why it's necessary to critique influencers: a perspective from a former shopping addict
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2024
- tiktok restock videos are insane and the overconsumption is out of control
Hey y'all, in today's video I'm talking about why I critique influencers and why I think it's necessary.
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reacting to even more tiktok restocks and the overconsumption is still out of control • reacting to even more ...
tiktok restock videos are insane and the overconsumption is out of control • tiktok restock videos ...
were these bigger than the stanley? • were these bigger than...
#tiktok has a HUGE undisclosed sponsorship problem • #tiktok has a HUGE und...
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#consciousconsumption #consumerism #overconsumption #mindfulconsumption #consumerbehavior #restock #restocks #tiktok #tiktokvideo #tiktokreactions #shoppingaddict #shoppingaddiction
When you’re discussing controversial topics, people are always going to be offended and criticize you. But the amount of people you have helped through these videos outweigh critics in my opinion. This is a hard reality for people to accept, especially for shopaholics, but for me, I want to overcome my habits, and you are definitely helping me!
I'm so glad to hear that my videos have helped you! You're also right that my takes just won't be liked by everyone
Yeah, this channel has helped me SO much. I used to be very minimalist, “let’s make this thing we have work” kind of person. Being raised by Depression-era Grandparents in the backwoods of nowhere will do that 😅. But then I moved to the city and my mindset changed and when Covid hit I started watching a lot more RUclips….I definitely think Influencers are the reason I started doing a ton of online shopping. This channel has helped me so much tap back into the “do I need this thing? Can we make something we have work instead?” mindset that I was raised with.
I want to add that I ESPECIALLY love that you are one of the only channels that NEVER mentions products. So many “minimalist” and “conscious-consumer” and “de-influencing channels” still routinely mention/link products or even have SPONSORED videos. So thanks for being BETTER
Right! I commented on a short where this lady had excessive amounts of self care items and got attacked by people defending her saying she worked hard for it she deserves it. I never said she didn’t, I just think its insane to have 50+ stanleys 😅
i hate how people say that you’re just “jealous” when you criticize an influencer. it’s such a childish perspective
oooof yes I see that a lot. I've also been noticing comments where I think that the commenter feels attacked personally because they seem themselves in the content. I have 3 fridges or I buy X way therefore this is also an attack on me.
I followed the beauty community since 2011 to 2016, that lead me to buy more makeup than I needed in my lifetime. I cringe and the amount I spent on makeup when I used to hardly make money at an entry level job. That was a hugh lesson in life for me and now I question ALL influencers and view them as walking ADs. These videos are SOOO helpful and I’m so glad they exist because my wake-up moment was thanks to Kimberly Clark ( iykyk ) what you do is incredibly valuable.
I love Kimberly !! It sounds like we've had similar experiences in the beauty space
Girl me too. For past 5 years I oversspent so much on makeup and skincare. If I had invested that money it would have given me so much returns. 😢😢😢
Now I have decluttered so much makeup and gave it to my friends and they were surprised how much I was giving away.
On the “how can you miss this is an ad” comments - this ability to spot intentions behind content is known as media literacy. Media literacy is VERY low, and a lot of younger audiences are still learning it or may not even have brains developed enough to be ABLE to spot advertising (think 10 year old Drunk Elephant customers). So the criticism of influencers and undisclosed advertising is well warranted!
Keep bringing these problems to light because people definitely enable influencers and you have a platform to be a voice for many people.
thank you so much 💕
I had a thought when you were taking about the environmental aspect. Some people are actually upset and tell people not to have children because more humans will just mean more waste and more resources being used up. A lot of us are also having fewer kids or no kids because of how expensive living is. Yet at the same time the resources used per person going up is going up dramatically. The amount of energy used by AI has accelerated our energy crisis. We’re literally choosing stuff/junk/bs over life in a sense.
I remember when I felt like I HAD to have everything influencers had such as makeup, then a big a youtuber at the time did a wig review that was $800 and I was like ok this is too much. I couldn't afford a new hair product, makeup and wig every week or even every month. I think that's when I stopped. She was clearly paid for the "review" and her subscribers were outraged. She made a video about how we didn't have to buy everything she recommended, but we were very impressionable at the time. This was about 2012. I was 20 years old. Your content is necessary, bc some people need to be told to stop, and explained why. When I see these "collections" I know ppl are shopping to fill a void, and its so wrong to influence other ppl to do that.
