A trend is defined as a general direction and popularity increase towards a certain thing. Whether it be fashion, activities, places to visit or even bad things that can lead to injuries or danger. Most trends are simple. They are things that half the population adore for a short amount of time until the next trend approaches. Yet there is some major psychology behind it. Why do we follow trends? Well here’s the psychological answer as to why.
One of the simplest answers as to why people share viral content (in which it becomes a trend) is simply because it is an emotional release. By sending out certain videos and other social media to friends it can act as a channel to process their emotions and feelings. Other than that, it is a widely known fact that humans are a big group of social animals. According to some research, it is intrinsic to crave togetherness and belonging. Which is why most people act on trends as soon as they are popular since they believe they now will fit in and also become popular like the upcoming trend. In most cases, whether people acknowledge it or not, popularity has been a contest for centuries dating back to the 1700s.
Trends are not just on social media like Tiktok or Instagram either. Trends can be certain fashions worn by models and celebrities or even ads seen on TV. A good example would be food. Most snack advertisements have A-List celebrities show off their products. McDonald’s has made many different meals on the menu titled as celebrity names. This becomes a trend especially when the celebrity is very famous during the time period. Everyone wants to try their favorite meal and it brings McDonalds business and draws more attention to the celebrities.
Finally, just because the average person likes to keep up with trends doesn’t mean they are all good. Around 2017 and 2018 some young (and dumb) teens decided it would be a bright idea to introduce a so-called “choking game” to social media. Participants would find ways to cut oxygen supply with the goal to have some kind of high feeling but most people passed out, some even accidentally taking their own lives.
Parents were distressed and worried hearing these horror stories happening all due to a social trend going on around the world. Not every trend is bad, but not every trend is good and healthy. In some cases they can be adverse and dangerous which is why hopefully now most people can be conscious enough to know right from wrong.
The moral of the story is be your own person. Find your own style whether it be a trend or not. And all everyone asks is don’t act stupid when you hear about a dangerous trend. Don’t let yourself be peer-pressured into anything from clothes, to even your own life.
Be yourself and have no one else change that. Like your own music, your own clothes, your own movies everything is personalized depending on the person. In the words from the late great Bruce Lee, “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.”