staying on track when the internet is out to get you
It feels like the targeted advertising gets more intense this time of year. I'll admit it's been difficult to stay on target with my goal of being a minimalist and living consciously. My bad habits from impulse shopping are catching up to me in the form of algorithmic targeted advertising.
I love the internet and how vast and just plain cool it is. Over the last few years advertising online has changed and now websites like Facebook and Instagram (two BIG social media platforms) have improved their advertising so that you see ads that are theoretically more targeted to your interests. On the one hand this is incredibly cool when you think about it. It means I don't see advertisements for things I wouldn't buy (like car parts for example) but what I do see are mountains of ads for clothing stores, video games, and K-pop. Things I really want to spend my money on and if I'm not careful likely will eventually buy. Since I can't escape these targeted ads without quitting social media I'm developing a few tricks of my own to stay on track.
The first trick is using the app/website settings to limit what I see. This is more than just hiding ads for stores like Romwe and Dresslily. The cool thing about targeted/algorithm ads is that you can train them. I've loaded my web searches for sustainable clothing brands and eco-conscious products. I make sure that I follow the occasional link provided for a green brand when it pops up on Facebook or Instagram. The more I do that, the more it changes the algorithm for me and I see less ads for webstores like Wish and more stores like Etsy or United by Blue.
The second trick I'm using is to really focus on my values. I'm not shifting to this lifestyle to save money (although it is a big beneficial side-effect), I want to reduce my impact, reduce the clutter in my life and simplify my home. Keeping my goals in mind is so far the most efficient means of ignoring the ads that pop up when scrolling through social media. When I see an ad for a heckin' cute dress outfit from an online retailer that has the same stock as 50 other retailers, it's easy to say to myself "Yes that's cute and $14.99 but you know it's not sustainable or consciously made. Keep scrolling".
The last thing I'm applying to myself is a rule from the KonMari method of tidying up. "Does it bring you joy?" The best example I have of this right now is a t-shirt I just bought. way back in the early 2000's a little game called Kingdom Hearts came out for PS2. This game is basically what got me to where I am in my life now and with the surge of excitement surrounding Kingdom Hearts 3 coming out next month, some folks who made their own merchandise a decade ago are bringing designs back in a limited edition capacity. I gave myself permission to buy a shirt that I didn't buy 10 years ago (It also helps that I was subconsciously looking for that shirt to wear yesterday before I bought it.)
Of course everyone has their own way to stay on track. I'm the only one holding myself accountable for this lifestyle and this blog is also my accountability. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! The next post will be in 2019!
I love the internet and how vast and just plain cool it is. Over the last few years advertising online has changed and now websites like Facebook and Instagram (two BIG social media platforms) have improved their advertising so that you see ads that are theoretically more targeted to your interests. On the one hand this is incredibly cool when you think about it. It means I don't see advertisements for things I wouldn't buy (like car parts for example) but what I do see are mountains of ads for clothing stores, video games, and K-pop. Things I really want to spend my money on and if I'm not careful likely will eventually buy. Since I can't escape these targeted ads without quitting social media I'm developing a few tricks of my own to stay on track.
The first trick is using the app/website settings to limit what I see. This is more than just hiding ads for stores like Romwe and Dresslily. The cool thing about targeted/algorithm ads is that you can train them. I've loaded my web searches for sustainable clothing brands and eco-conscious products. I make sure that I follow the occasional link provided for a green brand when it pops up on Facebook or Instagram. The more I do that, the more it changes the algorithm for me and I see less ads for webstores like Wish and more stores like Etsy or United by Blue.
The second trick I'm using is to really focus on my values. I'm not shifting to this lifestyle to save money (although it is a big beneficial side-effect), I want to reduce my impact, reduce the clutter in my life and simplify my home. Keeping my goals in mind is so far the most efficient means of ignoring the ads that pop up when scrolling through social media. When I see an ad for a heckin' cute dress outfit from an online retailer that has the same stock as 50 other retailers, it's easy to say to myself "Yes that's cute and $14.99 but you know it's not sustainable or consciously made. Keep scrolling".
The last thing I'm applying to myself is a rule from the KonMari method of tidying up. "Does it bring you joy?" The best example I have of this right now is a t-shirt I just bought. way back in the early 2000's a little game called Kingdom Hearts came out for PS2. This game is basically what got me to where I am in my life now and with the surge of excitement surrounding Kingdom Hearts 3 coming out next month, some folks who made their own merchandise a decade ago are bringing designs back in a limited edition capacity. I gave myself permission to buy a shirt that I didn't buy 10 years ago (It also helps that I was subconsciously looking for that shirt to wear yesterday before I bought it.)
Of course everyone has their own way to stay on track. I'm the only one holding myself accountable for this lifestyle and this blog is also my accountability. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! The next post will be in 2019!
Comments
Post a Comment