I went through something similar and I'm not sure when I would have stopped if I didn't see that kind of content too. Thank you for sharing 💕
I feel this so much; my own instinct is "let people do what they want" and especially when it comes to earning money on the current environment, I have a hard time saying influencers are wrong because they've found a way to work on their own terms... but at the same time, advertising crap to us is actively making society and our planet worse. There has to be a happy medium; I do think people should be able to earn a living creating content, but shilling trash isn't the way. Nothing I've bought on Tiktok has even been worth the
I hear you, Michelle. I do think I'd have a lot less to say if there was just more middle ground being displayed online and as you said constantly selling random crap
I think that the people getting defensive and claiming you're "too harsh" are likely doing so because they can see that you make good points. They're likely engaging in this problematic cycle, either as the viewer or the influencer, and aren't ready to admit that it's a problem (even if they know deep down that it is). I think some of the people sending you defensive DMs who seem to come off as minimalists probably aren't in real life but may be using that as a front. I can't imagine a true minimalist having a problem with you pointing out the manipulative aspect of influencer culture that drives our increasing overconsumption, leading to an overall feeling that we never have enough.
Edit: On second thought, I think they might actually be minimalist influencers who are trying to keep their own (mostly decluttering) content relevant. Which is far worse than what I mentioned above!
When you said you don't critique because these items can't be useful, it's because people don't need more stuff, something clicked for me! I have some stuff I've been influenced to buy that I definitely didn't need but I also have some stuff that's genuinely useful, so I go back and forth if I like "must-have" videos for bringing attention to potentially useful items. But that made me stop and think. If I need an item to fix an actual every day issue, I can research and find it for myself. Having hundreds of items a day shoved in our faces is a real problem, because it's about wayyyyy more than the one useful item. I love this style of video!
I actually really love what you said here! Considering: is it worth being exposed to 100s of ads for potentially useful stuff here and there orrr going to find the useful stuff yourself if/when you need it. You gave me something to noodle over too
Clearly, this year will be worse than the previous one. I lost a lot of money last year due to poor investing decisions that I would not have made if I hadn't been so concerned about my portfolio. I kept investing, but I wasn't sure if I should start saving for a home. In the end, I sold my jobs, and the house required more maintenance than I had anticipated. I don't know how much longer I can go on like this.
Everybody has made mistakes in the past. Think about financial security
A diverse range of exposures, particularly companies that are currently producing cash flows, are essential for your portfolio. I hired a planner in late 2022, and because of their portfolio makeover, I have made well over half a million dollars in profits in ten months across multiple markets. Planning for worst case scenarios should be addressed while things appear to be getting better.
Who is this organizer that you work with?
‘Leah Foster Alderman’
If you search for her online, you'll probably find out more details about her.
I like to think of it as you're applying critical thought rather than judgment.
i'd like to think so too
I love your videos. I retired at the end of February 2024. I've been decluttering, purging, and simplifying. I've also been trying to get out of the consumer mindset. I just got rid of so much - I definitely do not want more stuff to come into my home! So, you help me think about needs, wants, and mindless purchasing as a quick dopamine hit! ❤❤❤ Thank you!
Consumerism has become so engrained in our culture, our minds, and our very personalities that people get offended on a deeply personal level if anything challenges that.
Would you make a video about journaling/ stationery overconsumption/ influencers?
last month I started a bullet journal with just a 2$ notebook, a pencil, eraser and pen. but the youtube algorithm sent me into a rabbit hole of planners and stationary videos and sometimes I find myself wanting stamps, expensive pens and 10 markers.
I already have something like this I put out end of April or early May. Hope it helps!
@@shawnaripari oh thanks! I probably missed it. going to watch it now 😊
Be Judgemental. Make judgements and use your thinking skills
Your channel helps me control that addiction.. I still struggle with that instant gratification that is not realistic with my finances, so your channel is a reminder to just slow down and motivates me to change that habit. ❤
I watch many of your vdo, and subscribed, I agree mostly, it’s good to have someone frankly speak the truth or own idea that not always for commercial or advertising.
Shawna, you have changed my life in the way of using up what I have. I also have noticed what my shopping habits are. You also influenced my no buy January. Could you influence me to get my wardrobe situation under control? (You certainly have tried 😂)
Thank you so much for saying that! I totally wish I could help with that, but I also see how contientious you are and thoughtful and know you can totally do it with time 💕
Yeah...the channel growth was well deserved. Downside is trolls. I do miss the old, almost fully positive/constructive comment section! It happened so fast!
Love your channel...still 💜
Would love to see videos about things like art supplies and puzzles. Stuff that brings joy through sheer use, but can go way overboard. Great videos!
