From the very same kids who brought us brain rot speak like '+1000 aura points' and 'skibidi Ohio' (that's quite literally 'very good' and 'very bad' for the millennial dinosaurs) is the latest viral lifestyle to adopt. And it's actually pretty good.
The trend—sorry, I mean core—is basically sexy anti-consumerism. It spells out in the name: Underconsumption. This blowback reaction, like the last one about personal finances, makes perfect sense in the economic climate Gen Zs are navigating.
The frugality may be a direct result of inflation, or the social impact of environmental awareness. All very mindful, cutesy and demure, yet you can't disregard that there's a deeper root to acknowledge. Because if budget is what's holding you back, what happens when circumstances allow you to splurge?
Don't get me wrong. The call for conscious purchasing and alternative consumption is single-handedly resurrecting the first two "R"s of the infamous 3Rs boyband that everyone casually ignores. That's much more constructive than recycling; efforts which have proven to be negligible without the cooperation of big corporations.
We will certainly take this over the one where affluent Chinese influencers flushed the Rolexes that daddy paid for down the toilet, but Underconsumption Core has to be more than just minimalism.
It's not even about bringing back Quiet Luxury. All these seem to carry a notion of romanticising. The way the word 'core' itself refers to an aesthetic, as opposed to a practising habit. The way critics have argued how it is rather #NormalCore, except society is too accustomed to excess that we deem it "under" not to waste.
Stop to think about how crazy it is that majority of us live like kings (or better than, depending on how far back in time you go) with the "basic" amenities we have. Or how we can afford our favourite indulgences that would have been considered luxuries in our parents' day. It really puts things into perspective.
Instead of simply buying less because it's trendy or even the "right" thing to do, perhaps we should find contentment with what we already have, than remain convinced a new version will satisfy. Do we really need a new phone, tablet, laptop, smartwatch, headphones and speakers every two years?
A fool-proof, admittedly dramatic, method I like to use to resist a purchase is to imagine it amid the hypothetical context of war: probably not so necessary. There are countless occasions I forget what it was I initially desired to own or—shocker—felt completely fine without it.
The good news about abstinence though, is uncovering a greater level of appreciation for the item when you do make the rare splash of cash. We take for granted our easy access to treat ourselves that we become immune to the pleasures it brings.
So, can we rebrand Underconsumption Core to just Appreciation Core?
