Underconsumption: 7 science-backed tips to consume less

[@Brigitten2338]

"its easier to buy your way into your identity, than crafting one of your own", that really hit me

[@Ticktok_of_Oz]

I absolutely agree with this, but I had a though the other day that does go into the opposite direction of the suggestion. If you have a bad/negative identity, it is possible and worth while to pick a brand/genre/style and make that your transitional identity until you can find your own. That said, pick something positive and communal. Don't make Joe Rogan your identity. But if you have made Joe Rogan your identity, you can always pick a new one in the same way. Fake it till you make it.

[@Brigitten2338]

I totally see and think you have made an excellent point! Really made me think

[@amethyst6603]

quitting social media from experience also helps. My relationships have taken more priority without the need to show off about my life and consume excess content, and therefore I am consuming way way less because I am spending more time with good people in my life

[@JPcommunicates]

Social media isn't about showing off your life. Social media is where people connect and exchange what they enjoy doing or creating. Social media has nothing to do with consuming content. You can just use it to entertain your eyes or get inspiration.

[@CleberLerm]

This is not an advertisement of any kind, but *suluxy* I am so impressed with the quality of their performance!

[@zoecirina2247]

Agree, Social media can yes be used as connection to friends, But let's be honest, socials are a marketing app, not only for goods that you can buy, but for experiences you can have, books you can read, and food you can cook. This may not be always a bad thing, but the more we rely on other people preferences to create our own consumption patterns, this take away from the joy of experiencing something and discovering it for the first time and be surprised. Also, learning how to be alone, in solitude, and be in peace with your thoughts is such a powerful skill to have, that get suppressed with constant notifications and never ending feeds. Being content is so fucing hard, but it's the first step in experiencing awe for me.

[@saggguy7]

@JPcommunicatescome on now, lol. Of course people can use social media in ways that are healthy and positive, but they’re doing that in *spite* of the system, not because of it. That’s why it takes most people conscious effort to curate a social media environment that’s not geared toward consumption and self-comparison. The entire social media industry is dependent on and geared toward facilitating mindless, compulsive consumption of both the media itself and the products advertised within it. Social media corporations didn’t get their chokehold on society by being inspirational and encouraging healthy, balanced use.

[@aniazurek7258]

@@saggguy7🙌🏻👏🏻✨ that's exactly right

[@ooogyman]

1) Limit Exposure To Marketing 4:24 2) Put a Wait Time on New Products 5:39 3) Replace Purchasing with Something Social 6:13 4) Identify Your Want 9:05 5) Trying New Products in a Low Cost Way 10:32 6) Research Products a.k.a. Buy Right, Buy Once 11:48 7) Experience Awe 12:44

[@RaySonic_99]

I have been using 2, 5 & 6 for some time now. the wait time thing is very impactful it makes you want to research it more and work out what about the item that you are looking for in your life. I go camping a lot and less is more in that realm. Holding off till sales times of the year can save quite a lot and you have a good idea about how much the sale is really with comparing prices over time and stores.

[@tokiface]

Bless you

[@sketchysermons]

"I bet if you're considering bullet journaling you already have a notebook laying around" - 100% 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@chinchillin6280]

As my dad says, “You don’t take a U-Haul with you when you die, but the people you leave behind tell your legacy”

[@JPcommunicates]

Sometimes it's not even about what you shop but just the fun to window shop and look around what is new.

[@chinchillin6280]

@@JPcommunicatesyes, absolutely!

[@gogogomes7025]

There is a saying from where I'm from that translated goes "Caskets don't have drawers" the obvious meaning being that once you die, you won't take anything with you.

[@tinywalnut6337]

I buy everything second hand! It started as a one-year challenge. That was 14 years ago. I love giving things a second chance, especially beautiful pieces of art or pottery. My favorite shoes have been second hand. Even my favorite chair. It's such a delight to shop second hand, too--everything feels like a genuine treasure, because you worked hard to find it.

[@lucydawson1344]

I would never buy second hand underwear though! 😂

[@tinywalnut6337]

@lucydawson1344 fair! I suppose I don't do that either.

[@lucydawson1344]

@ I’m hoping to take on something similar but also ensure that I wear things out completely… I’m very guilty of getting rid of things that still fit me and have lots of wear left in them . Hopefully in future I will only buy what I’ll love and use thoroughly!

