TikTok's influence on personal consumption
Consumerism is related to excessive consumption, that is, the purchase of products or services in an exaggerated way, the profit of companies, and economic development. The alienated consumerism of industrialized products grew considerably after the Industrial Revolution, and currently, social networks play a fundamental role in influencing the purchase of products. People, influenced by the media and the mass media, are bombarded with information that is mainly aimed at consumers, as is the case of TikTok. In this very famous social network, influencers feed this excessive consumption through trends, for example, influencing people to buy unnecessarily.
When you buy something without the need to have it, it increases the accumulation of goods and products, that ends up becoming garbage. Therefore, causing impact on the environment through the large amount of waste that is produced, which most of the time has no destination. Consumerism can also affect a person's health, as this entire buying process can create a feeling of attachment to a particular product and the person cannot get rid of it. Consumerism is a kind of disease too, and one that few people pay attention to.However, despite all these consequences that TikTok can cause in someone's life, it is possible to use this social network and consume it consciously. Some trends can help us find a product that we wanted for so long with a good price. Conscious consumption is very important for a person's well-being. The ideal is to buy only what you need, always. In addition, it is favorable to buy clothes with a long shelf life, buy clothes from sustainable brands, shop from thrift stores, and other different resources to always consume consciously. With this, besides reduce impacts on the environment and financial life, you do not develop cumulative disorders.
Developed by Rodrigo de Oliveira Fabricio, a student of Public Management from UFRJ.