy times under a large tent) to increase sales they had a mark in the audience to say “yeah, I’ve used that-it’s great!” I feel that’s what the influencer is today-the mark in the crowd of everyday folks to say it’s ok to buy it and want it. “You can trust me, I’m one of you” even though I’m being paid to say so. 😬🤷🏼♀️
I love this and thank you for bringing that up, I didn't connect it with that idea before of "marks" being planted but yes it's just like that with "fake amazon reviews" or "paid product incentives" these days too! I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up in a future video of mine if I talk about this again because it explains it SO WELL and paints just the right picture, so thank you and apologies if I don't credit you directly!!
i appreciate that you called out that woman commenting on loving the packaging by saying it will just go in the trash. sadly i have seen some youtubers hold on to pr packaging bc it's cute and they felt special receiving it, and then it turns into a hoarding situation. it always freaks me out how much value people assign to packaging. shouldn't the effectiveness of the product be more exciting?
I don’t have or watch tik-tok and this reinforces why I will never use it. This video was so cringy I had to pause the parts with the influencer just to keep from getting so annoyed. I don’t know why it triggers me so much-the insincerity? The shallowness? The crazy overconsumption? You’re so much kinder than me-I hate to say this but I don’t think I’d ever be friends with somebody like this is real life. Thanks for the video! Keep it up-we are here with ya!!
Right? I never want to go back there, to the wild west of tiktok. And yeah I don't think I'd be jumping to begin a friendship with someone like this, but if they had been my friend from before who had "gone astray", those are the things I'd be thinking and wondering. Just a lens for compassionate criticism, because I don't like blasting random people on the internet 😅
Another silly comment from me: I have never been on Tik Tok. Have no idea what it is like, or how much is dedicated to consumerism. From what I have heard, it really pushes products.
Yes - don't get TikTok! Since I took a break this year and went back on for this video, I don't want to ever go back again! Seems like a total waste of time and probably 90% advertising.
This was eye opening Alexa. Thank you for such a balanced, fair-minded, informative video. I am not a Tik Tok user and I'm happy I avoided it. I appreciate your message and it's an important one. We need more people like you getting this message out.
Thank you! I feel renewed motivation to stay off TikTok after this experience - it feels like it either got worse, or I really must have been delusional last year to be on that app at all and not see all of these issues 🫢
Loving your content - (and the classical music, you’re inspiring me to return to my violin). Watching the clips of that influencer may have single- handedly cured me of my shopping habit. Thank you!! 😂😮
Until recently I drove a 2004 Camry and I had to use a CASSETTE player to headphone jack converter to listen to music in the car from my phone, and I would have to prop my phone on my clock to use maps hands-free. When I got a newer car and could use a USB cable to plug my phone directly in I felt like I had finally joined the 21st century! Anyone who thinks their phone cord situation is bad should drive an older car for a bit. It will really make you appreciate all the built in features of newer cars - no need to buy new gadgets! But you can't make money off people who are content with what they have.
Oh yes I remember doing that too! I wonder what "kids these days" would think about that level of inconvenience - or if they'd recognize the cassette tape. Actually when I was a kid I remember my dad using a battery-operated CD player in the passenger seat for music sometimes, because the car didn't have a working CD-player-stereo 😂
I am so glad that my shopping was more influenced by RUclips than TikTok...I still bought so much dumb stuff but at least there was some longer analysis and linking to another site usually where I could read reviews and just take a breath before I actually click "buy." Seems like TikTok shop just makes it too easy! I also used to make RUclips videos and while I didn't ever mean to influence people to buy stuff they didn't need, I thought I was serving a purpose of honestly reviewing stuff but I realized I was buying/receiving too much and no doubt feeding into the whole bad cycle. I love the peek into people's lives and the stuff they like, it's weird that is entertainment now but learning to consume it and not be influenced is hard...so I'm happy to see no buy content like this to balance it all out!
TikTok Shop itself never got me, but I would often be "influenced" especially by repeated videos on there showing the same "trending" items, which I'd then go look for on the general internet. I never could bring myself to buy something directly off a social media app even at the height of my "shopping problem" days! Did you stop making videos? I'm sure so many people start in the "honest" way, and not everyone who is a "content creator" becomes a full-blown "influencer". I'm starting to see/understand a bit more of maybe what distinguishes the types of content, at least in my mind. I also enjoy peeking into people's lives and stuff, and hope that we will start to see more "normal" and authentic examples that aren't harmful if people try and emulate at home.
@@Alexas.nobuyyear I can only imagine how much worse my shopping could be if I stayed on TikTok, but I saw it was way to intensely addictive, even aside from shopping, I had to nope right outta there! I did stop making videos for a variety of reasons- I started out as a plus size fashion channel with the best intentions of sharing my reviews on how stuff fit and what was out there since I love to shop and try new brands I though that could help other folks (since plus size fashion, as a rule, stinks and is always behind the trends and is nearly impossible to find in store.) And I thought I already buy too many clothes, I might as well share my thoughts about them! But then I really did shop more and it was getting out of control so I abruptly started a No Buy Year (inspired by Hannah Louise Poston too!) And even though I did come back after and do regular hauls, it was never the same and I started to feel icky about the whole enterprise. I do think the "underconsumption" trend is giving me more of what I want (seeing people's homes and everyday lives) and less buy buy buy, which is great!
Great video! Way to stay strong!!🎉 The video react got me thinking… that influencer said she’d give away stuff… but it appears she’s keeping the expensive things for herself. 😆 like she needs more bracelets🙄. Yikes. (I have no idea who she is)
Just have to say I love this kind of video! I’m a struggling over spender too and it’s so nice to see more “deinfluencing” especially with your thought out commentary. I’d love to see more of these
Great, thank you for letting me know! I'll probably do more at some point even if it's just infrequent check-ins to see what's making the rounds on Insta/Tiktok at a given time, or possibly responding to articles that are just lists of "stuff to buy"...it's really everywhere, this kind of insidious advertising. Fair warning though it might not be very soon, since I have a pretty long list of ideas to get off my brain 😆
It's interesting to watch these hauls and hear how the creators are always "obsessed" with and "love" everything straight out of the box having never used it. I've been learning more about how items are constructed and how that affects their longevity and the leggings for ex. being described as "soft as butter" typically for workout wear this means it's a brushed fabric and thus the fibres have been brushed, aka destroyed, to give it that soft hand feel. but the brushing also means they won't last as long, nor will they hold their shape and structure as well as their non-brushed counterparts since they have come to the consumer with already broken down fibres. most consumers won't care about things like that because they will already be thinking about the next tempting pattern and colour and matching set they can buy to replace this one with after owning it for a minute. I'm happy that i didn't recognize many of the brands listed here and was tempted by nothing.
Ooh I just talked about this in an impromptu video today - I heard a creator talk about being "obsessed" with a pair of earrings and it really gave me pause, like, seriously? Ok maybe you're obsessed with them but I don't want to be obsessed with any material item anymore, ever again!
Apart from the obvious consumerist problem, this gives me anxiety as a (kind of) minimalist. I already feel stressed out after my birthday or Christmas about where to put all the new stuff. 😮 This gets me thinking: where do people like her put all this crap? Get rid of it immediately? Having a total mess in their house? Having spare rooms or even storages for PR???
Right, I wouldn't be surprised if they DID have "PR rooms" or similar...also I haven't followed up to see if this creator has updated about whatever "giveaway" she was planning for her followers of some of this stuff, so maybe that's where some of it goes. Interesting you mention being stressed after gift giving occasions with where to put things! This year I'm really thinking about the best ways to go about normalizing "fewer gifts" - mainly because I have kids, and they do get a lot of enjoyment from the unwrapping and newness - thinking a lot of it will be "consumables" that are designed to be used up this time around so they can still "unwrap" but not be accumulating more of a collection of stuff.
Thank you so much for your content, just love it! I am a professional violinist myself, and it's so nice seeing videos from another musician on RUclips🧡 I liked this kind of your reaction, I think it's totaly fine and perhaps even nessesary to criticise some things in order to reflect these and change own behavior. And, in your case, to sent lots of thoughts out to the world. Otherwise, anything coulnd't be changed🙃 and, last but not least, I find your way to criticise very constructiv and unoffensive. Even if some people feel offended by this, I think it's ok. There will be always somebody who feels offended.