[@Starstarstarets]

This was a nice comment to read cause I’m forcing myself to only buy second hand (or look for ethical/sustainable sources for things like underwear) :,) was honestly super hard at first (fully developed a shopping addiction being stuck inside during the pandemic) but it’s been a bit over a year and is already way easier!! Kudos to 14 years that’s a serious achievement, both on a personal level and ethically/environmentally ❤️❤️

[@lifeoutnumbered]

The thing is second hand can still leak into overconsumption if you are still overbuying second hand items.

[@timingmile7030]

The loneliness aspect is a reason why I overconsume. After covid, i left college, started working but struggled to make friends as a working adult. I started buying stuff to fill in the void of emptiness. It has been a hard cycle to break and I am ashamed at how much I have spent before figuring out why i was consuming and buying. I still overbuy and relapse. I have started trying to make more friends and get out of my shell, but it is a working progress. When I relapse, it is because I have not had enough social connection or I feel unhappy with something happening in my life.

[@いちごミルク-d7t]

I relate 100% The worst aspect is when you go out of your way and try to make friends and socialize, but the relationship ends up being one sided, and you end up putting way more effort than they do, so you feel even worse and it’s even worse when you keep getting rejected more than one time so there comes a point where you stop trying because you know that it will hurt you more.

[@annoar9776]

You've got this.

[@D.von.N]

How much simpler the life of an introvert is, being the best company to themselves, being resourceful, happy with little, not needing much of social interaction with friends ot 'friends'. Maybe find some activity the results of which willl give you a sort of a validation. I am nearing 50 and started mending and upgrading computers, switching from Windows to Linux. A learning curve, but rewarding and satisfying. And I have oyher hobbies with low cost value, being creative. I don't do Netflix or Prime, no streaming, listening to my own music I collected in the first half of my life. Getting computer skilled enabled me to get in mp3 what failed on tapes or vinyls, getting scratched. I don't have time to feel sorry about myself and the lack of social interaction in person, which I don't miss at all. My home is my kingdom with plenty of stuff to do, by hands or via a screen.

[@Olive_and_Pistachio]

Same for me. I buy unnecessary stuff out of loneliness. Filling the void is a challenge.

[@roosterfloss758]

I had the same issue, it wasn’t until I got my anxiety addressed with snri’s which are anti depressants and found that the urge to impulse buy went away

[@leastidyworld4365]

I think this is a unique video with a subject that needs to be talked about more often.

[@chinchillin6280]

Agreed

[@JPcommunicates]

It doesn't because it's everyone's personal choice how they want to live.

[@leastidyworld4365]

@@chinchillin6280 Thank you.

[@leastidyworld4365]

@JPcommunicates There is a thing called right and wrong and people can’t make the right choice if they are not informed about the truth.

[@roses.9181]

This video is a MASSIVE W. Loneliness was a huge reason for my consumption, and it started through childhood. My parents might have physically been around me, but they had their own struggles and I was incredibly emotionally lonely as a child, and my parents just gave me what ever I wanted to stop whining. I've spent my entire adult life trying to undo this as I started to realize what was happening. Wondering where TF did my money go at the end of the year. Compiling bags of items I never used to donate every spring, like every year I'd consume over and over again and wonder how I accumulated so much sh*t each 12 month cycle. It gave me so much anxiety. I am embarking on my no-buy year for 2025... don't wish me luck, because I'm fkn ready and I don't need luck. P.S, loved the last bit about sonder

[@Cormin]

Congrats on being chosen by the algorithm

[@AmandasLifeNotes]

I feel honored

[@amethyst6603]

this is such a well constructed video! this is mina le level and deserves so much praise and views

[@AmandasLifeNotes]

Thank you! I haven't made a video with this much research before, it took awhile. Glad you liked it!

[@tinywalnut6337]

I unsubscribed from every unnecessary email, whether it was marketing to me or not. It felt like a bit of a mental declutter.

[@CrisOnTheInternet]

Also is often overlooked that digital things actually consume energy, so those extra photos, documents, pictures and so on, are contaminating.

