Ironically, a product designed to last for decades became a passing trend and target of impulsive overconsumption. A video on the subreddit r/TikTokCringe highlighted the puzzling behavior of consumers who buy a mind-boggling number of Stanley cups.
The post featured a stitched TikTok video, which shows one woman selling her collection of Stanleys, and underconsumption advocate Laura Young (@lesswastelaura) giving commentary.
As the collector begins drawing the thermoses out, Laura shakes her head, saying, "This shows just how far overconsumption has come. These are designed to be reusable, and look how many she has."
"She even said, 'I probably use them only once each,'" Laura continues. "Why does she have so many? Why would you keep buying them?"
Commenters were similarly disappointed in the behavior. It's "almost poetic in its sadness that people picked one of the least disposable products on the market and decided to treat it like fast fashion," one person wrote.
Laura pointed out the collector is selling these cups because she's "moved on" and is now aggregating a different brand of bottles. "It just shows that these things are a fad, a trend, a waste of money," she says. "I have one water bottle. Maybe two. But you don't need that many."
But the Stanley cup is far from the only product that's sparked a collecting craze among consumers. "It's about being that person who is THE king/queen of a fad or suffering from massive FOMO," one person theorized. "She's spending [on] Stanleys to fill a void in her life."
Another agreed, replying, "As a grandparent-aged person who has seen a lot of trends, from Cabbage Patch dolls to Beanie Babies to these, your assessment is correct if harsh."
Unfortunately, this overconsumption affects everybody, not just collectors. Many items are manufactured using plastics, chemicals, and other synthetic materials. As they accumulate in landfills, they release these toxins into the nearby air and waterways; eventually, those toxins find their way into the plants, animals, and people who ingest them.
Instead, as another commenter suggested, the best way to appreciate an item is to keep it as long as possible.
"My Stanley coffee thermos is older than me and still rocks and rolls," they said.
"Exactly. I have one and I love it," another echoed. "I don't get the people that are collecting these."
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