I have a sneaky suspicion that if that 'diamond' bracelet were made with real diamonds it would be packaged more securely in that drawer. I can't see any company sending out something of that value just loose in the little compartment...
One of my friends work in TikTok in LA office, it’s very eye opening how they running the company, what they’re advocating, and even the live advertising products in their showrooms are insane! They’re obviously very high tech company, earning lots of money, but it also makes you think deeper and understand the concept behind it
Wow - sounds almost like a tale of a dystopian future, having that kind of inner look would be fascinating and possibly a bit scary to know how things work from the inside! 🫨
I just watched a poignant stop motion Chinese animation here on RUclips called "Rag Doll." I highly recommend it. If I was a person that consumed from platforms like this or from fast fashion, I would abruptly cease after watching it.
I do understand why people are leaving noble careers (like healthcare) in droves. I went to school for so long to have my "dream job" in healthcare and left (for no financial gain). The trade off wasn't worth it. The pay wasn't even close to matching the stress and trauma. I'd rather be poor and have my mental health intact. I guess these people think "I'd rather make 10x the money and have my mental health" even if they aren't doing anything that actually matters. I bet they don't even think about the negative effects of their actions. I repeatedly hear influencers say "I'm just sharing brands and things I love!" My conscience couldn't handle it. The environmental impact alone.
Yes I maybe didn't mention in this video but I think I did awhile back, I think a huge part of the issue is that "noble careers" are so overworked and underpaid, like why are healthcare workers working 12 hour shifts? Maybe they should be doing 6 hour shifts, or fewer days, or getting paid more... As part of one of my old music jobs we regularly went and played for child cancer patients. After even just an hour or two of being in that environment I would leave feeling both incredibly fulfilled by the connection I made but incredibly saddened that life is the way it is. Not trying to compare my experience at all with a true healthcare worker, I imagine it to be harder when you're actually involved in the treatment and daily lives of these patients.
Yes - I'm surprised! I do feel like I'm about to get off into the weeds soon - going through some psychological breakthroughs/mentality shifts on this "no buy year" that are pretty hard to explain on camera... so we'll see if I manage to scare everyone away or not 😆
When someone says they are obsessed with so many random things, that might indicate they need to see a doctor 😅 I cannot watch it without being upset. We pay for those products and get maybe 10% of brand's attention while sh*tfluencers (pardon me, but I just cannot) are showered with free stuff they don't even bother to properly show on camera. And I've just read someone's comment saying big brands ignored charity asking for some hygiene products donation. Shame on you, greedy brands.
It's pretty crazy how society has set up the landscape of consumerism...now that I've gotten a little deeper, I see that influencers are actually maybe the ones who are the most influenced out of everyone, to think that selling this stuff (yes, even for money) is something worth doing. Or that trying to make endless consumerist junk look aspirational is even an okay thing to do. Money is good to have, yes, but I can't help but see a loss of integrity and warped reality that comes with being a product influencer...
An interesting thing to see would be how your current tiktok account would be different to a completely brand new tiktok account without any previous data.
That's true, it would be interesting! I hypothesize there'd be the same amount of TikTok shop random ads, since I never followed those people or people like them in the first place. Maybe not for the same kind of products. I wonder how long it'd take to see something like the PR haul. Most of the people I actually "follow" on my account are actually musicians, so very few "ads" would line up with my preferences as far as the app knows! But thank you for the idea! I might file it away as something to try for the future - for now I'm staying away from TikTok altogether 😅
@@Alexas.nobuyyearI am not sure if TikTok also uses your IP data but other apps and homepages do. I will get ads for tech stuff when my husband researched something and he will get kid’s clothes.
My impression of TikTok is it being just full of ads... Is there content worthwhile on that app in any way? Happy I never made an account :') Thanks for doing this, very brave of you:)
A few close people in my life are medium-sized (tens of thousands if followers, not millions) tiktok creators who speak about social justice issues. They have developed a good community full of people honestly trying to connect with and educate themselves and each other across a lot of different life experiences, different countries of origin, etc. in a way that is much harder to do on other social media channels that silo their content. But I hear from my friends that it’s harder to do that now, because it’s harder to get traction or be pushed up if you don’t sell something. For myself I have a really limited social media capacity so I never downloaded tiktok, but yes like a lot of social media platforms when they’re new, it was a way for communities to build that weren’t able to connect before and it did some good for people in that way, and maybe it still does :) Like I said, for myself I find it too overwhelming so this is a secondhand perspective.
I have real-life friends that I follow on there and was surprised that so many ads seem to now be interspersed with the content from people I follow. I do think there are people who really shine, sharing and/or educating on tiktok - I discovered that I am not one of them (too long-winded and abstract, possibly! 😅) but I hear even from my musician friends, that the way to get your music videos seen is to link some arbitrary product in TikTok shop and the algorithm will push your content more! It's pretty crazy. I might still post my "music content" when I get back to doing that, but I don't think I'll open the app anymore unless I'm actually posting something!
Hello, was fed your channel on my recommend and have binged about 10-15 videos so far, I'm really enjoying it. My path is a little different, more of a slow burn low buy that has turned into more careful purchases over the last three years but it's nice to have tips and different points of view and just the content we consume changes how we act. The thing that helped me more than any other thing was unsubbing from emails of my favorite brands. Even when I needed nothing I was always tempted, now I don't even see it. I have enjoyed all the vids I've watched so far but yesterdays was really great pointing out the covert marketing and selling will help people. Once you can see the set up or behind the scenes you can't unsee it. I also really like the video of you showing all the things you were influenced to buy seeing it all together was eyeing opening for me. Oh, also to add that I have been through the decluttering process multiple times and I don't do it anymore I found over and over again I would declutter only to need to purchase something again. Now I make individual decisions after reviewing an item 3-5 times because mood can effect decision making. Looking forward to your next vid.
As it turns out (you might have already seen!) my "no buy" has in reality been more "low buy" for the first 6 months at least, but really hoping to do a true "no buy" for the second half of the year. It's funny to read your comment about unsubbing from brand emails. I just "journalled" some thoughts on this because on the surface it's extremely common advice from "minimalist" or "no buy" channels on here, and it seems like common sense and also an "action" you can "just go and do". But for some reason, I was reluctant to unsub from my very last few "favorite brands", so I did everything except maybe those 2-3. I saw yesterday an update from one of them about a "limited run" of special edition products (that I already have an use, these were just more "beautiful" and "exclusive" versions) and my immediate impulse was to go buy some, and even tried to justify it on my no buy year by saying it would be a Christmas gift, gifts are allowed, etc. and it FINALLY hit me - I wouldn't have seen or wanted that stuff if I didn't open that email. I already have stuff I like from this brand, so if I really need more I know where to look and can google anytime. But I truly don't need to "keep an eye on" what they are doing because at the end of the day, what they are doing is making products for people to buy. I think I thought it was "ok" because it almost felt like supporting an artist (it's a smaller business) and when it is "art" rather than "products" it IS advantageous to follow the brand - like if your favorite musician is releasing a new album to listen to, or a local painter has new gallery appearances, etc....but the separation of those ideas, art vs. stuff, is still something I'm kind of thinking through! But all this will resurface in a future video for sure 😅 Thanks for your comment and sparking this long, thinking-out-loud reply haha - what a welcome to the channel, right?
@@Alexas.nobuyyear a welcome is always nice, lol. I think you say it best if I didn’t see it and I don’t need it why do I want it and I think your breakdown of those post in the video was a good reminder to question why these people are presenting these things to you. The answer is almost always to make an income. I will give of an example from a different part of the internet. A women unfortunately had a reproductive issue staying vague to not trigger anyone but I watched the video ( don’t follow this person it was fed to me) and it felt off then someone pointed out that she set up a tripod left the house and reentered to film her emotional moment with her husband. It was eye opening I feel like your video yesterday did the same thing….. pulling back the curtain really changes perspectives.
Totally unrelated to the topic (I do appreciate all your work. It’s an important topic!), but I really enjoy Camille Saint Saens work. A bit underrated. I’m attending Lang Lang’s show this September featuring Saint Saens’ work.