[@bena7228]

Very insightful video. It's nice to see someone creating content who has done their research and doesn't sensationalize

[@Innamoramento9]

As a non-American, it's shocking to me that people there are viewed as becoming less religious; it looks like religion is taking over the country from the outside looking in. But the research about loneliness causing materialism, materialism causing loneliness, rings true. My desire for new jewelry disappeared as soon as I had a meaningful dinner and conversation with my partner.

[@CampingforCool41]

I mean statistically speaking, people in America are becoming less religious. The reason it doesn't seem that way is because Christian evangelicals and nationalists have been organizing to take over government for decades.They are the loudest people here.

[@moonk990]

I think there are recent, deliberate efforts to promote religion and maybe that's why we see it so.. Also naturally we tend to go from one extreme to the other collectively so I'm not sure people might start becoming religious as masses again in the next years/ decade.. Ultimately religion is hope, a sense of security,purpose and also a sense of belonging.. Just what we want the most right now

[@Innamoramento9]

@@moonk990 I think religion by itself is good but people as a whole are pretty dumb/manipulative, so it becomes a vehicle of the very things it's trying to fight (sexual abuse, financial fraud, oppression of women). In its best form, you're right about the security, purpose and belonging, things that are sacred beyond simply making money etc.

[@mschrisfrank2420]

As an American, my experience is that there is a very vocal religious community, but most of the people I know (including myself) have moved away from religion or at least from organized religion. That said, Gen Z men are the highest rate of those moving towards religion.

[@KevinL-f7r]

Fewer people are religious. But religious people gain more and more political power. Also, there are tons of people who - for example - aren't religious but still hate lgbtq+ people and think abortion is murder.

[@jansengarside]

Great video. Been trying to simplify my life and buy more intentionally, especially with furniture and clothing. Finding that even expensive furniture from “high-end” brands are often made with cheap synthetic materials and that finding actual wood furniture is becoming increasingly challenging. Started looking at Amish furniture for that and going to antique stores. For clothes I’m focusing on timeless designs in natural materials from companies focused on quality over branding, or usually just secondhand.

[@TorBoy9]

I have a hobby of repurposing wood I find from furniture. It is quite shocking that today's furniture quality is so very low. Chipboard that is often used in furniture is made of wood fiber and glue, and not even good enough for its original purpose of furniture, much less recycling it into something else.

[@jansengarside]

@ it is shocking! The same trend is seen in clothing as well. Most people never realize how objects that are supposed to last a long time are now being made to increasingly lower quality standards, forcing them to spend more money in the long run by having to replace those items as they break down. I ended up finding a nice walnut coffee table for a reasonable price but it was so incredibly difficult to do and most people won’t search for hours and days to find one piece of wooden furniture when they can get MDF for cheap

[@spikethea2630]

On Experiencing Awe, I’ve found that catching a Bus in my City and sitting on the top while looking out can greatly improve my mental health. I don’t feel a need to go spend to be fulfilled and I feel in the moment.

[@caoimhin7122]

Blame Bernays and Reagonomics. I'm so glad you did this video. I'm in my 50s and I have seen this get completely out of control. It is accelerating at an exponential rate. It was famously bad in the 1980s. But the 80s have nothing on the 2020s! We have fed into it, willingly. I constantly comment and notice that we are absolutely inundated with advertising. I would love to see how many times we are exposed to an advertisement in a day, year, decade. You should do a video on this. I can't find any hard, precise data. Another interesting question is: do women consume more than men on a day to day basis? My father taught me something decades ago. Buy the best thing that you can afford. That way, you get something that will last and will work the way you want. And if for some reason you need to upgrade or sell it, you are much moe likely to get your money back by selling it to someone else. If you buy the cheapest thing you can get away with, it won't work as well as a quality thing, it won't last, and you won't be able to sell it when you do want to upgrade. It's a wasted expense.

[@jora9655]

got this on my home feed next to "my favourite x of 2024" and "the best tools you can buy for x" kinda videos. marketing IS everywhere. thanks for the vid! :)

[@krokasan1]

This video really sparked joy in me. Thank you for posting this, it was very inspiring to watch!

[@arussellturner]

You’re wonderfully insightful, and you bring good perspective. Keep making videos. If you keep making videos with this level of insight, you’re going to go far.

[@danielaroscerocervantes9142]

That "identity consumption" section was spot-on!! Subscribed!!

