TikTok’s cycle of fleeting trends, promoting overconsumption, loss of individuality and the pressure to keep up.
As TikTok continues to dominate our digital landscape and daily lives, the pressure to keep up with ever-changing micro-trends raises questions about our over-consumption and collective identity.
TikTok, launched initially as Musical.ly in 2014, has become a global sensation, transforming the way we consume content. What started as an app for dancing and lip-syncing videos has evolved into a massive platform that appears to be a central hub of creativity.
However, as TikTok’s popularity has skyrocketed, so has the pace at which trends come and go.
My use of TikTok peaked during the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown. It became more than just a form of entertainment — it became a virtual refuge where we could escape the confinement of our homes, bond over shared pandemic experiences, and fill the void left by the isolation of lockdown.
I admit that scrolling endlessly felt like a much-needed break from reality, making the seemingly never-ending days go by in the blink of an eye.
Even as the world began to return to normal, our relationship with TikTok stayed the same. The endless scrolling and content consumption didn’t slow down but increased. The micro-trend culture, where something is in one week and out the next, only intensified as we sought out constant stimulation.
Dating tips, diet plans, and medical advice are now available on TikTok, catering to our desire for quick solutions and instant gratification.
This need for “fast content” is a reflection of how we are currently living our lives.
It feels like we are constantly rushing to keep up. TikTok mirrors our fast-paced world, and it’s easy to feel like you need to catch up if you’re not constantly participating.
The platform has also allowed brands and businesses to capitalize on this never-ending trend cycle, profiting off our insecurities and our fear of missing out.
It’s no surprise that in today’s state of consumerism, brands have begun to quickly latch onto these trends, constantly pushing products so that we barely have time to question if we want or need them.
TikTok has also dominated our daily lives, not just our online ones. With millions of people across the globe contributing to trends or lifestyle changes such as 75-hard or TikTok shop hauls, it feels like the app is an endless source of content that shapes every aspect of our lives.
TikTok has changed the way we engage with social media, from viral fashion hacks to live-streamed therapy sessions. It’s as though our real lives need to mirror the fast-paced nature of the app, and if you don’t keep up, you risk getting left behind.
With so much content at our fingertips, we’re losing a sense of self, and originality is quickly lost with the ever-changing algorithm. Our identities are now shaped by fleeting moments on a screen. In this endless pursuit of what’s “in,” we risk becoming disconnected from who we are, leading us to sacrifice our individuality in a world that constantly demands more from us.