Wow that's going to be amazing! I also enjoy Saint-Saens, I played Havanaise for my very first undergrad violin recital so there are some special (stressful!) memories there too.
That nurse influencer sounds like she’s a teenager. I could barely listen to her talking about all her free stuff. Granted, I don’t follow influencers on any platform, but man she was hard to listen to. The “I’m obsessed, iconic,” and something else she said I cannot remember, absolutely made me want to close the video 😂.
Yes! This example was interesting (or scary?) for me because I think she came up on my page because we are somewhat demographically similar, she is also a mom of young kids, and is close to my age at 28-29 years old...but otherwise an example of the total opposite of how I want to live 😵
Sometimes people get exhausted from such hard work as being a nurse or a teacher. It is very emotionally draining so I can’t really judge them if they decide to leave their “noble” but stressful and sometimes not well paid profession to take a break and enjoy life a bit.
Yeah we don’t value “noble” work enough. A person can’t do that work forever without burning out. So they see influencers out there being extremely valued by brands and followers and want a piece of that. It makes sense. Until we actually value noble careers both monetarily and with mental and physical health incentives then we are going to have this problem. Unfortunately the whole thing is so wrapped up in socioeconomic dynamics that it’s very hard to unravel since it’s systematic
Yes 100%. I can totally understand taking another opportunity (even if it's not social media!) and it's hard to explain exactly what the "best" solution might be. I think in a previous video I touched on part of the problem being that these jobs are largely overworked and underpaid, and if we had better conditions it might be more appealing to people (instead of wanting to be an influencer in the first place). Also I recently saw something about this idea of "noblesse oblige", I've got another video where I touch on that and maybe you know it already! I hadn't heard of it before but I guess it's about how "with great wealth comes the responsibility to give back to those who are less fortunate than oneself" - in some ways top influencers come into "great wealth" and I think they could balance their fortune by either making content that helps those less fortunate, or donating some of their wealth directly as a token of appreciation that their own fortune has improved so drastically. I really try not to say anyone "should" do this or that but I just mean to say that maybe that's a way to "balance" this kind of presence online, someone having millions of followers and a "new financial net worth" of millions of dollars because people (often normal working people) have chosen to follow their content.
14:00 absolutely not 😂 this makes me anxious. Especially since before this i was watching the Future Proof channel's newest episode on Self Storage units industry.
I saw that too! We have had a storage unit for a short period when we moved, and having had our "stuff" separate for a short time felt weird and wrong to me - like why own stuff if you can't store it where you live? (In our case it was a car, so we weren't going to get rid of it because of a temporary situation). Same with the American phenomenon of garages and basements being used to store "stuff" rather than be spaces for cars or living area.
For anyone who likes that pillow blanket, there is a simple technique where you can fold a blanket you have and tuck it into itself so it stays like a pillow. No need to buy this. 😉
Thank you so much for this reminder! I didn't think of that but after seeing your suggestion it seems so obvious - and I feel like my "sense of basic creativity" is in need of some attention. I definitely wasn't going to buy that blanket-pillow but even so, it's crazy how sometimes when you see a product in front of you it can make you overlook the ways you might already be able to achieve that result with what you have (thinking of my wardrobe here too)🤯
I don’t have TikTok and now I know I haven’t been missing out 🤪 just hearing this chick going on and on about stuff stuff and more stuff with no break in her monologue, tired me out to no degree. I bought a Natasha Denona Tropic palette in 2019 (I think??) influenced by Tati on RUclips, I don’t regret it, I love it, but I still have it, it’s still good, how do people manage to go thru so much makeup, clothes, perfume etc is beyond all understanding
Love your observations and content… I laugh at much of the nonsense on-line as you exposed in this video and several others… your career as a performing musician IS noble. I am an amateur (translation from French - lover of 😁) Lieder singer making a living in the medical field. I volunteer with young people emancipated from foster care without any safety net. When my son went off to college he said - I can’t live without music… he expanded in grad school to media production… what we do as musicians to make a living😉 but music and the arts are the greatest gift… my grandson now learning/performing… and I realized music is a gift for lifetimes❤ I hope you are able to go back to teaching and sharing your gift, at least a bit, when your children are older😊
Aw thank you - it is really lovely to hear someone who believes in the power of music and the arts! In the meantime I'm actually thinking of re-starting an online musical presence, which may include teaching tidbits as well so again thank you for this vote of confidence in the value of my "career skills" 🥰
For the influencer that had a lot of PR it seemed like she chose which brands to talk about first and to say the most good things about depending on the contract/ money/ sponsorship she receives from the brands. I’m sure she mentioned first the brand that give her the biggest cut from sales or she has sponsorships with. Nothing is random in my opinion when it comes to ads and influencing. Also, I felt like the last creator was feeding into over consumption. Like if something is not up to the highest of standards she feels ashamed to wear it and therefore needs to donate it to someone who has lower standards. Also with that judgy attitude anyone who has the bag might now feel ashamed to wear it and it will end up in the landfill. If it has already been produced and bought I feel like her review is not encouraging less consumption but more.
I totally see this point of view with the last creator too - when I was editing this especially, it felt like "wait a second..." there's good points (not needing or wanting everything celebrities wear) and a bit of not-so-good vibes there. Honestly I feel a bit of this anytime someone criticizes things based on standards or taste, since it ends up putting people down... which is why I find "deinfluencing" videos a bit off-putting sometimes! It's hard to find that balance of being critical without being condescending.
I have an honest and truthful question/thought about Temu/Tiktok shop. Please be kind to me on the answers. But I have the impression (at least here in the UK) that almost everything comes from the same source as Temu/Tiktok's sources. Let's say Amazon stuff for example, or the dollar/pound store, etc. Not justifying buying for this places, but aren't they kinda removing the 'middle man' on those? I see more and more of literally the same thing, just different prices depending if it's on a physical store or online. Please help me make sense of this on my mind.
I've seen videos comparing the "same" items from Temu and Shein - it does seem like lots of times it IS the same stuff at different price points. I don't really know whether removing the "middle man" is a good or bad thing at the end of the day...but at least for my personal shopping habits I'd rather go into a store even if it means paying slightly more, so that I can see the item in person and hopefully things are shipped out in a bigger group of items instead of having planes flying a single package to my doorstep. (I think a lot of Temu/Shein stuff is shipped from their factories in China. But I'm also not an expert on any of this so I don't know for sure!).
It’s sad to see TikTok being this huge shopping platform now. It was fun in the beginning but as most things, it fell into the capitalism black hole and now there’s so much product pushing. I remember when the KVD good apple foundation went viral on TikTok and of course I bought it. And it didn’t work well for me! I think since I got burned from my first TT influenced product that now the “viral” products don’t really work on me. RUclips influences me more than TT. Also, the TT shop was nice at first because you could buy from multiple different stores and pay no shipping costs but the shipping minimums are there now for every shop so that’s another deterrent for me. Oh and most of those stores use USPS for shipping and it’s just the worst (in my area) so that’s another reason I don’t buy much from there. Not the best reasons but these reasons work for me so well!
"My Obsession With-" ...that's not what 'obsession' means. And if you can be 'obsessed' with that many products, you cannot possibly be a good parent because it would take too much time. Being an "influencer" can pay well, but it seems to be at the cost of most social mores - you are teaching consumerism because you want to be sent free stuff. That's it. But it's a clear reward system and no wonder everyone wants to be an influencer. For the "freebies". Never been on tiktok except for links from friends. This is underscoring that as a good choice. Now if I could just get off RUclips... Hi, I'm binging your channel because the combo of classical music and clear arc of your journey this year along with your eloquence is beautiful.
Thank you! I'm happy to have "broken up" with tiktok - now I see it as mostly free advertising as far as people showing off their stuff in an aesthetic way - or in the case of "career influencers" maybe it's not free, but paid through PR and brand deals. Similarly on RUclips the presence of PR and sponsorships is helping me prune the type of content I want to see, and focus on creators and topics that support the goals I have "in real life" and also use designated times (listening to the audio while I'm commuting in the car, or cleaning house) for "content consuming".
for us as viewers maybe we need to voice more our concerns over overconsumption and try to keep creators accountable? I mean, showing things just to show and get more PR is so dumb, I'm not watching that. But an honest review, not sponsored about a product? Ok, I might even 'like' your content. That has been the way I have been engaging with SM in general. So if someone is being dishonest (doing PR and trying to make it as an honest review or something shady like that) I will click on 'not interest in this content'
I've noticed RUclipsrs are paying more attention to the sponsorships they take because their audiences are asking that of them. It does require the audience to play a more active part in how/what content they consume.