[@jc3drums916]

This is such an important message. As someone who firmly believes in "buy right, buy once" to the extent that my budget will allow, buying can be quite stressful, so I don't do it very often. Musicians love to collect instruments, and I'm no different, but I don't own nearly as many as I would like to have, far fewer than someone of my level/experience would have (as someone who plays instruments the size of furniture, space is just as much a factor as money). I've actually spent over a year agonizing over buying a new snare drum, and I go years between clothes purchases (most of my nicer clothes were purchased ~20 years ago!). I've had the itch to travel again for a long time. The pandemic messed that up, but now is the time. Experiences > objects for sure.

[@Christopher-ic9ig]

As someone who currently works in marketing (and is looking to make a career change because of many of the points you mentioned in this video), I applaud not only the content but also the research efforts you put into it. Modern marketing is little more than psychological manipulation. I hope more people wake up from the hypnotic trance put on them by marketers. Those who are able to wake up from this trance can stop the cycle of manipulation and experience true freedom over this part of their lives.

[@shelbystrand5592]

Love this video, you should consider making more like this that involve research! I also really like that you linked your sources, I don’t see KZbinrs do this when they claim things nowadays and it bothers me because I want to know where their information came from. Good job!!

[@AmandasLifeNotes]

Thank you, I plan to make more research-backed videos! It does take a lot more time, but I feel more satisfied with the final product

[@CodyEngel]

What the heck, only 3.5k subscribers? Keep at this, you’re going to 100k with such well thought out videos like this one!

[@rosethorn0232]

I used to be subscribed to many "beauty gurus", and no surprise I amassed a huge collection of makeup that I never use because I was watching them and always being recommended new things to try. Thank god I don't follow any of them anymore, I unsubbed from emails and also did this for clothing too. It's exhausting being bombarded with that purchase anxiety all the time and you don't even realize what a huge stressor it is until you quit.

[@bnjmz]

Thanks! Perfect as a motivational video to watch on NYE. It's not about a new short-term resolution. Instead, it's a mindset shift.

[@martasoltys9091]

I became obsessed with Sephora over COVID. While falling into the love with beauty for a while actually took me away from a far worse obsession, lately I've been really trying to think if I NEED something before buying. So, I decided to encourage myself to underconsume by really trying to go debt free. Credit cards in general I find can be very dangerous in creating more stress. I have just one now. I hope these video goes viral. I lived in Oakville for a year one where there is a law for now billboards. i was shocked how much more relaxing it was to just walk through the streets.

[@FoodNotPharms]

Had to pause you for a moment to comment on the WAIT TIME! I wait years before purchasing something I've wanted for so long. Not to contribute to consumerism, but with ever-increasing prices, I purchase my big items around sales on Black Friday. Now, I have the few things I've made myself wait for...sure, the dopamine surge is real, but I won't have to buy any other wants until next year or years down the line. Got my updated non-name brand snowboard gear (after wearing my stuff out for 6 seasons) and a 3D printer. I'll be happy for years to come. Thank you for your content! Lets send less to the landfill!

[@Катнип]

Totally off topic but your blouse and lip colour are very complimentary. You look really beautiful. The video is very interesting and well explained.

[@kseniafedosova9169]

Oh wow, this is actually a great amount of research went into the video.

[@catherinemariemarcotte]

The academic sources (thank you NY public library) grounded this video in thoughtful theory, but the ending, in which you shared more of your own thinking, was deeply beautiful and thought-provoking. I'll be thinking about this for a long time 🌷

[@ClarkyClark]

I quit most social media and immediately felt better. Not only was i not seeing people flaunting an unrealistic lifestyle, but I also wasn't bombarded by adverts. At least, not nearly as bad.

[@sam-p3e7w]

I liked how you focused on how to under consume instead of the analysis around overconsumption! Great video!

[@felipe.b.felicio]

Nice video, thanks.

[@ElizabethDiaz-dt6fe]

This was a truly fantastic video!!! It was well-researched, engaging, and inspiring, you did a great job! I feel so grateful to have stumbled across this video in my "underconsumption" journey.

[@AmandasLifeNotes]

I'm so glad you liked it!

[@joelsmith4394]

Quite like the presentation style. Reminds me of Hank Green, who is extraordinary in that regard. Great content too.