I collect manga. And I used to watch so many collection videos and new release videos and add series that I wasn't even interested in and buy them because it was so hyped up. Now, my friends decided I needed to stop and helped me realise that I had a problem and i needed to stop. So for this year I was told to only buy 3 volumes each month. The first 3 months were so difficult, but now half way through the year, I'm so glad for it. I've changed my list to series that I actually enjoy and I'm selling the ones I don't need.
I enjoy these videos, keep up the good work. (Ironically, I tidy my room when I listen to these videos)
For me it’s tricky because I’m in a crappy spot. I hit a HARD depression and stopped wearing makeup, doing my hair, or buying clothes, or even looking in the mirror. Once I came out of the fog and started to reintroduce myself to it all my makeup was years expired and no longer safe to use, my favorite perfumes were discontinued, and my favorite clothes no longer fit or are so ragged and full of holes I can’t wear them. So I have no choice but to buy stuff, even though I don’t actually want to. So I’ve been researching what I would want to buy now, and that has driven so many influencers my way. I hate it. They’ve taken over my feed, and I can say with certainty that their presence was not missed. It’s useful to see how a product works and see it used to help narrow down what I want. It’s just so frustrating that I have to wade through what are effectively long form ads to find the information I need. Most of them aren’t even honest reviews, they’re just cash grabs with sponsors, so even if the product absolutely sucks they’ll lie to make the sale.
People have to realize that they CAN'T copy people online, because their lives need to be tailored to their needs. Brands, influencers, and social media sites need to be held accountable for especially brainwashing us into overconsumption. Like yes it's on the individual, however kids can't read today. People have no financial literacy skills, or the necessary education to pick apart ads from reviews. While that in it of itself is an issue separate from brands, influencers, and social media sites they are absolutely abusing people's lack of knowledge to their advantage.
I have no doubt that every famous influencer who has millions of followers make fun of all of the people who support them because they know they would be able to sell their fanbase diamond covered poopballs if they wanted to. Brands have been knowing their customer base is uneducated for decades. Afterall, people voted for Reagan, so clearly we haven't been educated for a while.
I think that they dont realize that the influencers products are for the business of influencing. So when they spend $100 on things for 🧊 content they can expense that all out. You cant if your not an influencer. So congrats! You have spent a ton of money on something that you might not need and then youve used it once or twice and its gotten put in a drawer to be lost forever to time. Because youve realized that you dont have the time for that.
You literally described how my overconsumption started. Back in 2015 I was searching for a Smokey eye tutorial and immediately went and bought everything mentioned in a tutorial, then it just spiraled as I got into beauty review channels. Finally I have gotten myself to a place of not over consuming makeup as much (I still definitely have had weak moments but at this point I’m finally done, and only repurchasing makeup once I run out). Trying to focus on reigning in my overspending in other areas but it’s a struggle when we’re constantly being fed “you NEED this” messaging all the time.
I love your content because you put light and transparency where others fail to do so.
I remember the exact moment my perspective on influencers changed. It was new years sometime in the past few years. I had just gotten back from my weekly grocery run where I had agonized in front of the body lotion eventually settling for generic instead of CeraVe just to save $4. Got home and saw a reel from Jaclyn Hill where she was making dollar bills rain down on one of her cute doggos. Stopped taking them serious that day. Unfollowed her part way thru her pantry redo video. She started hollering that they had found another type of nut and they would have an even number of nut jars. Stopped the video and unfollowed. Didn’t help that I had just watched Kiki’s pantry video that seemed like the most wholesome video.
I appreciate critique videos, they kind of give me the courage to speak up when something is not right.
I'm only 20 years old but the way things are right now really freaks me out. When I was a teenager I remember the 2014 to 2018 era of beauty where we showed big collections of makeup and such. I was a dancer at the time and even I didn't have that much, but I didn't see it as impractical, rather aspirational, because I was a teenager who loved makeup and sensory things. Now, I am a few years older and see the value of being grateful for what i have and etc, I understand reality a little more and I am just CONCERNED. The amount of people twice my age who participate in this/promote this overconsumption, I just cannot believe the degrees this continues to go. I just worry how this hyper individualistic, hyper consumerist culture will affect the next five years. I am going into the field of high school teaching and I worry for my future students. It's insane just the AMOUNT OF STUFF. As someone who just quit my job working receiving at Target, I think I was getting overwhelmed being around so much STUFF all the time honestly, the amount of just products that get pushed around and never sold, and the amount of stuff that gets sent to salvage is crazy because demand for any type of item is so high. And on top of that we now have to worry that stuff we use on the day to day is going to become unavailable/sold out or start being made cheaply. Y'ALL I'M TIRED OF IT! I struggle with anxiety and the state of things DOESN'T HELP lol this is real and it is scary. I Reeeeally like how much content Shawna makes about this. Just found the channel and I am here to STAY.