@@gladiatorinsweatsmaybe it’s an educational process, right, this is all so new. Hopefully we slowly learn how to engage properly with social media and this will be in the past
This! "Engaging properly with social media!" Love how you put that, I might end up saying that in a future video to explain what I am learning how to do this year so apologies if I forget to credit your comment for the language and wording you used here, and thank you for sharing it. As I'm discovering to an increasing degree I was NOT engaging properly with social media, I still don't think I'm where I want to be with that, but now without the participation in the "shopping" or consumerism aspects of it I can finally SEE where my time and attention was going.
I'm very glad I haven't fallen into the TikTok trap... I'm in my 30s and it just holds no appeal for me now, but I think when I was younger I would have fallen for so much crap 🙈 "naked mole rat" had me howling
Having watched more of the video now, I really think younger me would have really aspired to that influencer lifestyle, being sent all that stuff just for (basically) being conventionally attractive enough and creating the right kind of content. To my mind it encourages people to value and prioritise all the wrong things - both environmentally and socially I can't see any benefit to pushing that kind of lifestyle.
Same - I can't see benefit to pushing the lifestyle either but it just seems like by influencers like this existing, people (especially young people) are going to want to live like that or aspire to do this, and possibly start by doing the same kind of content through purchase, hoping to get to the point where they get it for free. I can't believe I used to spend time on Tiktok in recent history, it just seems honestly terrible to me now.
Glad I'm not on Tik-Tok. Looks crappy to me. That "influencer" looks like a spoilt brat bragging about all her free stuff. She didn't actually promote any of it, just giving a quick glance at it and saying she loves it - how fake. How can people seriously be influenced by this garbage?
Speaking for my past self, I don't think I was ever influenced by a single PR "haul" like this. However, if I saw the same product come up again and again in PR hauls, and then later sometimes I'd see "normal people" reviewing the same product, I'd start slowly thinking I wanted to try that "thing" too, whatever it was. So it was kind of more about the repeated exposure and some of the items spreading through society (maybe as a result of the initial PR "shows")
Not one of those "gifts" was anything of need! The whole show was ridiculously wasteful! Trying, I guess?, to create jealousy? Why would you want to do that? I do not watch any of that stuff! What I DO watch is Alexa perfectly skewering this kind of content! Now that's worth watching! 🎖🏆🏅
Right, to me that kind of display really "proves the problem" - when someone shows just one or two of the "PR packages" it almost feels like "maybe that's not so bad"...but then you come across something like that and it's clearly very strange! Thank you for your support 🥰
Do these influencers pay taxes on all the stuff they are given? If you win stuff on a game show, in order to get the car, trip, or item...the recipient must pay taxes on that item. Where is the line? Like you were saying with that clothing company that had regular people and "paid" them with clothes. I don't know. To me it seems like a huge burden to receive all that stuff.
I think I saw somewhere that they do have to pay taxes...however I have no idea how that works at all, does the statement come with the PR or what? Also I guess for a big enough influencer, the income from the content they make using the PR might be worth any possible taxes...it is kind of crazy to think about though
I didn't find this video or others like it to be "icky" in any way. Massive PR unboxing is what made me reject certain brands outright and give up my "aspirational life" to just live my real one as it is. Influencers receive "gifts" the general public has no access to regardless of the price point. One influencer I follow got an exclusive, expensive, not available at any price to customer bag at a PR event. It was the only colour in that style I may have bought. It incensed me because this influencer comes from wealth and can easily afford EVERYTHING given in PR and more. I had to limit myself with the content shown on that channel. It's too bad because I think this person is authentic, doing the PR is part of the job, but it soured me on the whole "luxury space" as it was causing me massive anxiety that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't ever get to that space on my own nor do I have any interest in "luxury" products anymore. My opinion now is if something makes you feel luxurious, it's luxury regardless of the brand.
It does hit different when you realize there are "PR exclusives" that no amount of money can buy, it's all dependent on "popularity" and not even actually being a fan or supporter of the brand! I relate and can say the exact same with my main purse brand (Polene) - over the last few years I have purchased most of their designs, while influencers who've never bought anything with their own $$ get given the "exclusive" leather envelope or lizard-skin mini, and that's not accessible to someone who's a true fan like I was/am. Whereas I'm the one "repping their brand" on the day to day in the real world. It just doesn't make sense!
Is it just me who thinks this, or is the long acrylic nail aesthetic extremely cringey...It just screams, "i have a toxic personality underneath my smile"
I've been removed from the "nail trends" since I can't have them and still do my job as a musician, so I've never had any...I try not to knock on stuff other people like, but I can't help but wonder how people get through everyday tasks (dishes, laundry, paperwork, gardening?) with long fake nails 😅
Long (ish) fake nail wearer here, I do them myself. It's a fun artistic outlet for me and also prevents me from biting my nails. Humans are very adaptable and you adjust to using your hands slightly differently pretty quick. Of course the materials involved are not environmentally friendly, my rule is I have to fully use up my supplies before buying more
Just wanted to tell you that you have very QUICKLY become a favorite RUclipsr for me. Not only is your information extremely helpful, but you also explain your thinking very eloquently and honestly. I appreciate you so much! And thank you!!❤
I'm honored! I'm glad to hear it comes across as eloquent and honest - I struggle sometimes to know if I'm able to successfully express what I really mean - I know I might take some things "too seriously" or "think too much" sometimes, and it really helps to receive comments like yours to feel like at least some people get me! 🥹
@@Alexas.nobuyyear I very much get you! I should have added to my previous comment that you are very relatable and inspiring. Again, Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are much needed❤️🥰
It's crazy to me now as an ex-shopaholic that people would even WANT all this crap. Everything is so tacky and superficial and redundant
Yes! Same - I used to not see how much of a problem this is and now it looks like a nightmare, "not fun" anymore for sure
Watching that TikTok influencer flaunt all those PR products made me feel a bit physically unwell. It was quite grotesque to me. As someone who has also made the decision to remove myself from the world of over-consumption, I am much more sensitive to this type of content. It just feels so wrong, unnecessarily and wasteful. I so enjoy your content. I could listen to your musings for hours. Thank you so much for creating this channel. I really appreciate the effort you go to, to make these well-considered and interesting videos.
Yes it is grotesque to me too - I wasn't planning on ever doing videos like this but when I saw that served to me on TikTok I couldn't NOT say anything...
And thank you! Happy to hang out with you here 🥰
What bugs me beyond belief is how I volunteer at a child advocacy center as a donation coordinator, and SO MANY, if not ALL, of the major and popular companies (76 and counting, some of them shown in this PR unboxing and have seen ALL of them in OTHER PR unboxings!) have told me that they can’t donate hygiene/skincare products. Nothing has made me more of an anti consumption person than this experience over the last 6 months. I guess they just give the products to influencers instead of children recovering from awful abuse. Can’t even articulate how upsetting that is to see. According to them, (tax deductible!) donations to a noble cause aren’t worth it compared to making an extra few dollars off of TikTok users.
That's so interesting, (and indeed upsetting!) I'd think that if they DID have "donation campaigns" and maybe made videos about people in need receiving their products - or even just their support (money donation?) - they'd get MORE brand loyalty from customers than they do by sending things to influencers! I know that that's not true, or they'd all be doing it, but I wish that's how it could be.
well yeah, this is a form of advertising. they are "gifts" but it isn't charitable donations. them donating these products is never going to be a consideration
I think it's important to note that PR is NOT a gift. It's given without monitary payment, sure, but to the brand it's an investment and the creator is paying by advertising the product. That's might seem optional, because technically there is no contractual obligation, but if the creator doesn't show stuff, the packages will soon stop coming...
The use of the word "obsessed" is very telling.
