Fruit of consumerism reaped in thrift stores, landfills

If you’ve ever opened your eyes, you’ve seen an advertisement. Whether it’s a billboard on the side of the highway or a video ad interrupting a Netflix show, products of all shapes and sizes are incessantly pushed into the eyes of viewers trapped into becoming consumers. 

Nowadays, it’s normal to drive to a store within minutes and come back later with piles of stuff that ends up hibernating in closets until taking an indefinite stay at the thrift store before ultimately being disposed of in the landfills. This becomes a repetitive cycle.

Shopping can absolutely be interpreted as a modern way of hunting and gathering. It’s essentially this thrill of finding and buying items within stores, which have a carefully curated collection of ‘necessities.’ This brings a similar adrenaline rush to what our ancestors got when they successfully gathered enough food for their tribe. It is in our nature to always be on the lookout for things. As time went on and our local markets and eventually global markets developed, people no longer needed to hunt for necessities and could shift their focus to what they wanted. Many people no longer exclusively hunt for food, instead they have access to a grocery store with standard foods. Now they “hunt” in stores with rotating collections and new trends.

Tons of consumers swear that the thrill of buying and finding new knick-knacks is one like no other. This sensation is widely coined as retail therapy. Instead of talking out their issues, they distract themselves with mindless purchases that will start collecting dust just a few minutes later. This phenomenon is essentially just overconsumption with no reward. 

But, it isn’t only instinct that has drawn humans to buy and collect like there is no tomorrow. With the rise of doomscrolling on apps like TikTok and Instagram, people are automatically drawn to consumerism. Influencers regularly post fast fashion hauls worth hundreds of dollars, which has normalized this behavior. Brand new seasonal wardrobes are not only completely normal, but in fact necessary. Some influencers across the board divert their focus solely into lucrative sponsorships and endorsements instead of engaging content, which is a hugely profitable method for the company and the promoter. Influencers are endlessly promoting products that oftentimes have no practical use. This draws fans to buy these certain products without an actual need. They idolize these social media figures in the name of wanting to be them - not actually wanting the product. 

Young consumers especially fall victim to this sensation. The young fans (usually around 7-13) of Youtuber and social media star Salish Matter recently stormed the American Dream Mall in New Jersey to see the release of her new skincare line. Her products consist of skin creams and cleansers, averaging $20-$30. This is for many kids and tweens their very first introduction to skincare products. Many begin to believe that owning these specific products is a vital part to being a true fan, only because their star Salish Matter told them so. And so kids are being trained from a young age to relentlessly consume to have the newest, trendiest products. 

Companies are ultra-motivated to keep producing and selling new products in order to keep the public eye attracted. These companies always want to keep the economy growing even if it isn’t sustainable. One always hears monthly news reports about the growth of the economy and if the growth isn’t sustained and improved by next month, economists predict that there will be a problem in the economy. Realistically, the Earth can not continue supporting endless production of goods considering the finite amount of resources.  

Companies are always competing for the next popular trend. This is in order to keep people interested in the name of growing profit and a healthy economy. It’s a double-edged sword between consumers and companies. Both parties are a part of the problem regarding this never-ending product consumption. 

Corporations are always adding new things that buyers “need” to add to their cart right away. This is very evident when one walks into a thrift store. There is seemingly a T-shirt for every single event ever. There are items for the Fourth of July, some celebrating the birthday of a forklift driver, and mugs that exclaim ‘Best Teacher Ever.’ There are endless items and it shows that people will buy just about anything for a little gag.

Although many people donate their useless goods after one wear, they aren’t used ever again, which leaves them to take the long and lonely path to the landfill. These clothes leave a huge carbon footprint and have massive effects on the environment. They are usually dumped and start to pollute third world countries and leave impoverished communities flooded with clothes and items that take up their living space. The people of these areas are given significantly lower life expectancies because of the horrific living conditions. Although throwing away clothes has no direct effect on us, there are real consequences for the blameless people who reside in areas that are dumping grounds. The relentless consumption by people and the continued giving into consumerism has left communities with irreparable damage.

Even though there are trends like minimalism and capsule wardrobes that in principle attempts to decrease overconsumption are in the end simply just trends. They come and go like all trends do and only very few end up becoming a lifestyle after it’s taken its turn. 

Occasionally buying some quality items is not the large issue at play, but rather regularly taking extravagant shopping sprees which leaves large, harmful impacts on the environment, ultimately taking the fun out of shopping. If buying power is necessary to one’s joy, it may be worth looking into second-hand stores to save things from the landfill or even finding new hobbies that give a similar dose of thrill. Truly considering how meaningful the item is, and how often it will be put to use before purchasing, is crucial to slowing down this endless cycle of buy, sleep, throw away, repeat.

by Zosia Bowlus-Jasinski

Published October 6, 2025

Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue I