Can we all admit that we are in the age of bandwagons? I mean, just look out your window! Look how many are rolling down the street right now.

In all seriousness, our culture promotes groupthink, encouraging everyone to hop on certain bandwagons. Are you aware of the bandwagons you’re currently on?

Not all bandwagons are bad, but certainly, there are some that are cancerous to society and our ability to productively move forward in a positive way. 

Below are five bandwagons that we should all hop off. Consider for yourself if you’re riding any of them and whether or not it’s still worth it to be a part of the journey. 

#1 Cancel Culture 

While it may seem like a form of justice and accountability, cancel culture can have serious negative consequences on individuals, society, and free speech. 

Cancel culture promotes a culture of fear and intolerance, where people are afraid to express their opinions or ideas that may be deemed controversial or offensive. This fear can lead to self-censorship, which ultimately stifles free speech and open dialogue, which are critical for a healthy and diverse society.

Not to mention, cancel culture can have a devastating impact on individuals who have been canceled, leading to job loss, social isolation, and mental health problems. 

Cancel culture is often based on incomplete information or misunderstandings and can be easily manipulated by individuals or groups with an agenda. Without due process, individuals can be publicly shamed and boycotted without a chance to defend themselves or explain their actions. 

Rather than engaging in meaningful conversations and working towards understanding and tolerance, cancel culture promotes division and resentment. It reinforces the idea that people are irredeemable, and their actions define them as a person, rather than allowing them to learn and grow from their mistakes. 

#2 Being So Invested in the Lives of Others While Ignoring Your Own Life

In today’s digital world, social media has become a ubiquitous part of our lives, and it's easy to become obsessed with other people's lives rather than focusing on our own. This obsession can have negative consequences on our mental health, productivity, and overall well-being. 

Social media presents a distorted and curated version of other people’s lives, leading us to believe that everyone else is living a perfect life while we struggle with our own issues. 

The obsession with other people's lives can be a major distraction from our own goals and aspirations. Instead of focusing on our own growth and development, we spend countless hours scrolling through social media, living vicariously through others. 

The obsession with other people's lives can also have a negative impact on our personal relationships. It's easy to become envious or resentful towards others based on their social media presence or public persona. This can lead to a breakdown of trust, intimacy, and connection in our own relationships as we compare our partner or friends to others. 

#3 Romanticizing Mental Health Disorders/Identifying With Them

It’s common for people to romanticize mental health disorders and identify with them heavily, often viewing them as a badge of honor or a defining characteristic. 

Romanticizing mental health disorders can prevent individuals from seeking help or treatment. By viewing one’s disorder as a unique aspect of one's personality or identity, individuals may be reluctant to seek medical attention or professional support, leading to the worsening of their symptoms and a decreased quality of life. 

The way that society seems to glamorize mental health disorders can lead to a glorification of unhealthy behaviors or coping mechanisms, especially in media. Often, this means that mental illnesses are misrepresented in media and popular culture, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and myths.

Stereotypes about mental health disorders cause destructive narratives to be understood as truth by society. This can lead to individuals engaging in self-destructive behavior, such as substance abuse or self-harm, as a way to cope with their disorder or express their identity.

Overall, romanticizing mental health disorders leads to individuals putting their whole (or part of their) identity into their mental health disorder and can cause harmful stereotypes to be perpetuated within society. 

#4 Hustle Culture: Overworking and Prioritizing Career Success 

Society is at the peak of Hustle Culture. If someone does not have a full-time job along with at least two side hustles, it’s easy to feel ‘lazy’ or ‘unsuccessful.’ 

Overworking oneself, especially in one’s job, can naturally lead one to tie most of their personal fulfillment and purpose in life to their work. This can be dangerous because work comes and it goes. So does that mean one’s identity and purpose in life should come and go as well?

Prioritizing career success above everything else can lead to a lack of perspective and a distorted view of one’s own worth and importance. It can lead to individuals defining themselves solely by their work and a sense of worthlessness or failure if they do not achieve the level of success they desire. 

Not to mention, overworking oneself can lead to burnout, chronic stress, and fatigue, which can have serious long-term health consequences and impact the relationships one has with oneself and those around them.

Neglect of personal relationships, including family, friends, and romantic partners, can lead to individuals becoming isolated, lonely, and disconnected from those around them as they prioritize their work over their personal relationships. 

As a society, we all suffer from the belief that we must always be productive and that leisure time is a waste of time (I’m especially good at suffering from this). In reality, leisure time is essential in ensuring that the time we need to be productive actually is.

Leisure time can serve to refresh us physically and mentally, allowing us to be at the top of our game the next time we dive into our various endeavors. If we are constantly depleting ourselves, it’s more frequent that we run empty, which requires more (and often longer) breaks.

#5 Tying Our Perceived Worth/Value to Materialistic Things

We live in a society where you can drive five minutes and be at a Target, an Urban Outfitters, an Alter’d State, and a TJ Maxx all in the same shopping mall. 

We are constantly bombarded with ads on Instagram and sponsors while listening to a podcast on Spotify. There’s even a ‘suggested for you’ list on Amazon, which plagues us with the idea that if we are not consuming, then what is the point of having money? 

The first problem with our love for materialistic things is that purchasing and consuming large amounts of material possessions in order to find happiness or as a demonstration of success can lead to financial instability and debt. 

People often don’t talk about the consequences and that prioritizing purchasing material possessions over saving money or investing in your future can lead to a decreased quality of life, as one is burdened by stress and the pressure of financial insecurity.

While material possessions may provide temporary pleasure or satisfaction, they do not provide long-term happiness or a sense of purpose. That’s not revolutionary knowledge, though– we all know this. So why are we in constant pursuit of material possessions that lead to a sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction?

Besides, this obsession has serious negative consequences on the environment and on society as a whole. It leads to a culture of waste and overconsumption, with individuals purchasing and discarding items at an alarming rate. Moreover, it can perpetuate harmful social and economic inequalities, as individuals with more resources and financial means are able to purchase and consume more than those who are less fortunate. 

Real Talk

There are many bandwagons and trends we are going to follow throughout our lifetimes. Whether it’s to feel included as part of a group or because we genuinely believe in or support such a cause, riding a bandwagon is sure to be something we partake in. 

As I’ve mentioned before, awareness is key. Taking stock of the bandwagons you have consciously or unconsciously hopped on is important. 

It’s an opportunity to be keenly aware of where your tendencies lie and how they impact the way you perceive the world and thus live your life. 

So, what bandwagons are you on right now that are long overdue for you to hop off of?