Should Influencers Be Posting Hauls During Isolation?

I feel like this might be a bit of a controversial topic. Obviously we are all very aware that we are currently isolating to prevent the spread of Covid-19. I won’t go into any detail about it because I’m not an expert, and that isn’t why you’re here. I keep seeing all over social media, and particularly YouTube, a considerable amount of ‘Influencers’ (I hate that word) posting hauls. My question is, should this be encouraged during isolation?

Should Influencers Be Posting Hauls During Isolation?

For the purpose of this blog I am mainly talking about clothing. I have had various conversations with people about ‘non-essential’ items which can be a bit subjective. I saw a great post on Facebook which focused on the mental health side of things. It read…..

“Do you ever think maybe that guy buying a gallon of paint knows he must keep busy because idle hands in the past has caused him to relapse and pick up that case of beer? So he’s using this time to do home improvements, something that keeps his mind busy while feeling a sense of accomplishment, trying to avoid painful triggers while possibly alone? Or maybe that lady buying bags of soil and seeds, hasn’t struggled with depression and suicide? How do you know that planting and watching something beautiful grow during this time of darkness , isn’t essential to her and holding on to what little hope she might still have.. We need to remember that it is impossible to know just by looking at a situation from “our” small lens what someone is truly going through or where their mental health is at. Everyone handles chaos and healing through different means, and I know we are all on edge but please stop being so judgmental of others.”

I wish I knew where it originated so that I could credit the person. I fully understand that some people really do need to keep busy at the moment. And that’s not what this post is about.

Wealth

Now, I do understand why some people are posting hauls. From what I’ve seen some influencers have been asked to keep posting them by their audience. As the majority of us are stuck (or should that read safe) at home, some are looking for some light relief as a break from all of the stress and worry. Of course boredom has also got people ordering as a way of finding something to do and having something to look forward to.

Also, for full time bloggers and Youtubers this is a source of income for them. As someone who has seen a big reduction in work I appreciate the anxiety that comes with wondering whether you can pay the bills.

I feel that some will argue that it is important to be supporting businesses at this time. But, there is a big difference between supporting your local independent and ordering online from a global brand.

Health

While all the points above are valid within reason, when did wealth come before health? However much I want to buy something (lack of funds aside) I still can’t bring myself to do it. What about all of those people having to work in potentially unsafe conditions just to pack my order. This pandemic should be encouraging us to take a look at our lives, what we purchase, and what our priorities are. People are being forced to work often unnecessarily.

Don’t even get me started on the people who are complaining online about the service they are currently receiving. Twitter is full of people posting about lack of customer service at the moment but many companies are operating with significantly reduced staff.

I would like to think that this time has encouraged me to reduce my consumption and recycle more. I’m definitely wasting less food and I’m delving in my wardrobe to find pieces that haven’t been so well worn. I’ve really been enjoying posting on Instagram for the first time ever, and while I’d love to have new things I won’t be buying anything until we are out of isolation.