You may not know this, but right now you may be bullied. Yes, following trends can be very similar to the classic school bully we all know too well. This phenomenon has a scientific name (not really), and it’s called the Bandwagon Effect. It’s the looming pressure to abide by all the current trends that circulate throughout the fashion, music, technology, and even news worlds. Aka, the bully you probably never realized existed until now.
There’s no way to escape this bully of shiny new iPhones and shopping bags; he (or she, I don’t gender discriminate) wants your “lunch” money, and he wants it now. Probably for the rest of your life too, because I hate to admit it, trends will never disappear.
Trends are a very American ideal. Americans tend to crave the same kind of attention that famous people have; fashion magazines always have sections featuring stars wearing clothing that the readers ask for. They always write corny things like, “You asked, we delivered!” We’re always looking for our new niche so that people around us will praise our great style and want to follow in our same footsteps. Honestly, we’re just trying to keep the bully at bay.
But trends aren’t always fashion related, like that ridiculous animal hat that doubled as a scarf you just “had to have.” They don’t have to be a $400 watch either. News stories can also be very on trend.
Last year the Polar Plunge became unsettlingly popular. People will be drawn to whatever trend is most popular, regardless of their own beliefs. Initially, the polar plunge was a fun way to raise money for the “plunging” person’s choice of charity. Great idea, right? Wrong.
Somehow this fad transformed into a media sensation of taking videos of you jumping into the frozen tundra (or bone-chillingly cold lake), and then requiring the people you pegged as the next victim that if they didn’t do it, they would owe you Starbucks every morning for two weeks or chipotle gift card. However, it wasn’t really about these unoriginal incentives that made people want to jump into the lake.
When I was called upon to perform this horrendous task, I was terrified because even though every part of me was screaming, “please don’t make me do this,” I felt an intense pressure that if I didn’t, I would be offending my peers who had already completed the task.
Another fad that blew up this year was the juice cleanse. Doing a juice cleanse appears to be a positive idea in theory, but in reality it’s not necessary to starve yourself for three days, with the exception of veggies and vitamins. (Unless you’ve spent the past week indulging on fried fast food and are in dire need of a thorough cleanse).
But take heart, every industry is like a revolving door: the minute a trend comes in, another goes out.