@@TheThriftyTherapist totaly agree... and she said about every product she LOVES it. Is it possible to love this huge amount of things if she probably won't use at least half of this stuff? 😂 I don't know, may be I'm wrong on this, but it triggered me
Right thank you for bringing this up - the connotations there are actually kind of scary!
I don’t even enjoy getting unsolicited birthday presents, having all this crap land on me would give me a mental breakdown🤣
Right, especially when it's THIS much stuff it's easy to see the overwhelm
Umm, that influencer who returned from vacation in Hawaii to all of those packages. This kind of thing used to make me feel jealous but now I feel sort of revolted??
Same! And now I look at it and think "how did I EVER feel jealous or not revolted before???" Hooray for us making progress (or for social media displays getting more and more ridiculous?) 😅
Another thought, 29:50 , looonnngg ago when people sold things in person to a town full of folks, the latest snake oil(visualize out west in cowboy times under a large tent) to increase sales they had a mark in the audience to say “yeah, I’ve used that-it’s great!” I feel that’s what the influencer is today-the mark in the crowd of everyday folks to say it’s ok to buy it and want it. “You can trust me, I’m one of you” even though I’m being paid to say so. 😬🤷🏼♀️
I love this and thank you for bringing that up, I didn't connect it with that idea before of "marks" being planted but yes it's just like that with "fake amazon reviews" or "paid product incentives" these days too!
I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up in a future video of mine if I talk about this again because it explains it SO WELL and paints just the right picture, so thank you and apologies if I don't credit you directly!!
@@Alexas.nobuyyear my random thoughts are your random thoughts! My gift!😆😆
i appreciate that you called out that woman commenting on loving the packaging by saying it will just go in the trash. sadly i have seen some youtubers hold on to pr packaging bc it's cute and they felt special receiving it, and then it turns into a hoarding situation. it always freaks me out how much value people assign to packaging. shouldn't the effectiveness of the product be more exciting?
I don’t have or watch tik-tok and this reinforces why I will never use it. This video was so cringy I had to pause the parts with the influencer just to keep from getting so annoyed. I don’t know why it triggers me so much-the insincerity? The shallowness? The crazy overconsumption? You’re so much kinder than me-I hate to say this but I don’t think I’d ever be friends with somebody like this is real life.
Thanks for the video! Keep it up-we are here with ya!!
Right? I never want to go back there, to the wild west of tiktok. And yeah I don't think I'd be jumping to begin a friendship with someone like this, but if they had been my friend from before who had "gone astray", those are the things I'd be thinking and wondering. Just a lens for compassionate criticism, because I don't like blasting random people on the internet 😅
Another silly comment from me: I have never been on Tik Tok. Have no idea what it is like, or how much is dedicated to consumerism. From what I have heard, it really pushes products.
Same. I refuse to use TikTok
Same here, never had this app😂
No tik-tok here. Why would I?
Yes - don't get TikTok! Since I took a break this year and went back on for this video, I don't want to ever go back again! Seems like a total waste of time and probably 90% advertising.
This was eye opening Alexa. Thank you for such a balanced, fair-minded, informative video. I am not a Tik Tok user and I'm happy I avoided it. I appreciate your message and it's an important one. We need more people like you getting this message out.
Thank you! I feel renewed motivation to stay off TikTok after this experience - it feels like it either got worse, or I really must have been delusional last year to be on that app at all and not see all of these issues 🫢
Loving your content - (and the classical music, you’re inspiring me to return to my violin). Watching the clips of that influencer may have single- handedly cured me of my shopping habit. Thank you!! 😂😮
Yes give the violin some love!!!
Really get so much from your videos and views. Very inspiring and authentic. Thank you
Until recently I drove a 2004 Camry and I had to use a CASSETTE player to headphone jack converter to listen to music in the car from my phone, and I would have to prop my phone on my clock to use maps hands-free. When I got a newer car and could use a USB cable to plug my phone directly in I felt like I had finally joined the 21st century! Anyone who thinks their phone cord situation is bad should drive an older car for a bit. It will really make you appreciate all the built in features of newer cars - no need to buy new gadgets! But you can't make money off people who are content with what they have.
I recently got a new-to-me car and felt the same when I noticed I have Bluetooth now!
Oh yes I remember doing that too! I wonder what "kids these days" would think about that level of inconvenience - or if they'd recognize the cassette tape. Actually when I was a kid I remember my dad using a battery-operated CD player in the passenger seat for music sometimes, because the car didn't have a working CD-player-stereo 😂
I am so glad that my shopping was more influenced by RUclips than TikTok...I still bought so much dumb stuff but at least there was some longer analysis and linking to another site usually where I could read reviews and just take a breath before I actually click "buy." Seems like TikTok shop just makes it too easy! I also used to make RUclips videos and while I didn't ever mean to influence people to buy stuff they didn't need, I thought I was serving a purpose of honestly reviewing stuff but I realized I was buying/receiving too much and no doubt feeding into the whole bad cycle. I love the peek into people's lives and the stuff they like, it's weird that is entertainment now but learning to consume it and not be influenced is hard...so I'm happy to see no buy content like this to balance it all out!
TikTok Shop itself never got me, but I would often be "influenced" especially by repeated videos on there showing the same "trending" items, which I'd then go look for on the general internet. I never could bring myself to buy something directly off a social media app even at the height of my "shopping problem" days!
Did you stop making videos? I'm sure so many people start in the "honest" way, and not everyone who is a "content creator" becomes a full-blown "influencer". I'm starting to see/understand a bit more of maybe what distinguishes the types of content, at least in my mind. I also enjoy peeking into people's lives and stuff, and hope that we will start to see more "normal" and authentic examples that aren't harmful if people try and emulate at home.
@@Alexas.nobuyyear I can only imagine how much worse my shopping could be if I stayed on TikTok, but I saw it was way to intensely addictive, even aside from shopping, I had to nope right outta there! I did stop making videos for a variety of reasons- I started out as a plus size fashion channel with the best intentions of sharing my reviews on how stuff fit and what was out there since I love to shop and try new brands I though that could help other folks (since plus size fashion, as a rule, stinks and is always behind the trends and is nearly impossible to find in store.) And I thought I already buy too many clothes, I might as well share my thoughts about them! But then I really did shop more and it was getting out of control so I abruptly started a No Buy Year (inspired by Hannah Louise Poston too!) And even though I did come back after and do regular hauls, it was never the same and I started to feel icky about the whole enterprise. I do think the "underconsumption" trend is giving me more of what I want (seeing people's homes and everyday lives) and less buy buy buy, which is great!
Great video! Way to stay strong!!🎉
The video react got me thinking… that influencer said she’d give away stuff… but it appears she’s keeping the expensive things for herself. 😆 like she needs more bracelets🙄. Yikes.
(I have no idea who she is)
Just have to say I love this kind of video! I’m a struggling over spender too and it’s so nice to see more “deinfluencing” especially with your thought out commentary.
I’d love to see more of these
Great, thank you for letting me know! I'll probably do more at some point even if it's just infrequent check-ins to see what's making the rounds on Insta/Tiktok at a given time, or possibly responding to articles that are just lists of "stuff to buy"...it's really everywhere, this kind of insidious advertising. Fair warning though it might not be very soon, since I have a pretty long list of ideas to get off my brain 😆
It's interesting to watch these hauls and hear how the creators are always "obsessed" with and "love" everything straight out of the box having never used it. I've been learning more about how items are constructed and how that affects their longevity and the leggings for ex. being described as "soft as butter" typically for workout wear this means it's a brushed fabric and thus the fibres have been brushed, aka destroyed, to give it that soft hand feel. but the brushing also means they won't last as long, nor will they hold their shape and structure as well as their non-brushed counterparts since they have come to the consumer with already broken down fibres. most consumers won't care about things like that because they will already be thinking about the next tempting pattern and colour and matching set they can buy to replace this one with after owning it for a minute. I'm happy that i didn't recognize many of the brands listed here and was tempted by nothing.
Ooh I just talked about this in an impromptu video today - I heard a creator talk about being "obsessed" with a pair of earrings and it really gave me pause, like, seriously? Ok maybe you're obsessed with them but I don't want to be obsessed with any material item anymore, ever again!
This was really interesting and helpful, and I think you did a good job walking the line of showing examples while not attacking anybody.
Thank you!