(also i say "we" in that first part loosely bc not everyone was DOING IT vs just seeing it. my only-child friend def had a collection but i didn't know anyone else who participated in the instagram makeup content. my friend made videos)
13:43 this reminds me of the "what about me mentality" that I just watched a video about by the RUclipsr Edvasian. He uploaded it very recently called Main Character Syndrome "Your Happiness Offends Me" the way people are coming after you or taking things so hyper personally!!!!
I think this is part of it. On some of my de-influencing style videos people will tell me how a product could be good for X reason. Cool, this is true, but are you X person do you have X reason? Just because we/you COULD use something or it has a purpose doesn't mean that you actually need to buy it. Or someone will have 3 fridges and be upset that I critiqued people who have 3 fridges because they see themselves/their buying in the video.
Can’t remember if it was a comment under a video or Reddit but someone described an influencer as a “carnival barker” and “used car salesman” and that really resignated with me on their methods of selling
That’s the thing! Influencers will sell u tons of affordable items over and over which is the equivalent of buying tons of high end things
Bringing it back to makeup
The drugstore influencer selling you ten must have drugstore foundations in. A six month period is getting you to consume just as much if not more than the high end foundation reviewer
I'm so thankful RUclips recommended me your channel. I struggle heavily with shopping addiction, and watching anti-consumerism videos has been so helpful for me. Especially since I had to leave the online shopping addiction support group I was a part of because it was no longer a good fit for me.
I'm glad more and more people are criticizing these influencers, and calling them out for their role in all this. Thank you so much for making this content.
The 2012-2016ish BookTube community had a spending problem too. I was so jealous that people could buy hundreds of brand new hardcovers for $20 a piece. They also had all of the bookish monthly subscriptions, the coolest bookshelves, etc.
I bought a lot of the popular books secondhand at thrift stores, or collected books for free and then traded on for store credit to get books I wanted. I did it very cheap and got a pretty full bookshelf.
One cross country move and one cross town move and I am not enjoying having so many books anymore. And most I haven't read and probably won't.
The more things I have the more I have to manage and maintain and the more stressed I get. If I could throw everything out tomorrow I would.
That's a you problem.
@@aleksandrac9335 Very productive comment. Adding a lot to the convo. I have much to consider. 🙄
@@rachel3620 oh you do have much thinking to do. But blaming booktube is easier
@@aleksandrac9335 Where did I blame BookTube? Literally just shared my experience.
@@rachel3620 yes your experience that was your own doing so why get all pissy when i said it's you problem not a booktube problem
The last point about the bar being on the floor is so right. I feel like we act like aliens trying to imitate humans at this point, like when people are talking about products they talk about it like the vibe it's going to give you like we're aliens trying to imitate characters of humans we've seen in movies. It's just weird at this point. Like if the item works and it looks a certain way that makes you feel a certain way then all the sudden it's a must have. Even if you never knew you needed it
I really find your content valuable because it makes me think. In my opinion, your content spends SO much time on a rebuttal of overconsumption, which sometimes comes off as a condemnation of all forms of consumption. If you were looking to come off in a more balanced manner (which you very well may not), maybe you could also share your thoughts on what healthy consumption DOES look like. If influencers tell us TO shop, and you tell us NOT to shop, what does balance look like?
I fell into the beauty community because I thought it was great that I could search for the "best" of something (e.g. foundation for dry skin, long wearing eyeliner, etc.) instead of having to try to guess which foundation/eyeliner/etc. to buy. In the early stages of beauty youtube, opinions were more genuine - there weren't affiliate links, people weren't being sent PR, etc. But even "genuine" content still encouraged my overconsumption.
I totally hear you on this. I got stuck searching for the best of everything and ended up buying so much stuff in search of the best and then when I found the best I wondered if there was better out there
@@shawnaripari Also! I forgot to mention the para-social relationships. I think that's such a huge factor. When we see commercials we don't feel that connection but when we frequently (or even occasionally) consume someone's content, that para-social relationship starts to build and definitely impacts most people's consumption I think.
I am really thankfull for all your videos on these topics, having another video of yours to watch every other day keeps me from getting influenced to buy stuff & holds me accountable
I've recently found your channel and am going back through your conscious consumerism backlist now because I think it's exactly what I need. I've *always* struggled with mindful spending - partly impulsivity issues that I only discovered at age 48 were due to late diagnosed ADHD, and partly due to the emotional component of shopping as a coping mechanism. I knew both of these were issues for me before I found your channel, but I really like how you frame it.
