In a time where social media is only continuing to grow, specifically TikTok, trends grow overnight. While some of these trends include specific dances or making videos to a specific audio, items have also gone viral. One video on TikTok about a water bottle gets millions of views, and suddenly every other person owns it. However, what does peoples’ willingness to buy anything that trends say about society? 

Consumer culture is at an all time high as a result of these trends. As soon as something goes viral, millions of people go to buy it. As quick as something can blow up overnight, it can also die out that fast and something else will become popular. No matter the turn over time, people are still willing to buy all these things to stay on top of the trends as everyone else also has them. However, this leads to people over consuming items that they probably do not really need. People seem to blindly follow what is trending at the moment, not considering if they really need this item. In economics, this means that consumers are willing to buy these items. Trends are a common reason for why people would be willing to spend a certain amount of money on goods, even if it will not have a lot of benefit. 

Not to mention, most of these items that go viral are all name brand items that are really expensive. Some people can’t afford these popular goods, and can feel left out as everyone else seems to have them. Sure a $30 water bottle might look nice and functional, but there are many alternatives that can be bought at a cheaper price yet have the same purpose. Rowan Haupt (12) bought a Stanley Cup, which went viral on Tik Tok. When she talks about the item, she says how she “regrets buying it because it leaks a lot” and that she “prefers other water bottles like a Hydro Flask.” These items would be known as “doops.” Essentially, these are cheaper alternatives to things that go viral. For example, The $38 dior lip oil can be pretty expensive for most people to buy, so they look for other lip products that have the same look, but for less of the price. Finding doops like these allow more people to be a part of the trend, while not spending a lot of money to buy these goods. 

Trends like these also cause people to lose originality. A lot of people lose their own personal style as they choose to follow a trend instead of their personal preference. I have fallen victim to this multiple times, buying things that go viral which I do not necessarily love and would not consider “me.” Though there is nothing wrong with following some trends, people will become copies of each other if everyone will continue to buy these things as they go viral, losing their uniqueness and originality. People who take these trends and spin it in their own way overcome this issue. 

Next time something goes viral overnight on Tik Tok, it is important to ask yourself if you really want and need this item or if you are just doing it for the trend.