When you're scouring Facebook Marketplace, coming across something for free that's in good condition is like winning the lottery, especially as everything gets more expensive.
However, an online reseller who had posted a free listing seemed to evoke a negative response among Reddit members in r/Anticonsumption. One user shared a screenshot of the post offering a massive Jeffree Star collection.
The haul included 70 mirrors, 20 makeup bags, various purses and backpacks, cosmetic sets, apparel, beanies, and more. The items took up almost an entire couch, showing just how much the lucky shopper would get.
"How does one even acquire 70 mirrors???" the poster wrote.
If you're a big Jeffree Star fan, snagging this collection would probably be the next best thing to meeting him. But commenters were quick to point out the waste that goes hand-in-hand with consumerism.
"Even the 20 makeup bags, I don't see the point in owning more than one," one commented.
"Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy makeup but recognize how much overconsumption a lot of the industry fuels," another shared.
Many people collect items and resell them on social media as a side hustle. However, when the market is oversaturated, it's harder to grow your business, and you may be left with tons of products that you're forced to either throw out or give away.
While offering them for free is better, the reseller's market highlights a broader societal issue, where products are made just because they're trendy but not exactly necessary or useful. That's not to say people should be told what to buy, but rather, they should consider what benefits they will get from something five or 10 years down the line.
Plus, buying too many things is not only bad for our wallets but has also been shown to be detrimental to mental health, as Time magazine reported.
Even though the Jeffree Star items are free, whoever gets them may decide to throw away some of the collection. From there, they will most likely end up in a landfill, where the plastics and other harmful synthetic materials will leach into the environment. In addition, as plastic decomposes, it releases tons of toxic gases, such as methane, into the atmosphere.
Buying secondhand items and donating or selling old stuff online are great ways to save money and help the planet. However, the best way to make an impact is to cut down on what you buy, or at least to buy higher-quality items that will last longer.
Commenters on the post were appalled by the collection, to put it lightly.
"I'd like to know what this whole collection cost. Because 70 mirrors????" one said.
Another speculated it would come to around £5000 (roughly $6,500).
"No one wants his stuff now. People only thought they needed it then," someone else shared.
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