[@Plottoberry]

Buying something and then don"t using it annoys me so much. Like, stuff for hobby's that disappointed or clothes that were not really my thing. It still happens sometimes and the annoying thing is, I cant always predict which ones. Luckily, I got much better at it. I did extensive research for gloves and got nice ones. I go to specialized stores and ask for advice before I buy. It gives me peace of mind. Right now I'm sitting in my second hand leather jacket I bought 10 years ago and still love ❤

[@micthejester]

Glad this video popped up in my recommendations. ❤️

[@joannec4356]

Amazing video! I love how you added quotes with sources, a very well crafted and researched video.

[@lifeoutnumbered]

I think underconsumption or more likely not over consuming is a very personal experience. What mine looks like can look very different from someone else's. I think the cores are really not having more than you need to live comfortably, not going into debt in the process, and not replacing something that is currently in good shape just because you want something else. How you create your personal sets of rules to consumption and how you uphold those values is where if can look vastly different from person to person.

[@AmandasLifeNotes]

I agree!

[@MrFirefox322]

good to see a buff going on to create well thought out, informative videos, and psychologically penetrative videos -- proud teacher moments are few and far between there sometimes.

[@BareStrength]

Great video! Just one thing I noticed is that I think you could get a lot more from your Notion. Just by seeing the way you structured your Links at 5:52 I think you could utilize Databases way more. Just a guess though. One dude who helped me a lot here is Productive Setups, although most of his recent stuff has really all just morphed to being quite ad heavy for his template, but I was still able to build basically the same thing just by following his tutorials.

[@pa4241]

Such a good video! It was really nice to finally see someone get to the root of problems with studies!

[@vvitch-mist20]

My under consumption hack is being too broke to participate in buying lol.

[@vianeyv4865]

As a fellow poor, my financial constraints has only fueled my desire to avoid consumption. I used to over consume with material items as a teenager, but adulthood has caused me to reevaluate purchases. I use the clothes I have (that I love!). I borrow books from friends and the library. I’m content and grateful for what I have. No one is more sustainable or innovative than the poor: I mend the clothes that tear. I’m even learning how to embroider to make plain clothing even more special without buying something new. I’m going to use my phone and laptop until it’s fully gone and the same is true with my clothes and shoes.

[@vvitch-mist20]

@vianeyv4865 Embroidery sounds so fun. I've also mended my own clothing and started to up cycle some of the trash I have to help save money as well.

[@chinchillin6280]

😂 I hear ya

[@chrizzlybearlol]

I get your point but this is not true in the end. Being not able to afford proper quality leads to buying more stuff that will easily break. We have a saying in Germany that like if you buy cheap you buy twice. When I buy new stuff I try to buy heirloom quality that lasts several lifetimes. That means for example a crook pot cost 300$ instead of 20$. You won’t buy another ever again.

[@rotoast8113]

Since the invention of credit cards and hire-purchase people can spend money they don’t have.

[@MsJelsica]

This is a fantastic video! So many great points

[@TiaMat99]

I really really appreciate all the research you quoted!

[@claytonwillie3671]

I work to dart outside my bubble. To find the 10% of insight you can gather from something you hate, morally oppose or find so grating your teeth hurt. Algorisms tend not to help in this matter. So, although youtube is a vast resource its suggestions tend not to be what I need or am looking for, when offered. Today i found myself inundated with the commercials you spoke of in part, to the extent that I shut out what i was attempting to watch that was encased within them. After a time, I opened youtube and was suggested this video. The refreshment i felt within 30 seconds of hearing you lead me to hit the like button. Under three minutes in, that community, family and sense of belonging that is so beneficial to us all i could hear in your words and the thoughts that ushered them forth. This lead me to subscribe. I look forward to listening to your thoughts concerning this reality we find ourselves contained within and the relief such things will bring to this too often weary heart and mind that can reside too long in the first sentence. Best of luck on your future growth, and thank you for existing.

[@not_applicable]

While its not a solution for community and belonging, i would highly recommend you the Sponsorblock extension. It automatically skips ads and sponsors in videos according to community feedback. It would help with her first point at least.

[@aksshaynr9438]

This video came in my recommended feed at the perfect time. Thank you for making this!!

