7 Habits to Become a Creator, Not Just a Consumer

"In the modern era, consumer culture dominates the world around us. Now, when you hear consumer culture, you might think of a few different things: the flashy signs outside of businesses, advertisements for sales in front of colorful storefronts, or even people on the street trying to sell you something. These are all perfect examples of consumer culture, which is defined as a culture wherein the owning of goods is intrinsic to the sense of self."

"When you watch a beauty guru, or a fashion influencer, you subconsciously associate their life and their happiness with the things that they own. So, you naturally want to partake in that happiness by owning the same things as them. And when you buy something, you do feel that happiness, the instant gratification of hitting 'purchase' releases dopamine, making you want to chase that high again and again by continuing to buy material goods."

"Literally purchasing something is not the only way that we partake in consumer culture, though. Every day, we are consuming media: TikToks, TV shows, movies-these are all things that we consume. But in a world that seems to move so quickly, it is only natural that short-form content becomes most popular. Watching a TikTok, or scrolling on Instagram releases the same instant dopamine as shopping."

Consumer culture links personal identity to ownership of goods, making possessions central to self-perception. Visual advertising, storefronts, and street sellers exemplify the pervasive commercial environment. Social media influencers create associations between products and perceived happiness, prompting consumers to buy to emulate that happiness. Purchases trigger instant gratification and dopamine release, encouraging repeated buying. Media consumption, especially short-form content like TikTok and Instagram, produces similar quick dopamine hits and subsequent crashes. These dopamine-driven behaviors result in prolonged, mindless scrolling or regretted purchases when the initial satisfaction fades and users recognize unmet needs or misplaced desires.

Read at Her Campus