Apart from the obvious consumerist problem, this gives me anxiety as a (kind of) minimalist. I already feel stressed out after my birthday or Christmas about where to put all the new stuff. 😮 This gets me thinking: where do people like her put all this crap? Get rid of it immediately? Having a total mess in their house? Having spare rooms or even storages for PR???
Right, I wouldn't be surprised if they DID have "PR rooms" or similar...also I haven't followed up to see if this creator has updated about whatever "giveaway" she was planning for her followers of some of this stuff, so maybe that's where some of it goes.
Interesting you mention being stressed after gift giving occasions with where to put things! This year I'm really thinking about the best ways to go about normalizing "fewer gifts" - mainly because I have kids, and they do get a lot of enjoyment from the unwrapping and newness - thinking a lot of it will be "consumables" that are designed to be used up this time around so they can still "unwrap" but not be accumulating more of a collection of stuff.
Love your videos so much! Really helping me to change my perspective. Thank you
Thank you!
Thank you so much for your content, just love it! I am a professional violinist myself, and it's so nice seeing videos from another musician on RUclips🧡
I liked this kind of your reaction, I think it's totaly fine and perhaps even nessesary to criticise some things in order to reflect these and change own behavior. And, in your case, to sent lots of thoughts out to the world. Otherwise, anything coulnd't be changed🙃 and, last but not least, I find your way to criticise very constructiv and unoffensive. Even if some people feel offended by this, I think it's ok. There will be always somebody who feels offended.
Thank you for this feedback and also thank you for refraining from making any viola jokes, even as a violinist 😄🎻
@@Alexas.nobuyyear no beautiful symphony without viola😃🎻💪
I have a sneaky suspicion that if that 'diamond' bracelet were made with real diamonds it would be packaged more securely in that drawer. I can't see any company sending out something of that value just loose in the little compartment...
This is a good point!
One of my friends work in TikTok in LA office, it’s very eye opening how they running the company, what they’re advocating, and even the live advertising products in their showrooms are insane! They’re obviously very high tech company, earning lots of money, but it also makes you think deeper and understand the concept behind it
Wow - sounds almost like a tale of a dystopian future, having that kind of inner look would be fascinating and possibly a bit scary to know how things work from the inside! 🫨
Your channel is growing so fast! Great :D Keep up the good work. how refreshing this content is 🥰
Aw thank you!
I just watched a poignant stop motion Chinese animation here on RUclips called "Rag Doll." I highly recommend it. If I was a person that consumed from platforms like this or from fast fashion, I would abruptly cease after watching it.
Ooh looking that up now, thanks for the recommendation.
@@Alexas.nobuyyear I hope you'll come back and let us know what you think!
I do understand why people are leaving noble careers (like healthcare) in droves. I went to school for so long to have my "dream job" in healthcare and left (for no financial gain). The trade off wasn't worth it. The pay wasn't even close to matching the stress and trauma. I'd rather be poor and have my mental health intact.
I guess these people think "I'd rather make 10x the money and have my mental health" even if they aren't doing anything that actually matters. I bet they don't even think about the negative effects of their actions. I repeatedly hear influencers say "I'm just sharing brands and things I love!" My conscience couldn't handle it. The environmental impact alone.
Yes I maybe didn't mention in this video but I think I did awhile back, I think a huge part of the issue is that "noble careers" are so overworked and underpaid, like why are healthcare workers working 12 hour shifts? Maybe they should be doing 6 hour shifts, or fewer days, or getting paid more...
As part of one of my old music jobs we regularly went and played for child cancer patients. After even just an hour or two of being in that environment I would leave feeling both incredibly fulfilled by the connection I made but incredibly saddened that life is the way it is. Not trying to compare my experience at all with a true healthcare worker, I imagine it to be harder when you're actually involved in the treatment and daily lives of these patients.
Your channel is growing so fast!🎉🎉🎉
Yes - I'm surprised! I do feel like I'm about to get off into the weeds soon - going through some psychological breakthroughs/mentality shifts on this "no buy year" that are pretty hard to explain on camera... so we'll see if I manage to scare everyone away or not 😆
@@Alexas.nobuyyear Bring it on!
When someone says they are obsessed with so many random things, that might indicate they need to see a doctor 😅 I cannot watch it without being upset. We pay for those products and get maybe 10% of brand's attention while sh*tfluencers (pardon me, but I just cannot) are showered with free stuff they don't even bother to properly show on camera. And I've just read someone's comment saying big brands ignored charity asking for some hygiene products donation. Shame on you, greedy brands.
It's pretty crazy how society has set up the landscape of consumerism...now that I've gotten a little deeper, I see that influencers are actually maybe the ones who are the most influenced out of everyone, to think that selling this stuff (yes, even for money) is something worth doing. Or that trying to make endless consumerist junk look aspirational is even an okay thing to do. Money is good to have, yes, but I can't help but see a loss of integrity and warped reality that comes with being a product influencer...
An interesting thing to see would be how your current tiktok account would be different to a completely brand new tiktok account without any previous data.
That's true, it would be interesting! I hypothesize there'd be the same amount of TikTok shop random ads, since I never followed those people or people like them in the first place. Maybe not for the same kind of products. I wonder how long it'd take to see something like the PR haul. Most of the people I actually "follow" on my account are actually musicians, so very few "ads" would line up with my preferences as far as the app knows!
But thank you for the idea! I might file it away as something to try for the future - for now I'm staying away from TikTok altogether 😅
@@Alexas.nobuyyearI am not sure if TikTok also uses your IP data but other apps and homepages do. I will get ads for tech stuff when my husband researched something and he will get kid’s clothes.
Don’t forget they will have your IP address if you open up a new account at home.
My impression of TikTok is it being just full of ads... Is there content worthwhile on that app in any way? Happy I never made an account :')
Thanks for doing this, very brave of you:)
A few close people in my life are medium-sized (tens of thousands if followers, not millions) tiktok creators who speak about social justice issues. They have developed a good community full of people honestly trying to connect with and educate themselves and each other across a lot of different life experiences, different countries of origin, etc. in a way that is much harder to do on other social media channels that silo their content. But I hear from my friends that it’s harder to do that now, because it’s harder to get traction or be pushed up if you don’t sell something. For myself I have a really limited social media capacity so I never downloaded tiktok, but yes like a lot of social media platforms when they’re new, it was a way for communities to build that weren’t able to connect before and it did some good for people in that way, and maybe it still does :) Like I said, for myself I find it too overwhelming so this is a secondhand perspective.
I have real-life friends that I follow on there and was surprised that so many ads seem to now be interspersed with the content from people I follow. I do think there are people who really shine, sharing and/or educating on tiktok - I discovered that I am not one of them (too long-winded and abstract, possibly! 😅) but I hear even from my musician friends, that the way to get your music videos seen is to link some arbitrary product in TikTok shop and the algorithm will push your content more! It's pretty crazy.
I might still post my "music content" when I get back to doing that, but I don't think I'll open the app anymore unless I'm actually posting something!
Hello, was fed your channel on my recommend and have binged about 10-15 videos so far, I'm really enjoying it. My path is a little different, more of a slow burn low buy that has turned into more careful purchases over the last three years but it's nice to have tips and different points of view and just the content we consume changes how we act. The thing that helped me more than any other thing was unsubbing from emails of my favorite brands. Even when I needed nothing I was always tempted, now I don't even see it. I have enjoyed all the vids I've watched so far but yesterdays was really great pointing out the covert marketing and selling will help people. Once you can see the set up or behind the scenes you can't unsee it. I also really like the video of you showing all the things you were influenced to buy seeing it all together was eyeing opening for me. Oh, also to add that I have been through the decluttering process multiple times and I don't do it anymore I found over and over again I would declutter only to need to purchase something again. Now I make individual decisions after reviewing an item 3-5 times because mood can effect decision making. Looking forward to your next vid.
As it turns out (you might have already seen!) my "no buy" has in reality been more "low buy" for the first 6 months at least, but really hoping to do a true "no buy" for the second half of the year.
