Why Gen Z is rejecting throwaway culture and embracing conscious consumption

Of the many failures of previous generations we must deal with, planned obsolescence is one that I have only danced around up until this point. Like the pink tax, it just seemed so obvious as something Gen-Z has to deal with.

Take the single-use plastic, environmental impact, culture of disposability, and even environmental impact out of having so much stuff piling up in our houses and around the world, inevitably finding its way to the global south and developing nations who take on the recycling labour entirely because they have the cheap labour to do so.

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Beyond just using everything to death and really accepting and promoting right-to-repair laws, upping our ethical consumption and, as a person, really not sweating the small stuff just for the sake of your own mental stability. 

There are 1,001 things you can do to make the world and the environment a better place, and rejecting the plastic bag at the grocery store may well be on the list, but in a world of jet-setting pop stars and genocide, my mental energy is better spent in other places.

Now, cynicism aside, I generally reject the conspiracy theory aspect of planned obsolescence. The basic idea is that our capitalist overlords, in their shadowy council chambers, of course, plan for everything to break right on time for the next product release. Smartphones, fridges, the dice I roll on game night...you get the idea.

The reality might be worse; in reality, production was passed off to cheaper and cheaper entities with lower and lower standards of labour and quality by those seeking endless growth and to hoard cash, not steady growth and building a quality product. It’s easy if you look for the signs, and you should feel good about the things we bring into and make a part of our homes.

But on the degradation of products; most people can’t afford the expensive, long-term option. If I need work boots, I may be able to afford the $50 (Dh183) pair that lasts me six months, but because of the expenses of daily life I am never able to save enough for the $500 (Dh1,836) pair that will last me a lifetime.

Ultimately, as I have said before, Gen-Z, at least elder Gen-Z like me, should continue to focus on discernment over consumption. Be strict with your intake of both media and what you purchase, and focus on refining your personal sensibilities of taste, both to be someone others in your community can trust to come to for advice and opinions, and to just promote a general wellness that stems from being broadly but tastefully informed.

This extends to what you buy and how you spend your money, and for me, surrendering those little expenses — I’m down to one streaming subscription and I’m embracing rebuilding a DVD collection. These days, with search engine artificial intelligence  and riven cultural media, we should focus on attaining and maintaining a refined, more canonical selection of brands we trust, from entertainment to kitchenware, to furniture. I am of the personal opinion as well that we must continue to reject individualism and embrace the communities we have built, from the social to the professional, if for no other reason than to hold society together in a time of drastically changing politics, economics, and culture around the world.  

wknd@khaleejtimes.com