“obsessed” is losing it’s value as a word
As I doom scroll, I’m hit with TikTok Shop ads left and right. The opening hook is always something like: My brother, sister, and mother-in-law each stopped what they were doing to play with this fidget spinner that just happened to be sitting on the kitchen counter—so basically you need it too.
At first, these videos would just use overplayed adjectives and exaggerated facial expressions to sell you. That’s performative enough, but now I’m seeing literally the same script over and over: Every single person on the bus stopped to ask about my scent because it’s just that good…if you want to be magnetic, you need this perfume.
We know late-stage overconsumption has most of us in a chokehold, especially as every digital platform quietly morphs into a cart to fill. Who knew that TikTok could be a shopping destination? I personally thought it was a social media platform meant for funny clips, but here we are. Creators in the Shop Affiliate Program earn good commission selling products, so of course performance is baked in. I don’t blame them—when paying your bills depends on it, the show must go on.
Lately, though, I’ve seen quite a split on the app. A lot of users are heavily racking up sales by pushing “must haves” because “you better get it now while it’s on sale” (plot twist: it’s always on sale). Others are starting to reject the sales-y sameness entirely. They’re experimenting, posting messier, realer content that doesn’t beg the audience to click a link. They’re realizing authenticity might actually be their golden ticket.
My theory is that people are overstimulated by the high volume of products being waved in their faces. Even the most impressionable consumers are starting to see right through the noise. There’s an overall craving for simplicity—fewer products, fewer micro-trends, fewer false promises. But not everyone can see that yet.
And then there’s the language. Words like “obsessed,” “unreal,” and “life-changing” have become weapons. How can anyone be “obsessed” with everything? Because that’s what these days seem to be all about. Obsession used to mean deep love or genuine passion. Now it’s code for: buy this cheap mass-produced item before your dopamine crash hits.
Over and over, I see internet users getting sucked into the black hole that is overconsumption. If some random girl on the internet who appears to have flawless makeup says she can’t live without the makeup brush, then you must need it too. I mean, if she’s obsessed, and it’s only $6 on TikTok Shop, then it’s too good of a deal to pass up, right? Most people don’t stop to ask themselves if they even need the item, or if it’s just their dopamine receptors craving attention. If anything, they feel guilty for not indulging.
Truthfully, exaggeration sells, and people will do anything for a check. They’ll tell whatever story it takes to convince people to click the link. Consumers buy because their brains are conditioned to chase novelty. It’s not about quality anymore—it’s about volume.
We desperately need to normalize self-control again, with an emphasis on taking only what you need. I think the reason why so many Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck isn’t because of their circumstances alone. They’re broke because they choose to be a victim of their conditioning which soothes discomfort with constant purchases. Doom-scrolling is designed to keep emotional decision-making in overdrive. I think modern-day, over-consumers need a big fat reality check—and that check starts with knowing better than to allow emotional urges control the scroll.
The TikTok Shop is a trap—one you can only see clearly if you slow down, get honest with yourself, and remember that you don’t need to be “obsessed” with anything to live a good life.
