The world has become saturated in influencer culture, but de-influencing offers a counter-culture, budget-friendly, sustainable alternative to brand bombardment. But is it simply another form of advertisement?
Anyone with a smartphone is likely aware of the term “influencer,” even if everything learned about influencers might be against one’s will. While so-called influencers were once contained to the internet, they are rapidly spreading into other forms of media such as advertisements, magazines, television, and movies. Influencers often explode for offering seemingly relatable content that is often manipulated to get their followers to purchase a slew of products that tease at attaining a similar attractive lifestyle through buying the right combination of brands. De-influencing has since arisen in a response to the influencer-saturated culture, though it can also have some downfalls if not properly performed.
Influencer Culture Is Inundating Us
Once upon a time, people didn’t live online, but these days many lives are ruled by social media. And social media isn’t just for close friends and family- it’s for strangers who somehow feel like friends to millions of followers due to the bizarre pull of parasocial relationships. Website Grin states that the modern-day influencer came to prominence in the 2010s, though anyone on social media at the time can testify to this reality. Around the time, Amazon decided to connect with Facebook to show their customers what people in their lives were purchasing. This was an instant success. These days, people are informed directly by countless influencers of what is in style. And these views are affirmed by rising follower counts that make influencers feel like demigods.
While influencers come in many shades and plenty of them are harmless people who found easy ways to live their dreams and earn money, it’s undeniable that influencer culture is seeped in materialism. As soon as someone gains a bit of fame on social media, they are offered brand deals and advertisements. Some of these influencers fail to disclose ads even when it is legally mandatory, while many are accused of selling anything for a fast buck. This leads to people backing shady and unethical companies just to flash a personalized discount code or post a link that will earn them partial revenue. Throughout this landscape is a common theme: more is more. Fast fashion and materialism thus explode as followers and influencers alike rush to keep up with trends and never commit the crime of repeating a look online.
What Is De-Influencing?
De-influencing is on the rise in early 2023 as a response to the materialism of influencing and the environmental impact of fast fashion and a consumeristic lifestyle. Instagram account Environment describes de-influencing as a TikTok trend that sees influencers and normal people alike telling their followers what isn’t worth buying in an attempt to lower needless spending and consumerism. De-influencing is performed to warn consumers against purchasing trendy products in particular that others find to be overrated. By promoting an agenda that focuses on, normalizes, and praises less consumption, such people are encouraging the overall health of the environment.
In short, de-influencing is a response to the overconsumption mindset that has saturated social media from try-on hauls to mass purchases at horrific fast fashion companies such as SHEIN that are known to have devastating environmental consequences. As Environment emphasizes, overconsumption has detrimental effects on the planet including fossil fuel dependence, increased resource use, heightened waste production, pollution, habitat destruction, and more. The embracing of the trend of de-influencing shows the readiness and willingness of people to choose a more sustainable way of living in favor of keeping up with trendy culture.
Is De-Influencing A Ploy?
De-influencing is something that can lead to a significantly positive environmental impact, especially when it catches on en masse. However, like most things in life, there is a right and wrong way to go about the process. Bizarrely, some de-influencing trends see people offering alternative products as a solution for not purchasing popular products. Therefore, these substitute products are now being offered by influencers in a more subtle swipe at senseless consumerism. Meanwhile, some people question if making videos to not endorse products is simply giving such products more attention that will backfire and lead to purchases.
While de-influencing can have downfalls if discussed incorrectly, other issues concern people about the trend. Some people argue that shaming people for purchasing and advertising fast fashion companies like SHEIN is classist or even fat-phobic, as the company offers an extended array of products for multiple body sizes at often unbeatably low prices due to their disregard for their environmental impacts and lack of ethical standards. However, not everyone can afford to purchase sustainably sourced, high-quality clothing or find trendy items that fit their body types. What can these people do when lacking affordable options?
Closing Thoughts
While it’s easier in theory to ward people off a consumeristic lifestyle, it’s undeniable that overconsumption has devastating impacts on the planet. It also creates an endless sense of hunger in consumers as they fill their closets with countless poorly manufactured and unethically sourced products that will only survive a few washes or maybe fail to be worn at all. However, sustainable lifestyles do take more time, effort, and (often) money to manage. And they are more limiting. But even if you are not able to shift your life to full sustainable living, a simple thing you can ask yourself is whether or not you are buying an item because you need it or because you are pleasing a passing whim. Taking any step to fight overconsumption benefits both yourself and the planet.
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