I first encountered influencer culture in the planner community, and OMFG I bought ALL the things. I still have my definite weak spots now (tea, stationery and anything that makes me or my house smell good), but I think I'm a little bit more conscious now than I used to be. It still feels like one step forward, two steps back sometimes though.
the emotional component of shopping was a huge breakthrough for me and I'm so glad you found that helpful. It sounds like you're being intentional and making progress, which is a win in my book!
There does seem to be a new streak of comments (new to me, maybe not really new) - but it's always along the lines of "positivity only! you can't critique anything! don't be a hater! you might hurt someone's feelings!" And I feel like I need to try, for myself, to put it in some kind of context. One possibility is that people have a very hard time sitting with any emotion that isn't shiny and happy, or anything that makes them actually think about what's happening to the planet. It is super depressing, so maybe I kind of get it? Related, maybe people are projecting their own fear of critique onto whoever you are critiquing. But they are happy to wreck your day, so that's a bit of a hypocrisy. Cultural critique is not personal; culture always deserves to be critiqued; that's the only way we progress as a culture. Consumerism is destroying the planet so any critique of it is an effort to rescue us. 💖
I think you hit the nail on the head! Although personally I've observed this false positivity for a while now! I will never subscribe, I love being a hater (within reason)
I used to be heavy spender myself when I was younger. I've never been one to dive into trends and designer things, or even makeup and its tacky fake accesories. Nor do I keep drawer after drawer of stuff like we see in so many 'Pack My Bag/Purse With Me' videos. But one thing I do love is books. As an avid reader, I would spend SO much money on just books alone. So much so, I went into credit card debt. Tnankfully, I had my aunt to help me get out of it, and I've not owned a single credit card since then, but she wasn't happy when it came to my spending habits. And truthfully, neither was I. This was 10-20 years ago, when I was in my mid-20s and early 30s. I also had a period where I'd buy lots of tote bags, but that has since been tamed as well. Especially since rediscovering my love of backpacks and mini backpacks, as well as the health benefits of it, and I only own a select few backpacks. One being my old college GED backpack which I keep in my closet, one I use to hold my journaling stuff which I keep by my desk, and a full-sized backpack and mini backpack to rotate in and out of as my daily driver, depending on the occasion. I also have a backup, should one of them ever break or wear down over time. That's it, and it's all I ever intend to own.
Now 41, I've only gotten more and more wise, with my finances and everything else. That's not to say I'm not immune to slipping up - I still stumble and overspend once in a blue moon, but it is NOTHING like it used to be. Nowadays, I'm much more frugal, and I'm working on saving back up all that money I had recklessly spent over the years. Yes, I still treat myself, but I do so much more mindfully. And anything I no longer want, I donate. I've even declared 2024 to be the start of my redemption arc, and I've never felt better. When people say living below our means in humble humility and frugality and being happy with as well as resourcing in what we already have is the way to go, especially in today's society, they couldn't be more correct and truthful. I stand by it all the way, and I hope more people will, too. Makes me so happy to see people fighting back against social media and overconsumerism and waking up to its underestimated negative effects. We will be all the better for it, as will our wallets and the environment
thanks so much for sharing your experience and congratulations on getting out of the credit card debt!
@@shawnaripari Thank you! I haven't fallen into that hole since then, and I'm keeping it that way.
Keeping things sweet and simple and frugal really is the way to go, and I hope more people come to wake up and embrace this more humble way of life. It really will make us and this world healthier and happier, and seeing people like you speaking up and creating this content is a blessing from God Himself. Keep up the great work and God bless you!
Do unboxings next! I get recommended luxury handbag unboxing content, but I know it’s been a big genre with makeup PR unboxing and kids toys too.
Personally i appreciate the ordinary person's pov. I grew up with kylie Jenner's Instagram and james charles' youtube as a teenager. I was in my mid to late teens but it was still enough for me to form very real anxieties and hyper-awareness around just how much i don't have. I don't have the new thing every season, i was raised to be more practical like most people are, but i still felt cocooned and doomed because of the very intense influencer-fomo. As i got older my frustrations with life became tied to my stuff and the things i didn't have. So watching your content has been very validating now that I'm in my mid 20s and I've stopped gaf about how life "should be" and have accepted and now appreciate how ordinary my things and my life are. I know how it feels to be a kid and to watch this stuff, even when I had people who saw me as more than what i have, and it is absolutely toxic. Only now do i appreciate my spiritual upbringing that taught me the value of community service, personal humility and anti-consumption+pro-giving. Just my two cents. I think you're doing great work. 95% of the world is now on the internet, so maybe it helps to remember that you are guaranteed to find people totally different from you and your views, so try not to take it too personal, and trust in your owm experiences. I hope that helps. Take care.
Thank you for being open! I know it is hard, but just want to say that I appreciate your channel a lot. I like how you talk about topics, and your general demeanor too! Also, I love your plant babies! :D
the tiktoks of the huge hoards of skincare and makeup are pretty disturbing to watch...i'm realizing that my obsession with jewelry is probably a similar problem, and i just couldn't tell because the high cost of each item limits the quantity i end up with. but when i'm choosing to work overtime to buy jewelry, i feel like i need to question whether my time and stress levels are worth it just for more of the same
Hi Shawna been binging your videos! It feels like I’m window shopping with you and I have second voice telling me not to buy things lol. I try to be mindful with what I buy, but lately had been sucked back into the makeup RUclips world. I’m on a makeup no buy and monitoring my non-food purchases more.
You know those makeup videos where the influencer goes through their Sephora purchases this time last year and parses good buys from bad? Would love to see someone go through their Amazon purchases the same way and honestly assess which items actually added value to their lives 😬 guess I’ll take my own advice and look at mine
Personally, I have been following you since your no / low buy, and I find your content *so helpful*. I find your takes so necessary in this current climate we live in, where overconsumption is sold as the "standard" way of living. Thanks for what you do and how you do it 🙏🏼
My space is not minimalist, but I transitioned to shopping with a minimalist mentality because I too basically had a shopping addiction. Anytime I was hanging out with friends we'd go to the mall. It was a problem. For me it was clothing. I had to just go cold turkey on clothing stores and only go in if I NEEDED something.
I started watching you last year and I enjoy all of your content. Social media, marketing, and shopping are so heavily correlated it’s impossible not to point out how it can affect an individual who struggles to recognize how much their emotions impact their spending.
glad you keep speaking up and voicing common sense about the insanity of the hyper consumerism. 💯👏👏👏
love your channel
Even as a minimalist I have impulsed brought because of seeing something online or in store .
I went through the same thing! I bought tons of makeup and skincare during end of 2019-mid 2022. I didn’t have a super crazy collection but definitely more than I needed or could use up especially during the pandemic. The amount of skincare I was buying was a huge problem not only for my wallet but my skin because I was having reactions and sensitized the hell out of my skin. It’s doing wayyyyy better now but it’s still healing. I’ve given away a lot of products to friends so that the items got used but I was spending so much of makeup and skincare it was insane. Most of it was from the idea of perfectly my makeup or improving my skin when it was honestly really good and I didn’t need to buy all of those products
Omg the vine reference 😂
THANK YOU!!!!
One thing that bothers me is when you put an insightful critique as a comment about overconsumption on an influencers’ video & everyone just responds saying ‘why do you care, they can spend their money on whatever they want’.. uhm because they did NOT spend their money on all these products they have and are using them so aesthetically in this video so you will spend YOUR money.
Sadly tho, I think a lot of the people that defend influencers when it comes to overconsumption are probably younger kids who dream to have a life just like theirs, which is sad and scary for the future. I really hope we can teach the younger generation about the effects of over consumption sooner than later.
Beauty RUclips to disliking overconsumption pipeline is real
Hi Shawna,
I value your content. I am a new subscriber and have learned so many valuable information.
There is a mid-size influencer that I connected with. She is my age and had a similar lifestyle (married, no children, late 40s). She shared recipes, date night, skincare for our age group, girls' night out, and vacays.
She had little sponsors here and there, and I had no problem with it. It was great to see women in their mid 40's + making money.
Last year, I noticed she no longer shared the content I loved. Everything on her IG page is affiliate-linked. She does not even say anything, not hello or boo! It's just a selfie and links to what she is wearing. 99% of her stuff is from Amazon.
I stopped following her. Keep doing what you are doing.
The beauty (make up/skin/hair care) stuff isnt my thing but clothes mmmmm another story. lol I TRY to be more mindful about what I buy. I do. And I'm VERY fortunate that we are well off, and so thats not an issue. But I DO minimize the influencers I watch, and what videos of theirs I watch, and ultimately what I purchase (do I actually need it? Does it solve a problem?) In the case of clothes, well, no to both of those most likely, though I have lost a lot of weight so for the past year, the need was there. But my weight has stabilized now, and I have plenty of clothes, and no, I do not NEED more. And I AM doing better. Always room for improvement! Now, when I purchase clothes, I try to make the effort for them to be more sustainably made, natural fibers (higher quality), and/or second hand- especially in the case of trendier items that I know I will only wear a short time.
