▲

Rampant individualism has fueled overconsumption, as the "me, me, me" brigade trash the environment by buying stuff they don't need and probably can't afford.

▲

In a disposable culture, overconsumption is barely given a second thought. People buy things knowing they don't need them or not caring that what they buy won't actually last.

▲

Putting your child's life on the internet for the world to see can be abusive and exploitative, not to mention it can even put the child at risk from nefarious people who creep on the web.

▲

Again, people have normalized giving away their privacy with social media use. But family vloggers take it to a new level, monetizing their kids' lives before they're old enough to object.

▲

Convenience and instant gratification are hallmarks of modern society. But just because we can have something immediately, should we?

▲

It's all too easy to get your card details out, to order clothes or buy food online without really thinking the purchase through, just to "feel better" momentarily.

▲

Not liking what someone else has to say doesn't mean they're attacking you. It's normal not to see eye to eye with others on some topics and that doesn't make you a victim.

▲

People love nothing more than to be offended by something in this day and age. And what's more, offended people seem to feel victimized by what they've taken personally.

▲

Many people have been taught what to think instead of how to think throughout their school years. This has left them unable to find solutions in work and in life due to a lack of critical thinking skills.

▲

Basic manners have fallen by the wayside quite a lot in recent years. Perhaps too much social isolation has made people forget how to act in public?

▲

It's not an excuse though. Treating people in a way that would be considered disrespectful just a few years ago has become normal today. When someone does have basic manners it can actually come as a real surprise.

▲

This lack of accountability is a really irritating modern trend, as people realize it's easier to stay ignorant than to own up and accept responsibility for their shortcomings.
Sources: (Cents + Purpose)
See also: How endless scrolling through social media can make you sick (literally)

▲

People like to blame others when things go wrong nowadays. It's quite rare to find someone who will hold their hands up when they're at fault.

▲

It's as if something can't be enjoyed in real time unless it's been caught by the camera lens first. If you didn't record it, did it even happen?

▲

Certain people seem to live just to post a highlight reel of their life on social media. Every aspect of experience has become performative.

▲

Choice seems to be the enemy of lasting relationships, as people look for their "perfect fit." Is it a real person or just an idea? They probably won't ever find out.

▲

And that disposable mindset isn't limited to just objects. People find it easy to walk away from their relationships with others too knowing there's always someone new just a ping of a dating app away.

▲

Mindless suffering continues despite populations becoming more educated and affluent. Will it ever be something that ends?

▲

In the 21st century, is war ever really justified? We know better now or at least we should. But turn on the news and there it is.

▲

If you feel like you just live to work and pay for groceries, you're not alone. Money doesn't go as far as it used to anymore.

▲

The price of even the most basic necessities continues to rise and rise, with no end in sight. A trip to the supermarket has become depressing.

▲

Stupidity has been glamorized to a whole new level, infiltrating the highest echelons of business and politics, areas once associated with people of intelligence.

▲

Again, the internet has given everyone a mouthpiece and the ability to sprout their views. We're exposed to more fringe stupidity than ever before.

▲

Perhaps one of the biggest results of social media has been the acceleration of individualism to new heights. Inflated egos are everywhere, and social media narcissism is on display 24/7.

▲

Maybe social media validation has made some people believe their own BS. Whatever the reason, being all about number one is a big trend in today's society.

▲

The lives of these people play out as news, and they're given as much (if not more) attention than the bigger political issues of the day. It's madness!

▲

The rise of social media influencers has begun to compete with the societal obsession with celebrities. People look to them for advice and take what they say as gospel.

▲

Although people are willing to get behind a cause if it's something that's trending on social media, they'll rarely stand up and make an effort to show kindness to those around them in real life.

▲

It's easy to feel sympathy for compelling narratives depicted online. But what's happening in your community? Humans are complex and (a lot of the time) difficult. It's a lot easier to feel sympathy for a one-dimensional character online than for the real people close by, whose messiness and imperfections you might be all too aware of.

▲

Sometimes, it seems like the world is going in the wrong direction. As our lives have become more and more convenient and online, lots of changes have taken place. Individualism is at an all-time high, and certain societal norms that have developed wouldn't have been ok a few decades ago. Not all of these changes have been bad, but many of them are really irritating, and we could probably live in a lot more peace and happiness without them.

Curious? Click on the gallery to guess which trends we need to park as a society.