It's funny to read your comment about unsubbing from brand emails. I just "journalled" some thoughts on this because on the surface it's extremely common advice from "minimalist" or "no buy" channels on here, and it seems like common sense and also an "action" you can "just go and do". But for some reason, I was reluctant to unsub from my very last few "favorite brands", so I did everything except maybe those 2-3. I saw yesterday an update from one of them about a "limited run" of special edition products (that I already have an use, these were just more "beautiful" and "exclusive" versions) and my immediate impulse was to go buy some, and even tried to justify it on my no buy year by saying it would be a Christmas gift, gifts are allowed, etc. and it FINALLY hit me - I wouldn't have seen or wanted that stuff if I didn't open that email. I already have stuff I like from this brand, so if I really need more I know where to look and can google anytime. But I truly don't need to "keep an eye on" what they are doing because at the end of the day, what they are doing is making products for people to buy.
I think I thought it was "ok" because it almost felt like supporting an artist (it's a smaller business) and when it is "art" rather than "products" it IS advantageous to follow the brand - like if your favorite musician is releasing a new album to listen to, or a local painter has new gallery appearances, etc....but the separation of those ideas, art vs. stuff, is still something I'm kind of thinking through! But all this will resurface in a future video for sure 😅
Thanks for your comment and sparking this long, thinking-out-loud reply haha - what a welcome to the channel, right?
@@Alexas.nobuyyear a welcome is always nice, lol. I think you say it best if I didn’t see it and I don’t need it why do I want it and I think your breakdown of those post in the video was a good reminder to question why these people are presenting these things to you. The answer is almost always to make an income. I will give of an example from a different part of the internet. A women unfortunately had a reproductive issue staying vague to not trigger anyone but I watched the video ( don’t follow this person it was fed to me) and it felt off then someone pointed out that she set up a tripod left the house and reentered to film her emotional moment with her husband. It was eye opening I feel like your video yesterday did the same thing….. pulling back the curtain really changes perspectives.
Totally unrelated to the topic (I do appreciate all your work. It’s an important topic!), but I really enjoy Camille Saint Saens work. A bit underrated. I’m attending Lang Lang’s show this September featuring Saint Saens’ work.
Wow that's going to be amazing! I also enjoy Saint-Saens, I played Havanaise for my very first undergrad violin recital so there are some special (stressful!) memories there too.
Thank you!
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That nurse influencer sounds like she’s a teenager. I could barely listen to her talking about all her free stuff. Granted, I don’t follow influencers on any platform, but man she was hard to listen to. The “I’m obsessed, iconic,” and something else she said I cannot remember, absolutely made me want to close the video 😂.
Yes! This example was interesting (or scary?) for me because I think she came up on my page because we are somewhat demographically similar, she is also a mom of young kids, and is close to my age at 28-29 years old...but otherwise an example of the total opposite of how I want to live 😵
Sometimes people get exhausted from such hard work as being a nurse or a teacher. It is very emotionally draining so I can’t really judge them if they decide to leave their “noble” but stressful and sometimes not well paid profession to take a break and enjoy life a bit.
Yeah we don’t value “noble” work enough. A person can’t do that work forever without burning out. So they see influencers out there being extremely valued by brands and followers and want a piece of that. It makes sense. Until we actually value noble careers both monetarily and with mental and physical health incentives then we are going to have this problem. Unfortunately the whole thing is so wrapped up in socioeconomic dynamics that it’s very hard to unravel since it’s systematic
@@laurens3055 if they could work half a day or have more days off in a week for the same money they could probably last longer without burn out…
Yes 100%. I can totally understand taking another opportunity (even if it's not social media!) and it's hard to explain exactly what the "best" solution might be. I think in a previous video I touched on part of the problem being that these jobs are largely overworked and underpaid, and if we had better conditions it might be more appealing to people (instead of wanting to be an influencer in the first place).
Also I recently saw something about this idea of "noblesse oblige", I've got another video where I touch on that and maybe you know it already! I hadn't heard of it before but I guess it's about how "with great wealth comes the responsibility to give back to those who are less fortunate than oneself" - in some ways top influencers come into "great wealth" and I think they could balance their fortune by either making content that helps those less fortunate, or donating some of their wealth directly as a token of appreciation that their own fortune has improved so drastically.
I really try not to say anyone "should" do this or that but I just mean to say that maybe that's a way to "balance" this kind of presence online, someone having millions of followers and a "new financial net worth" of millions of dollars because people (often normal working people) have chosen to follow their content.
14:00 absolutely not 😂 this makes me anxious. Especially since before this i was watching the Future Proof channel's newest episode on Self Storage units industry.
I saw that too!
We have had a storage unit for a short period when we moved, and having had our "stuff" separate for a short time felt weird and wrong to me - like why own stuff if you can't store it where you live? (In our case it was a car, so we weren't going to get rid of it because of a temporary situation). Same with the American phenomenon of garages and basements being used to store "stuff" rather than be spaces for cars or living area.
For anyone who likes that pillow blanket, there is a simple technique where you can fold a blanket you have and tuck it into itself so it stays like a pillow. No need to buy this. 😉
Thank you so much for this reminder! I didn't think of that but after seeing your suggestion it seems so obvious - and I feel like my "sense of basic creativity" is in need of some attention.
I definitely wasn't going to buy that blanket-pillow but even so, it's crazy how sometimes when you see a product in front of you it can make you overlook the ways you might already be able to achieve that result with what you have (thinking of my wardrobe here too)🤯
I don’t have TikTok and now I know I haven’t been missing out 🤪 just hearing this chick going on and on about stuff stuff and more stuff with no break in her monologue, tired me out to no degree. I bought a Natasha Denona Tropic palette in 2019 (I think??) influenced by Tati on RUclips, I don’t regret it, I love it, but I still have it, it’s still good, how do people manage to go thru so much makeup, clothes, perfume etc is beyond all understanding
Love your observations and content… I laugh at much of the nonsense on-line as you exposed in this video and several others… your career as a performing musician IS noble. I am an amateur (translation from French - lover of 😁) Lieder singer making a living in the medical field. I volunteer with young people emancipated from foster care without any safety net. When my son went off to college he said - I can’t live without music… he expanded in grad school to media production… what we do as musicians to make a living😉 but music and the arts are the greatest gift… my grandson now learning/performing… and I realized music is a gift for lifetimes❤ I hope you are able to go back to teaching and sharing your gift, at least a bit, when your children are older😊
Aw thank you - it is really lovely to hear someone who believes in the power of music and the arts!
In the meantime I'm actually thinking of re-starting an online musical presence, which may include teaching tidbits as well so again thank you for this vote of confidence in the value of my "career skills" 🥰
For the influencer that had a lot of PR it seemed like she chose which brands to talk about first and to say the most good things about depending on the contract/ money/ sponsorship she receives from the brands. I’m sure she mentioned first the brand that give her the biggest cut from sales or she has sponsorships with. Nothing is random in my opinion when it comes to ads and influencing.
Also, I felt like the last creator was feeding into over consumption. Like if something is not up to the highest of standards she feels ashamed to wear it and therefore needs to donate it to someone who has lower standards.
Also with that judgy attitude anyone who has the bag might now feel ashamed to wear it and it will end up in the landfill. If it has already been produced and bought I feel like her review is not encouraging less consumption but more.
I totally see this point of view with the last creator too - when I was editing this especially, it felt like "wait a second..." there's good points (not needing or wanting everything celebrities wear) and a bit of not-so-good vibes there. Honestly I feel a bit of this anytime someone criticizes things based on standards or taste, since it ends up putting people down... which is why I find "deinfluencing" videos a bit off-putting sometimes! It's hard to find that balance of being critical without being condescending.
I have an honest and truthful question/thought about Temu/Tiktok shop. Please be kind to me on the answers. But I have the impression (at least here in the UK) that almost everything comes from the same source as Temu/Tiktok's sources. Let's say Amazon stuff for example, or the dollar/pound store, etc. Not justifying buying for this places, but aren't they kinda removing the 'middle man' on those? I see more and more of literally the same thing, just different prices depending if it's on a physical store or online. Please help me make sense of this on my mind.
I've seen videos comparing the "same" items from Temu and Shein - it does seem like lots of times it IS the same stuff at different price points.