I think a big reason why it is a problem that influencers are not always transparent about the products they make money off of (through affiliate links or sponsorships) is because product promotions have become entertainment. When you're watching TV it is very obvious when the program ends and the ad starts, and you kind of tune it out. Not saying it's not still influencing you but it's distinctly separate from the entertainment. Ad companies try to make ads entertaining, and some of them are, but other than watching a superbowl ad compilation, no one is sitting down to watch TV ads. But on tiktok, the algorithm feeds you videos AS ENTERTAINMENT and half of them (I am assuming. I don't actually use tiktok. But based on how prolific influencers and these types of videos are, I'm assuming it's a lot) are selling you something. And with tiktok shop, tiktok gets a cut of the profits so it is in their best interest to feed their users advertisements cloaked as entertainment. I do see some entertainment value in influencer videos as like escapism - someone who can't afford that stuff and wishes their life was aesthetic can watch those videos and imagine what it would be like to live like that. But the thing that goes along with that lifestyle is selling it - influencers influence people to want to become influencers. And so when they save up to buy something cool they make a tiktok about it. (which I understand. I love writing product reviews to share my thoughts. But not everyone can do that as a career)
I absolutely still quote the Road Work Ahead video on a regular basis 😂
it's so classic
Just watching your channel grow-Congratulations Shawna. 🎉
thank you so much!
Heres a story about why I think your content is helpful:
In 2020, my gen alpha pre-teen at the time, complained that none of my kitchen containers matched. I actually know better, but I indulged her. I put up some shelves and bought the acrylic containers with white lids. Yes, at first it was very "asthetic"
Let me paint at picture of them today. Only the oatmeal and dried mushrooms has ever gotten refilled. The rest have 3 year old stuff in them. There are also many other random Items on those shelves now, that dont match. It's not very pretty, it's a project I need to get to.
Its nor a bad thing to think twice about what you buy, thinking practically is valuble.
Thank you for sharing your experience, I appreciate hearing it!
I feel like influencers and their style of videos are so very prevalent and the Norm now that people are sort of numbed to what they truly are and just see them as people making videos about stuff versus trying to sell them- or if they even do have that in mind, it's just someone trying to make money! Don't be so harsh! Plus there's always this sort of mindset in folks of like... I can't recall the exact quote but- everyone believes they're a millionaire that hasn't struck it big just yet. I think people get offended on account of the idea of wanting to be an influencer themselves- they take the criticism personally.
As someone from the US, I can say that overconsumption is a huge problem. The credit card debt is crippling people and they are using credit to buy stuff they don't need. Doing a no spend really opened my eyes to my spending habits.
Here's the thing. Regardless of anyone's background who goes into being an influencer, it is an extremely privileged and lucky and unattainable job for most people. Yes there are many people who would definitely not want to be an influencer, perhaps myself included because having an audience would stress me out, there are tons of people who would actually love to be in a position where they essentially get to be their own boss and make content for a job. Not to invalidate the fact that you do actually do some work as an influencer, I think we can all recognize that the impact of it or the physical labor that goes into it is much less than a regular job, and at the same time there are a lot of benefits that a regular job does not offer the way being an influencer does. For example Simply Having control over your time is a luxury many people will literally never experience. Essentially I just wish we would see more self-awareness and gratitude from influencers who do have those positions. You see it sometimes but I think my point is just that the people who get really offended by these conversations are the same types of influencers who act really entitled to their positions or don't express or recognize the privilege that they have because they are blessed with the job that they have. I can understand that there are times people can be plainly too harsh and mean, but the reality is this is a job that many people would either die for or don't think should exist at all, and a lot of influencers recognize that but the ones who don't and get offended when people make valid criticisms need to take a seat. Those are the people that I assume were dming you about being too harsh. As someone in the field of Education, my job is not valued in the sense that I am responsible for people's children for almost 40 hours a week, responsible for keeping them safe and educating them, and there are influencers who could make my salary in a month or two or maybe three or four. There are people who get paid half my salary in viral videos. As much as it's valid to feel that criticism is too harsh at times, I think more so those people are just upset that people are critiquing the existence of their job. I recognize that being an influencer would be a great job in some ways and in a lot of ways it's very aspirational, but at the same time, most people have too much dignity to put themselves online like that, most people have other stuff going on or reasons that would prevent them from going into being an influencer. For example, I'm a trans man, and I don't feel comfortable putting myself out there for my own safety. If I was some picture perfect straight cis model esque girl maybe I would feel differently, but regardless, critiquing the industry and the ethics of a lot of things within the industry as well as internet Trends and influencer perpetrated trends is not a personal attack to those individuals. Those people maybe just feel insecure because they're recognizing that the influencer industry is becoming extremely oversaturated, which quite honestly is another conversation in itself entirely.