[@mazii.89]

I really enjoyed this video and it was very informative, thank you for making it

[@thecamobot]

Love the last part about awe, cool video! 🙂

[@gigihanley9757]

Very good content and thank you for the good links. I'm old enough to be your Grandma but very glad I found your site.

[@ktburger659]

So well put!! Can’t believe you don’t have more subs! I bet you will soon though.

[@nancy78811]

Modern religion is anything but encouraging moderation in consumption. That is so far from the truth. There is HUGE amounts of "keeping up with the Joneses" in the church. I just watched an ex-Mormon talking about how Mormons are the biggest consumers of plastic surgery. Gotta have that perfect godly look.

[@boopdoop2251]

Mormons are a cult.

[@scrambaba]

Your assertions lack real backing and logic. An ex Mormon saying lots of Mormons get plastic surgery? How does that prove that they are the biggest consumers of it? Modern Catholicism discourages overconsumption. Just because some religious people overconsume does not mean that religion is the cause or encourages it, any more than say, living in suburbs is the cause. It’s called logic.

[@chrizzlybearlol]

⁠@@scrambabamodern catholicism is against sexual abuse yet they can’t keep their hands of children. And when they get caught they do nothing to reimburse the victims but instead try to sweep it under the rug. Religion isn’t without contradiction. We are humans after all.

[@theglowcloud2215]

@@scrambaba what's the modern Catholic doctrine on sexual abuse of minors? Is the church still into that?

[@KevinL-f7r]

Modern evangelical christianity is a lifestyle movement as much as a religion. And the way you show god loves you is the ability to consume.

[@HeyImBode]

Enjoyed the video and clicked because I need to dance with this concept every now and then. Right now i'm REALLY into board games and they are a really interesting intersection of consumption tropes described in this video as well as the remedy. You can always buy a new game, it's a flourishing hobby. Eventually the games you buy necessarily become a mirror of your tastes and preferences, they say something about you. But, at some point you have to sit down and share the experience with others, enjoy the feeling of awe some games will even provide, the community that emerges from it. That being said, it's also really easy to own just one more unplayed game than it is to digest a rulebook ahead of game night. 😅 It's a weird duality

[@kprit4089]

harmen hoek's videos give me awe every time

[@preauxtip]

idk how I ended up here but cool video. I think part of it might also be wanting to 'skip ahead' in things that interest you. I've been learning guitar for the last few months and find myself wanting to buy new guitars, new amps etc. I find myself looking at them online or reading reviews, sometimes doing that for longer in a day than actually playing the guitar I have. Do I really want a new guitar or do I really just want to be a better guitar player than I am and there's some part of my subconscious that feels like I can buy my way there (spoiler, I cant)

[@kellyphang6273]

I love how well researched this video is! You have a new subscriber now :)

[@elenakalliste]

Great video!! So glad to find another great KZbinr ❤

[@jayziac]

Thank you for talking about this important topic, you sound like a wise person way beyond your 20s. I have grown up picking up thrifty habits from my parents & culture, now that I'm on my own and much better off, I still can't resist good deals, and that has lead to buying lots of things just because of deep discounts. I'm only starting now to focus on buying less, more quality, and 2nd hand.

[@terkschmitt1944]

To put a wait time on new products is a way I found long ago. It helps saving money a lot.

[@buysomecereal]

Amazing video! Also, I must say your makeup is incredibly pretty!!!

[@AmandasLifeNotes]

Thank you!!

[@jennie.willoughby]

Love this! Super well thought out and how conspicuous consumerism is inversely related to the pull away from religion and other 3rd space communities

[@yusray.a3470]

That was so informative, thank you

[@pablord516]

Hey, good video! You could rise a little the camera for having a better experience as a watcher. Good work 💪

[@CrisOnTheInternet]

My best tip is to watch the pile of things every one of us have, to me that was disgusting. I'm committed to not buy more things till I use up everything I have, so 4 years kinda.

[@jochenkraus7016]

One of the minimalism channels mentioned an interesting thought in a video: What if we couldn't get rid of anything? How would we decide if and what to buy?

[@guillaumepj]

So many good concise points, love this!!

[@anonymous_anomalocaris]

im so glad i found this! keep doing what you're doing

[@schindeljulia]

I would love to see a flat tour! Just the kitchen seems so aestetic

[@aminaassbayou85]

Thank you for your work, illuminating video !

