You don't need all of those trinkets

June 30, 2026

Even though I know there is no ethical consumption under capitalism, I think we all can make an effort to consume in a more conscious way. And I cannot help but detest how normalized it is to consider buying as a hobby. Specifically, I was thinking about collecting.

Collecting has become part of the mainstream thanks to social media. I myself have felt the allure of collecting: trinkets, dolls, stickers, plushies, special edition books… But now I keep thinking: What is the purpose of all of this?

Personally, the less I need, the happier I feel. And I feel this is the only way to deal with FOMO: accepting you are not going to experience (or have) everything. I do not mind buying a doll here and there. They are cute! I know myself and I know I like cute stuff. But needing every doll there is, every special edition… It only makes me unhappy.

There is also the other side of the story: every product that is sold damages the planet, and the animals and the people in it. From microplastics, and other dangers to our health as consumers (and to the health of the planet overall), to the terrible conditions workers who make the products we enjoy have to endure.

I wish we could live in a simpler world. We really do not need half of the things we think we need.