Difficult topic to discuss without offending someone. I watch because I’m learning that I fell into this trap 😫. Too me I don’t find many channels discussing over consumption, questioning where most of this ends up ⬆️ The land fill, there is no way anyone can use that amount of makeup, bigger inventory than a store 😮 Thanks for honesty and sharing your opinions, helps me to think and make more informed decisions ❤
Sorry this has nothing to do with this video, but I’m SO happy to have found Shawna. I feel represented to have someone who looks like me, the YT algorithm kept showing the perfect clean girl /vanilla girl, with long blonde hair, rhinoplasty and overfilled lips and I felt I did not look “normal”. So thank you for making these videos Shawna 💖
i would lovee to listen to your videos on spotify!!
I’m a fan of beauty RUclips but I’ve purged some of the accounts that I followed. I got tired of youtubers who were clearly engaging in behaviour thats was hurting them all under the guise that it’s their “job”. I saw influencers who didn’t win Sephora’s whatever-contest go back the following week and buy tons of stuff just to push followers to buy more from their affiliate links, but it was easy to see that they couldn’t afford it. I remember another who buys ALL the shades of whatever is new, but it felt like watching someone with an ED binging. I was also a huge fan of T but all her posts of IG are adds. I now only follow those who buy whatever suits their taste or bring back old stuff over and over again or super creative ones that the artistry is what counts.
Critique videos like yours can voice uncomfortable truths and cause negative reactions, because cognitive dissonance, right? I think in this day and age, as we collectively become more comfortable with assessing our relationships and setting boundaries, more and more people will start to apply the same concepts to the relationships they have with people online. Influencers, yes, but also with other commenters, strangers we interact with on any social media. Because we can like an influencer, much like we like a friend, we can find them charming and fun, but we can also acknowledge when they negatively affect our thoughts and behaviors and choose to change the situation.
Keep doing what you’re doing. It’s so valuable!
Thank you Angela! I do think you're right that an increasing amount of people are drawing boundaries online. And, helping us realize when content is helpful or harmful.
What you're talking about with "influencers", is why I despise PR, sponsporships, affiliate links, and codes. This has helped turn RUclips from a place to be informed and entertained to nothing more than a business. People are creating channels because they want to become an influencer, which is just another term for a salesperson. An influencer's job is to influence viewers to buy whatever crap they are being paid to sell to you. When you spend, they earn. This has gotten so bad that social media feels like nothing but dishonest sales pitches. Most young people don't understand they're being given a sales pitch. Parents need to explain these things to their kids so they don't fall victim to overconsumption.
Not the road work ahead 😭😭
I have no problem with influencers showing a said product if that product that helps and gives others joy and makes life easier for that person.
Thank you for making videos criticizing overconsumption and how influencers are drawing people into crazy debt, from 2021 till now I did a lot of bad emotional shopping, I’m now steadily paying off a $4K credit card.
Not only did I buy clothes, makeup, electronics but also lots of eating out. I’ve slowly been correcting my behavior and cleaning out my closet.
Off topic- I know we're all out here trying to buy less .... But! Can you tell me what is this lipstick shade that you wear in most of your videos? Every time i click on one of your videos I think how nice it looks. And it's so nicely shiny most times, not sure if you put a gloss over it or what. (I promise i don't have too many makeup products haha)
I actually just put a clear gloss on top of whatever lipstick I'm wearing. It's a bit of a shimmer but the shimmer isn't noticeable
🏵️
They're judging you for being "judge-y". Honestly, we all judge- that's how we tell good from bad. But anyway, I agree that there should be a balance with consumption and reusing items. I do believe all people should be responsible for their "carbon footprint". However, I don't believe in the climate crisis as the world naturally cools and warms. There was a world freezing scare as well- I wouldn't be surprised if that came back around. Ironically, the leaders pushing this climate agenda are flying around in their private jets.
hey i love your videos!!! but i believe you shouldnt be saying “drinking the koolaid” i understand the phrase and why its said but it originally comes from the johnstown massacre and it really takes away from that when its used