[@helloitsmemarta]

such an autumn girl, i can't🍂💌was a pleasure both listening and watching!

[@AmandasLifeNotes]

I'm forever trying to be Rory Gilmore (season 1, of course). Glad you liked it!

[@sussvarman]

4:54 certain cooking channels come to mind with this, claiming you need hyper specific kitchen equipment for authenticity (starts with J and rhymes with Floshua Fliessman)

[@kaitlynesse]

What a great video! I'm glad youtube recommended this to me! I just subscribed and I look forward to more videos from you :)

[@thestraightroad305]

The discussion of awe rings very true.

[@JohnnaLasmanis]

It seems to me that people’s purchases of designer/pure bred dogs goes along with identity consumption. People nowadays really treat dogs as accessories and use them to show what kind of person they believe they are. I thought with all that we now know about puppy mills, that we would be moving away from this as a society, but just like with other types of consumption, people do not seem able to help themselves and believe that their desires and image are more important than the impact the purchase has. The dogs end up bored for 8 or more hours out of the day and 8 hours through the night, with maybe an hour of actually satisfying activity that they deserve.

[@clarehiggins5398]

You're so cool! I really enjoyed the video and how you put it together. Will be watching more! :)

[@zetaspe]

I truly love journalling with fountain pens and I follow the famous subreddit about it. I really loved all the stories and the collections of other members and so, I decided to make a post talking a bout consumerism. I did a quick research and showed them the references and wrote a long post about how, as fountain pen users and so many people journalling, we are quite protected against consumerism thanks to this hobby (gratitude journals, more self-consciousness of our own purchases, life-lasting products, etc.) and also warned of the dangers of over-consumption. I recieved three types of comments upon that: those who thanked me for posting this and admitted they had problems in the past; those who kindly told me that the members were mostly healthy consumers; and those who literally insulted me for saying over-consumption was a problem (one member even told me I should be in a concentration camp in north korea, and the moderators defended him implying it wasn´t an offensive comment). Also, as I am not a native english speaker, they mocked me for my writing style hehe. thank you for posting this video, it truly resonates with what my intention for that post was, but jsut much much better. Thanks!

[@rebekah.griffith]

Great job on this video 👏🏼

[@dipenpatel5204]

thanks for making this! i’ve been going a bit crazy the past couple of days after being told my bike is slightly too big for me and being surrounded by people who drop a bunch of cash onto their bike. my bike is perfectly adequate and i do not want to drop a bunch of cash buying a new one

[@edwardrissington3218]

Do I need it? That's the question people should ask themselves.

[@Bookworm9431]

So glad this popped up in my recommendations. 😊 Such a great through video.

[@filipthomasZ]

I was a joy to listen to you.

[@leastidyworld4365]

A story about seeing Paris from the Eiffel Tower wouldn’t inspire awe in me so much as my fear of heights.

[@zehph]

I want to translate this so I can share with family and friends that don't understand English, but I couldn't find the option here. If you could pass me the SRT file I can translate that to pt_BR and hopefully reach some more people that may need to read this with this calm and compassionate tone which made easy to follow and rationalize all the points.

[@TorBoy9]

Very sage advice for all ages. I feel pretty disgusted that our Western society is so based on over-consumption that is damaging our earth. Maybe we should try to again make the things we want. This not only slows down our hyper need to buy stuff, but also you will appreciate something more if you spent the time to make it. What is so easily obtained, such as online order and wait for delivery to your door, is not as easily appreciated.

[@klaasgent8245]

This really helped. Thank you so much

[@Primo_extracts]

What’s with the scrolling comments? Has KZbin recently done that? They’re always changing shit, but never doing anything good the comments go by so fast I can hardly read them. Why did they do these things? Anyway, great video I subscribed.

[@BGdrummer]

Wise words. Thanks.

