Your Toddler Doesn't Need a Mini-Fridge
the dangers of overconsumption driven by ASMR restock videos and amazon hauls
Alright, fellow 30-somethings, let's unpack this (pun intended). We've all fallen down the rabbit hole of Amazon haul videos, ASMR restocks, and those oddly satisfying fridge organization TikToks (or should I say… Instagram Reels?). It's like a warm hug for our brains, a virtual Xanax in a world of chaos. But have we ever stopped to think about the mountain of stuff – and I mean stuff – that gets churned out by these videos?
The allure of this type of media is undeniable. Research suggests that ASMR content, like the crinkling of packaging or the gentle sounds of organizing, can trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This might explain why we find ourselves scrolling through these videos for hours, mesmerized by the perfectly arranged pantries and aesthetically pleasing product displays. But this seemingly harmless pastime comes at a cost, one that extends far beyond our screen time.
Financial Waste
Let's start with the influencers themselves. These savvy creators have tapped into a goldmine. By curating endless hauls of Amazon goodies, they're not just sharing their "must-haves" – they're building mini empires off our clicks. Every spritz of hand sanitizer, every perfectly aligned can of La Croix in their fridge is another cha-ching in their Amazon storefront.
According to Vox, micro-influencers (those with 10,000-50,000 followers) can earn an average of $40,000 per year, much of it through affiliate marketing. While this financial success is admirable, I can’t help but wonder how much they spend on a daily basis to acquire the products they need to sling via bite-sized clips, day-in and day-out. (And what they do with said product when it’s no longer the “newest coolest item”.) I get that many influencers get products for free, but the obscure ones from Amazon? I’m not so sure. It also raises questions about the ethics of promoting excessive consumption to a largely impressionable audience, but we’ll touch on that in a bit.
I truly enjoy the all-neutral aesthetic this creator is dedicated to maintaining. Just don’t mind me while I cringe at every wasteful spritz of perfume and hand sanitizer into the air just for the ASMR audio clip…
But I’m really not here to criticize content creators for doing their job of entertaining us. My larger concern is on the end consumer and the impacts of being influenced to buy things we definitely don’t need or over-consume in excess of what’s even possible to consume, and ultimately how that creates waste and financial strain on the average social media user.
A recent Bankrate Survey found that 48% of users have impulsively purchased a product seen on social media, leading to overspending. We're shelling out hard-earned cash for stuff we likely don’t need, all while our savings accounts gather dust. This financial burden is compounded by the hidden costs of consumption, such as storage fees for overflowing closets and the depreciation of trendy items that quickly lose their appeal.
Environmental Impact
The environmental consequences of this consumption frenzy are even more alarming. According to the EPA, packaging accounts for nearly 30% of all household waste in the United States. And with Amazon shipping over 7 billion packages annually, the impact of these haul videos on our planet is undeniable. Not to mention the carbon footprint of shipping all those purchases from warehouses to our doorsteps. Furthermore, a 2015 study found that the production and use of household goods and services was responsible for 60 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This means that every impulse purchase we make, spurred on by an Instagram Reel, contributes to the growing climate crisis.
But it's not just the packaging and shipping that's problematic. There’s this video of a creator restocking her fridge with enough produce to feed a small army. Now maybe I’ve just forgotten that produce in the U.S. somehow lasts a lot longer than the produce over here in Europe 🤔 and maybe it’s all going to get eaten before the pound of various fresh herbs gets soggy and sad, but there’s a good chance that some of that probably ended up in the trash. Food waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the pressure to maintain a picture-perfect fridge, fueled by these videos, can exacerbate this problem.
In researching this article, I came across Hannah Alonzo’s impressive video essay.
Ethical Concerns
The allure of these videos goes beyond simple product recommendations. Many influencers, particularly those targeting young women, promote a cycle of materialism, where happiness and self-worth are tied to buying new stuff. This is particularly concerning given the impressionable nature of younger audiences. The constant barrage of perfectly curated hauls and restocks can create unrealistic expectations and fuel feelings of inadequacy, leading to impulse purchases in an attempt to achieve an idealized lifestyle.
“Oh, your toddler doesn’t have a mini-fridge? And you don’t restock it for her on a daily basis? You must be a bad mom…” - Is what my brain tells me when watching this particular type of restock Reel.
2019 research published in the European Journal of Marketing found that exposure to materialistic messages can lead to lower self-esteem, increased anxiety and excessive spending, particularly among young people. This raises ethical questions about the responsibility of influencers to promote healthy consumption habits and avoid exploiting insecurities for financial gain. The pressure to conform to societal ideals, amplified by these posts, can have a detrimental impact on mental well-being and perpetuate harmful stereotypes about female identity and value.
So, where does that leave us, fellow millennials? Are we doomed to a life of cluttered apartments, empty wallets, and a planet on the brink of collapse, all in the pursuit of the perfect #shelfie? Maybe not.
Perhaps it's time to hit pause on that ASMR packing video and ask ourselves: Do I really need another kitchen gadget? Could I be content with the water bottle I already own? Is there a way to enjoy these videos without falling into the consumption trap?
The answers aren't easy, but hey, we're millennials. We're used to figuring things out as we go.