Capitalism Rocks! Overconsumption is the Best!
This satirical take on overconsumption explores the relentless cycle of consumerism, where fleeting trends and empty promises keep us hooked but never truly satisfied. We’re constantly sold the idea that happiness is just one more purchase away, but what happens when our closets are overflowing and our lives still feel empty?
You know that rush when you swipe your card and hear the beep? That little thrill, the momentary high, the promise that maybe—just maybe—this next purchase will fill the void in your soul.
What else do you need when you have a closet full of clothes, you’ll never wear more than once? Repeating an outfit is so boomer! We are so good at convincing ourselves that we’re just one purchase away from being complete. It’s almost poetic, turning the insecurities into profit margins. Oh, you feel empty inside? Don’t worry, that’s what the new season’s collection is for. Feeling down? There’s a sale for that.
Remember when people just wore clothes because they needed to be clothed? That’s cute. I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend half their paycheck on the latest “it” bag that’s destined to go out of style by the time your credit card bill arrives? But hey, maybe it’s not just about the bag—it’s about the story you get to tell. “Oh, this? Just something I picked up at that exclusive pop-up shop. Limited edition, of course.” Because in this world, you might be worthless but your closet shouldn’t be.
And I love how we start a trend. You know, the ones you see on your feed with the “candid” shots, sipping overpriced lattes, wearing the kind of outfits that cost more than our kidneys. We’re not just selling clothes; we’re selling a lifestyle—a perfectly curated, filtered-to-death version of reality. This deserves some credit. It’s about mastering the art of making people including ourselves- feel inadequate with just one scroll.
Genius, right? Tell the audience that happiness is just a purchase away, and they believe it. And why wouldn’t they? The models and influencers look so happy basking in the glow of sponsored products.
We marketers might set the pace, but we’re running the same race. We’re just as addicted, just as desperate to stay relevant, just as caught up in the endless chase. So, you, as a consumer can’t play the victim card. We are on the same boat – the same one we built, boarded you all in with us and drilled a hole so we could happily drown in the piles of clothes together, yay!
But let’s be real here; it’s a game, and the house always wins. Fashion is the dealer, and you, my friend, are just another player, tossing your chips on the table and hoping for a win. Except in this game, the rules keep changing just when you think you’ve got the winning hand—boom! The trends shift, and you’re back to square one, scrambling to stay relevant. It’s a never-ending cycle, a carefully constructed system that keeps us running on the hamster wheel of consumerism, all the while believing that we’re the ones in control.
And oh, the addiction! Forget coffee; shopping is the real vice. It’s like a bad relationship—you know it’s toxic, but you just can’t quit. Every time you see a “limited edition” tag, your heart skips a beat. Your logical brain might scream, “YOU DON’T NEED THIS!” but the capitalist devil on your shoulder whispers, “You’ll look so good that Baby Aunty will burst into flames.” And so, you swipe, you click, you buy—and for what? That sense of empowerment, I mean forget about the basic rights I got a bag that matches my dress.
There’s always something new, something better, something more in-trend that you absolutely must have. Limited editions, capsule collections, designer collaborations – cue the stampede of people willing to camp outside a store just to be one of the few to own an item that looks exactly like everything else but carries the coveted label of drumroll “exclusivity”.
Why make a product widely available when you can make people fight over it like it’s the last piece of bread in an apocalypse? And it works beautifully. I know because I put two of them in my closet last night – no guilt. Oh, don’t judge!
Who among us hasn’t felt that rush of adrenaline, fingers trembling as we add yet another pair to the cart, justifying it with absurd excuses? It’s an investment, I won’t buy another one for the next 6 months, knowing full well it’s just another notch in our addiction belt—an addiction worse than that third cup of coffee we swore we wouldn’t have today.
But it’s all part of the glamour, right? The influencer’s unboxing the latest models as if they’ve discovered the meaning of life in a shoebox. And there we are, watching, liking, and convincing ourselves that we need that pair like its oxygen because, well, it’s trendy. And who better to keep up with the trends than the ones who set them? People like me, who’ve turned shopping into an extreme sport. (And I love it!)
It’s not about the practicality, it’s about the statement. The flex. The feeling that you’re a part of something bigger—until the next drop comes along, and the cycle starts all over again. It’s all fuelled by the promise that the next thing we buy will finally be the thing that makes us feel complete.
Spoiler alert: it won’t.
It’s a beautiful, relentless system designed to keep us wanting, buying, and chasing after that perfect life that’s always just out of reach. Sure, it’s exhausting, and yes, it’s soul-crushing but honestly, but isn’t that what makes it all so great? After all, happiness is fleeting, but that Prada bag is forever.