Exhausted from the rising cost of living in the United States and non-stop ads, some young adults on TikTok are pushing back. "When every moment of your life feels like you're being sold something and the price of said item keeps going up, people will burn out on spending money," Kara Perez, an influencer and financial educator, told AFP. Social media has long had room only for picture-perfect homes, lavish closets and an abundance of beauty products.
But a new trend is sweeping the other way -- urging repurposing, more frugal lifestyles and prioritizing quality over quantity. Known as "underconsumption core," it spotlights living sustainably and using what you have, a reversal of the excess and wealth that dominates ad-heavy Instagram and TikTok. "When you get 300 videos on TikTok about people who have 30 Stanley cups, you want to have as many as you can afford.
People want to fit in," said Perez, who repurposes jars as cups. Consumer fatigue A video with over 100,000 views from TikTok user loveofearthco critiqued the tendency toward overconsumption often amplified and encouraged on social media: "I spent money I didn't have on things I didn't need." Another account, nevadahuvenaars, shared what "normal" consumption looks like: used furniture, a modest closet, decor upcycled from glass bottles, meal prep and a downsized skincare collection.
Despite financial hardships felt particularly by Gen Z and millennials, the US economy is thriving, with record corporate profits and hi.