I don't really know whether removing the "middle man" is a good or bad thing at the end of the day...but at least for my personal shopping habits I'd rather go into a store even if it means paying slightly more, so that I can see the item in person and hopefully things are shipped out in a bigger group of items instead of having planes flying a single package to my doorstep. (I think a lot of Temu/Shein stuff is shipped from their factories in China. But I'm also not an expert on any of this so I don't know for sure!).
I am so glad I don’t have Tik Tok and Didn’t even know this kind of publicity was running lol
Yes! I'm seriously considering never ever going back now
It’s sad to see TikTok being this huge shopping platform now. It was fun in the beginning but as most things, it fell into the capitalism black hole and now there’s so much product pushing. I remember when the KVD good apple foundation went viral on TikTok and of course I bought it. And it didn’t work well for me! I think since I got burned from my first TT influenced product that now the “viral” products don’t really work on me. RUclips influences me more than TT. Also, the TT shop was nice at first because you could buy from multiple different stores and pay no shipping costs but the shipping minimums are there now for every shop so that’s another deterrent for me. Oh and most of those stores use USPS for shipping and it’s just the worst (in my area) so that’s another reason I don’t buy much from there. Not the best reasons but these reasons work for me so well!
Hey whatever reasons work for NOT buying as much are great in my book ✅😄
"My Obsession With-" ...that's not what 'obsession' means. And if you can be 'obsessed' with that many products, you cannot possibly be a good parent because it would take too much time. Being an "influencer" can pay well, but it seems to be at the cost of most social mores - you are teaching consumerism because you want to be sent free stuff. That's it. But it's a clear reward system and no wonder everyone wants to be an influencer. For the "freebies". Never been on tiktok except for links from friends. This is underscoring that as a good choice. Now if I could just get off RUclips...
Hi, I'm binging your channel because the combo of classical music and clear arc of your journey this year along with your eloquence is beautiful.
Thank you!
I'm happy to have "broken up" with tiktok - now I see it as mostly free advertising as far as people showing off their stuff in an aesthetic way - or in the case of "career influencers" maybe it's not free, but paid through PR and brand deals. Similarly on RUclips the presence of PR and sponsorships is helping me prune the type of content I want to see, and focus on creators and topics that support the goals I have "in real life" and also use designated times (listening to the audio while I'm commuting in the car, or cleaning house) for "content consuming".
for us as viewers maybe we need to voice more our concerns over overconsumption and try to keep creators accountable? I mean, showing things just to show and get more PR is so dumb, I'm not watching that. But an honest review, not sponsored about a product? Ok, I might even 'like' your content. That has been the way I have been engaging with SM in general. So if someone is being dishonest (doing PR and trying to make it as an honest review or something shady like that) I will click on 'not interest in this content'
I've noticed RUclipsrs are paying more attention to the sponsorships they take because their audiences are asking that of them. It does require the audience to play a more active part in how/what content they consume.
@@gladiatorinsweatsmaybe it’s an educational process, right, this is all so new. Hopefully we slowly learn how to engage properly with social media and this will be in the past
This! "Engaging properly with social media!" Love how you put that, I might end up saying that in a future video to explain what I am learning how to do this year so apologies if I forget to credit your comment for the language and wording you used here, and thank you for sharing it.
As I'm discovering to an increasing degree I was NOT engaging properly with social media, I still don't think I'm where I want to be with that, but now without the participation in the "shopping" or consumerism aspects of it I can finally SEE where my time and attention was going.
Have unsubscribed from HLP and now to you as I need more anti shop not pretending to be and undercover influencing ❤TT is nothing but new age QVC
Haha no undercover influencing here 🫡 and I absolutely don't regret getting off of Tiktok either!
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thanx fornkeeping it real Alexa!
Always! 😊
Omg the crazy stuffs american use lol, Insanity
Yay! the answer's no. :)
For sure👏
I'm very glad I haven't fallen into the TikTok trap... I'm in my 30s and it just holds no appeal for me now, but I think when I was younger I would have fallen for so much crap 🙈 "naked mole rat" had me howling
Having watched more of the video now, I really think younger me would have really aspired to that influencer lifestyle, being sent all that stuff just for (basically) being conventionally attractive enough and creating the right kind of content. To my mind it encourages people to value and prioritise all the wrong things - both environmentally and socially I can't see any benefit to pushing that kind of lifestyle.
Same - I can't see benefit to pushing the lifestyle either but it just seems like by influencers like this existing, people (especially young people) are going to want to live like that or aspire to do this, and possibly start by doing the same kind of content through purchase, hoping to get to the point where they get it for free.
I can't believe I used to spend time on Tiktok in recent history, it just seems honestly terrible to me now.
Glad I'm not on Tik-Tok. Looks crappy to me. That "influencer" looks like a spoilt brat bragging about all her free stuff. She didn't actually promote any of it, just giving a quick glance at it and saying she loves it - how fake. How can people seriously be influenced by this garbage?
Speaking for my past self, I don't think I was ever influenced by a single PR "haul" like this. However, if I saw the same product come up again and again in PR hauls, and then later sometimes I'd see "normal people" reviewing the same product, I'd start slowly thinking I wanted to try that "thing" too, whatever it was. So it was kind of more about the repeated exposure and some of the items spreading through society (maybe as a result of the initial PR "shows")
Not one of those "gifts" was anything of need! The whole show was ridiculously wasteful! Trying, I guess?, to create jealousy? Why would you want to do that? I do not watch any of that stuff! What I DO watch is Alexa perfectly skewering this kind of content! Now that's worth watching! 🎖🏆🏅
We trust your judgement and totally enjoy your content.
Right, to me that kind of display really "proves the problem" - when someone shows just one or two of the "PR packages" it almost feels like "maybe that's not so bad"...but then you come across something like that and it's clearly very strange!
Thank you for your support 🥰
Do these influencers pay taxes on all the stuff they are given? If you win stuff on a game show, in order to get the car, trip, or item...the recipient must pay taxes on that item. Where is the line? Like you were saying with that clothing company that had regular people and "paid" them with clothes. I don't know. To me it seems like a huge burden to receive all that stuff.
I think I saw somewhere that they do have to pay taxes...however I have no idea how that works at all, does the statement come with the PR or what?
Also I guess for a big enough influencer, the income from the content they make using the PR might be worth any possible taxes...it is kind of crazy to think about though
I didn't find this video or others like it to be "icky" in any way. Massive PR unboxing is what made me reject certain brands outright and give up my "aspirational life" to just live my real one as it is. Influencers receive "gifts" the general public has no access to regardless of the price point. One influencer I follow got an exclusive, expensive, not available at any price to customer bag at a PR event. It was the only colour in that style I may have bought. It incensed me because this influencer comes from wealth and can easily afford EVERYTHING given in PR and more. I had to limit myself with the content shown on that channel. It's too bad because I think this person is authentic, doing the PR is part of the job, but it soured me on the whole "luxury space" as it was causing me massive anxiety that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't ever get to that space on my own nor do I have any interest in "luxury" products anymore. My opinion now is if something makes you feel luxurious, it's luxury regardless of the brand.
It does hit different when you realize there are "PR exclusives" that no amount of money can buy, it's all dependent on "popularity" and not even actually being a fan or supporter of the brand!
I relate and can say the exact same with my main purse brand (Polene) - over the last few years I have purchased most of their designs, while influencers who've never bought anything with their own $$ get given the "exclusive" leather envelope or lizard-skin mini, and that's not accessible to someone who's a true fan like I was/am. Whereas I'm the one "repping their brand" on the day to day in the real world. It just doesn't make sense!
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Is it just me who thinks this, or is the long acrylic nail aesthetic extremely cringey...It just screams, "i have a toxic personality underneath my smile"
I've been removed from the "nail trends" since I can't have them and still do my job as a musician, so I've never had any...I try not to knock on stuff other people like, but I can't help but wonder how people get through everyday tasks (dishes, laundry, paperwork, gardening?) with long fake nails 😅
Long (ish) fake nail wearer here, I do them myself. It's a fun artistic outlet for me and also prevents me from biting my nails. Humans are very adaptable and you adjust to using your hands slightly differently pretty quick. Of course the materials involved are not environmentally friendly, my rule is I have to fully use up my supplies before buying more
I was saddened by what I saw on your Tick Tok review😢
Me too! Either things got worse on TikTok or I really was delusional in previous years, because I didn't see it 🫣