is underconsumption tiktok showing us real life?

is underconsumption tiktok showing us real life

Hey y'all! In today's video I'm talking about underconsumption core tiktok!! Underconsumption is a (relative) new tiktok trend where people showcase how they underconsume. We're going to talk about some of these tiktoks today along with some problems.

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W A T C H N E X T:

#consciousconsumption #consumerism #overconsumption #mindfulconsumption #consumerbehavior #shoppingaddict #shoppingaddiction #deinfluencing #tiktokreactions #tiktoktrend

C H A P T E R S

intro: 0:00
tiktok 1: 02:000
tiktok 2: 08:52
tiktok 3-4: 15:41
tiktok 5-6: 28:10
tiktok 7: 32:54

[shawnaripari]

Hi y'all, it's been brought to my attention that this video failed to bring more of a critical discourse on the underconsumption trend and also did not call out some of the more problematic aspects. Aestheticizing poverty or having middle/upper class people opt-in to ways of consuming when it's convenient and subsequently opt-out when the trend has died down. Many folks can not simply opt out when underconsumption isn't trending anymore and this is just one example. I personally feel like it was an oversight to not discuss this trend with a more critical lens. While I might think it's nice to see less overconsumption on my feed, seeing normal homes, and people using their stuff, this trend is a trend and is not without problems. Thank you to everyone who pointed out this oversight.

[cs]

flexing in 2014: showing off your lambo
flexing in 2024: showing off your empty garage

[marinaramalho]

Professional organizer and Certified Konmari consultant here. My rule of thumb for items that people really like (hobby-related, clothing, shoes, stationary, books, etc) was to NEVER buy more storage. You are only allowed to have as much as you can fit in your current space because the more storage you create, the more you acquire to fill it up.

[NeonFrills]

omg I was hoping you'd talk about this! it's so nice to see just, regular people with their used, "non-aesthetic" stuff that is so much more genuine than most influencer content

[RubyWalker-jn]

Pottery nerd addition: sometimes chips on dishware can make the plate/bowl/mug no longer food safe, since the glaze is what keeps it non-porous and prevents the growth of bacteria. But you can still use chipped dishware for plant pots, a place to keep pencils on a desk, et cetera. A chip on the bottom of a mug is fine, a chip on the part where your food/drink goes might warrant demoting it to a different function. Still doesn't mean you have to throw any damaged item into the trash lol.

[paigeparker]

I recently read a quote of a Japanese philosophy that basically said how you treat things is how you will treat people, meaning don’t be so quick to dispose/upgrade, and give something a long a life as possible by admiring the imperfections. Then when it can no longer serve its purpose, give it a new life. This has been a paradigm shifting concept for me.

[amandak.]

i don't understand the comments saying that this is romanticizing how poor people live. this is how i grew up, upper middle class. it's a mindset about continuing to use things while they still are useful rather than always searching for something new and better, and it's also about connecting with your family, friends and neighbors to give your items a new home when you do want a change. people seem like they really underestimate how common and widespread these behaviors are because we see wealth displayed as overconsumption online nowadays, but part of becoming and staying wealthy is limiting your spending. i like this trend because it shows the reality of how many people live and encourages it over overconsumption. i hate to see you amend a good video with an unnecessary apology.

[lorenabpv]

as a south american girlie, this trend is 50/50 for me tbh. i kinda like the idea, but here's the thing: this is how people live outside rich countries. i don't mean poor people, i mean most people because we do not have the same purchasing power. the main wealth gap between me and some middle class american is less so the big spending, but the daily "cheap" things. there is no going to target or tj max and buying $20 things for us, you know? everything is expensive and nonessential. all my towels are older than me, which is not only fine, but normal and expected. all the furniture is hand me down because the ikea equivalent costs more than minimum wage. and like i am privileged as hell by comparison, living in a big city and having a stable-ish income.

sometimes tiktok trends feel a bit condescending, like, american (and often European) folks discover the obvious. i get that compared to the average it's underconsumption, but it isn't.

[megansnedeker]

I totally get and agree with people saying it feels a little icky because this is just how a lot of people have to live, and aeatheticizing it is weird, however - this is the sort of world we live in (particularly in richer countries). People are SO obsessed with aeathetics and influencers that I dont know if theres a way to reach people OTHER than aeatheticizing it. Trying to drown out an overconsumption trend with an underconsumption or "normie core" trend feels helpful and well intentioned to me regardless, so long as those creators really do live that life.

[Letty]

I'm in people's homes constantly (I have a dog walking/pet sitting business) and practically everyone has random mugs and mismatched towels. I'm especially grateful for the ratty old towels for cleanup or drying a dog after a rainy walk! Some people are much more tidy and matchy-matchy than others, but no real people with normal jobs/kids/pets live influencer aesthetic lives. Even the most beautifully decorated, tidiest homes have random, dinged mugs and water bottles or grody old sneakers people use for gardening.

[cwalsh]

I'm not a fan of the 'core' label but I also understand why it's used. This trend is new to me (I'm not on TikTok) but it is a relief to see a bit of normality and common sense.

[kellimarschall]

i think an interesting thing to analyze about "underconsumption" is people's access to quality hand-me-downs. Whether that be from thrift shops, facebook marketplace, family members, it genuinely is more difficult to not overconsume when you can't afford to purchase quality items, and don't have a support system that can give you old, high quality items that have been in the family for a long time. Items that can't handle consistent wear but are cheap may increase someone's likelihood to overconsume

[beautyandthebeaker]

The oldest things I own are probably trilobite fossils that date back millions of years.

[jaykayspoons]

We refer to our dinning room table as the "Depression Table" because my great grandmother bought it during the Great Depression. She raised my grandma at that table. My grandma raised my mom at that table. My mom raised my brothers and I at that table and now I am raising my kids around that table ❤

[abigaelrarts]

an underconsumption habit i do: when i have a liquid product that is old/expired or i don't like anymore (like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, lotion) i use it to shave my legs. it also acts a type of consequence to buying/having too much bc i have to wait to go thru it when all i want to do is throw out/replace. makes me think twice about buying new products bc i have to go thru the whole thing one way or another.

[caityponn]

I definitely needed this slap in the face. My views of shopping and consumption have become sooo warped and with the way things cost these days I need to change my habits.

[bainca]

Oldest thing I own: my mom's baptism towel. From when she was a BABY. She's almost 70.
My "underconsumption core" is definitely squeezing every last drop out of the products! And reusing food containers for storage. I had no idea this even existed, and thought it was awesome. So thanks for this video!!

[paulabroussard]

As a person over 60, I'm laughing at the fact that having a lamp from 2010 is considered a special thing. I and many of my friends have and have used for years, many, many furniture and decor items from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and our household items. It's great this is being recognized as a smart thing, but it's certainly only a "trend" if you're in your 20s. The rest of us have been regularly doing this for decades and not for video likes/follows.

[sungexpression]

Lifestyle creep is definitely a relevant topic in anti-consumption discourse!

[arel]

70 new garments a year is normal?... That can't be right