[@gogogomes7025]

That's one of the few perks of growing up and being completely broke. Not to romanticize being poor, but there are times in my life that I feel like a Marine-I "make do." The few things that are mine are the very few things that I truly want. I generally don't buy cheap stuff because I know I only buy shit once every 10 years or so. Also, I'm the king of the deal, always looking for that bang for the buck. Like, Chinese TVs nowadays have awesome panel quality with a great image, but will they last me 10 years? I don’t know; they haven’t been on the market for that long. So when I buy, I splurged on an LG because my last one was an LG, and in 10 years, I only had to make one repair. I also get the desire to buy shit I don’t need, but I can’t, so the desire goes away. And the things where they want don’t go away-I know those are worth almost any price. Like, even broke as I am, I love computers and love gaming. And if you know anything about gaming, it’s that it can get quite expensive. But I make miracles with scraps. Something broke? I’ll fix it. If I can’t fix it, I’ll buy used from China. If I can’t buy it from there, I’ll wait, plot, and scheme for years until I get what I want. And I’ve done that so many times that I know (for as cringe as it may sound) that gaming is in my character. It’s part of my identity. It gave me too many pains along my life for it not to be. Through the years, I saw people wanting to "buy in" to that culture. They see what gaming is all about, and they feel if they spend $5,000 on a PC, they’ll be part of the lame kid's club. But they won’t. They spend the money, and in a couple of months, they’ll forget all about it and find a new money pit to throw their money in. When you want something, lack of money rarely is the problem. People who want to travel-they do it. People who want cars-they get one. Hell, three roads down from my house, I’ll find people living in shacks made out of plywood. One can assume they wanted somewhere to live. And if you can’t think of something-anything-you’ve kept by your side no matter how little money you had, well, there’s the hole in your soul. And you’d do good to put something inside of it.

[@curiousgeorge1459]

I have identified very simple things that give me the most joy.. I want to move away from the cities and go back a few centuries. Relationships with others are the most valuable things in life.

[@adamloos9869]

Your experience with society is totally opposite with mine. Its wild. And im a 30s guy in Tennessee, not another country

[@hellobeautiful3301]

So much wisdom, wow!!

[@joshuatall8134]

You have a great delivery and message. As a 50 yr old Gen Xer, your video is very hard to watch because of all of the 'jump cuts". I wish you nothing but success!

[@oliviasvensson9217]

I’m glad that you brought up the spiritual aspect of this, as I feel like this is not being highlighted. I also believe that a lack of meaning causes people to seek it in other things (such as consumerism or other addictions), which will never satisfy you. As a muslim, practicing my religion helps me greatly in this. There is a verse in the Quran which states “This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew”. We know not to get too caught up in these material things, and to not give them so much importance, as in the end it doesn’t matter. Another verse says “Know that this worldly life is no more than play, amusement, luxury, mutual boasting, and competition in wealth and children”. After all, we are only human, so moderation here is key, and not forgetting the ultimate purpose of why we are here in the first place. I think the lack of meaning in the secular world has led people to such conditions, and for them ultimately to seek spirituality. People are rediscovering faith in God, which I think is because of the meaninglessness of the modern age here in the west.

[@oliviasvensson9217]

Jean Baudrillard also wrote some interesting things about systems of objects, where the commodities main value is in the status which it gives the consumer. Objects eventually start to own you, and your identity is built on this. These postmodern conditions are very true today. You can especially see it in social media and the way people identity themselves with what they consume/own.

[@Reloaded2111]

Adblockers be praised for saving me from marketing creeps!

[@downriverjordan]

In regards to tip 3, religious decline, loneliness, and consumption -- you might find David Zahl's book, Seculosity, an interesting read.

[@taniyaakter91]

Such well researched and thoughtful tips ❤

[@myragroenewegen5426]

Interesting thought about awe, as having a key rolein satisfaction and, therefore, good shopping inhibition. The last time I was talking to someone online and unspeakably sad, a housemate opened the door to feed a stray cat and discovered a possum chowing down on the porch instead. This, aparently, was the key to happiness. They are somewhat rare arround here, where we usually see raccoons, if we see anything that size on the street at night. They have these natural goofy grins on their sharp-toothed faces and appear laughably like giant rats, but are even shyer than the usual raccoons. Maybe I should prescibe myself more nature walks at dusk.

[@zehph]

I usually buy phones or computers new because I am an entry point of a chain of people that upgrade every 2-3 years, but with clothing and other things I try to get second hand, evaluate value over price and try to no purchase too much stuff. Maybe because I experienced some hard times on my childhood I grew with this mindset of not spending too much, buy one good set of clothing and learn to match them for new outfits and don't buy one of pieces and so on.

[@isabellarocha7421]

Really great content! Thanks for this