1 week Ago By Web Desk
Let’s admit something uncomfortable: we buy things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t even like. But why? Somewhere between scrolling through aesthetics on Pinterest and being lured by that shiny “limited time offer”, we’ve willingly become puppets – dangling by strings pulled by brands, algorithms, and deep-rooted insecurities. Welcome to the dopamine-fueled trap of impulsive shopping, where consumerism isn’t just a behavior – it’s a system.
A well-oiled, billion-dollar machine powered by psychological manipulation and sprinkled with the illusion of choice. We live in a world where shopping isn’t just a transaction – it’s practically therapy. A high.
A way to feel alive, feel seen, feel like we belong. We scroll, we tap, we buy, and we don’t stop to question the why anymore. We’ve been conditioned to chase the next “must-have,” not out of necessity, but out of a carefully planted desire – a psychological itch that never really gets scratched.
See, it’s not even about the product most of the time. It’s about the anticipation. That euphoric jolt your brain gets when it thinks something good is about to happen? That’s dopamine.
And here’s the kicker, it spikes before the actual purchase. That’s why browsing, wishlisting, cart-filling..
. it all feels so damn satisfying. Brands figured this out a long time ago.
And now they play you like a well-tuned instrument. They study you. Literally.
Every click, scroll, and hesitation is tracked. They know what time of day you’re most likely to make a purchase, which colors catch your attention, and how long you hover over a product before buying. And then boom! Right when you’re at your weakest, a targeted ad appears like a whisper in your ear saying, “Still thinking about it? Just get it.
” It’s manipulative, it’s brilliant, and it works. Every. Single.
Time. What we call “impulse shopping” isn’t just a lack of self-control. It’s a system designed to provoke it.
Capitalism doesn’t just thrive off of this – it survives on it. It doesn’t want you to pause or think. It wants speed.
Urgency. The illusion of scarcity. “Only 2 left!” “Sale ends in 3 hours!” It’s manufactured panic.
Your brain goes into survival mode, afraid to miss out. And in that rush, logic shuts down. Your thumb moves.
The payment processes. The beast gets fed. Heck this is a victim speaking – gaahh yess I have fallen prey to this predatory parade! And was it my lack of self-control tapping the buttons? Definitely.
Should I be responsible for over-spending? Absolutely. At least, my mother would say a BIG yes to it. The saddest part? We think we’re making individual choices.
That we’re curating a personal aesthetic. But we’re all falling into the same traps. Wearing the same influencer-recommended products.
Decorating our homes with the same minimalistic vibes. Even rebellion is commodified. The system sells uniqueness in bulk and we eat it up, proudly flaunting our personality through items thousands of others were told to buy too.
And the more we buy, the more we crave. Not because the things we buy satisfy us, but because they don’t. That’s the paradox.
Every purchase promises fulfillment, yet leaves behind a void that begs to be filled again. And so, we repeat. The cycle continues.
We don’t even notice how deeply entrenched we’ve become in a culture where consumption is a personality trait and restraint is rebellion. Let’s not forget, this isn’t accidental. Behind every sale, every new drop, every aesthetic trend, are psychologists, UX experts, behavioral economists, entire teams working to keep you hooked.
They don’t sell you objects. They sell you emotions. A sense of control.
Beauty. Belonging. Escape.
And when life feels dull or overwhelming or meaningless? That hit of dopamine becomes irresistible. And we, the consumers, the “smart” generation, we comply. Not because we’re weak, but because the system is just that good.
It doesn’t demand conformity – it seduces you into it. It whispers promises of joy and self-worth and wraps it all up in a neat little package delivered in 1-2 business days. What’s not to love? It’s literally that 35,000 PKR worth simple Eid dress calling your name and telling you how unique it is because that XYZ model wore it and now you just have to jump on the bandwagon or feel the FOMO and ‘not so belong’ to the class per say.
..how complex, how downgrading and how manipulative.
But that is exactly what psychological marketing does to you OR perhaps social conditioning thrived from a set of complexities that fuel your self-esteem...
Aye? When you take a step back, when you unplug for even a second, it becomes terrifyingly clear. This isn’t just about shopping. This is about how desire is manufactured, monetized, and manipulated.
How capitalism breeds dissatisfaction, then offers products as temporary relief. How we’ve all become players in a game we didn’t agree to, spending money we don’t have on things we don’t need to become versions of ourselves we’re told we should be. The scariest part isn’t that capitalism knows how to sell to us.
It’s that it knows who we are – our insecurities, our loneliness, our need to matter – and it uses that knowledge not to heal us, but to profit from our emptiness. So the next time you feel the urge to “treat yourself,” pause. Ask yourself: Is it really me choosing? Or am I just another perfectly predictable result of a brilliantly calculated system? There’s no neat conclusion here.
No tidy “how to break free” checklist. Because that would just be another product to sell. Maybe it’s enough to just be aware.
To see the strings. To notice the way our minds are played like a melody that capitalism never wants to end. Maybe the most radical thing you can do today isn’t to buy something.
It’s to not..
