r/Anticonsumption • • Aug 22 '25

ATTENTION: Read before posting or commenting.

331 Upvotes

We've recently updated the rules, but it's also time for a general reminder of the purpose and intent of this subreddit, and some of the not-quite-rules we have for keeping discussions here on topic.

This is an anticonsumerism sub, not full-on anticonsumption, because that would be ridiculous.

Do not come here seriously arguing as though the sub advocates not consuming anything ever, and any joking arguments to that effect had better be new material, and they'd better be funny.

This is not a shopping sub, or even just a lifestyle sub.

We've always allowed discussion of personal consumer habits and tips that align with various interpretations of anticonsumerism. This policy is on thin ice right now, though, as this type of lifestyle advice often drowns out the actual intent of the subreddit, causing uninformed users to question or insult those who make more substantial and topical posts and comments. So read the community info and get a feel for what the sociopolitical ideology of anticonsumerism is and what sort of topics of discussion we encourage.

The only thing you'll accomplish being belligerent about this is to necessitate a crackdown on the lifestyle type posts that perpetuate these misunderstandings.

ANTI is right there in the name of the sub, so do not complain that there's too much negativity here.

We get our warm fuzzies from dismantling consumer culture.

Consumer culture sucks, and it's everywhere. And that should bother you.

When someone posts about some aspect or example of consumerism for discussion, we don't need to know that you've seen worse, you don't mind, or that you think it's pretty cool. And don't assume that we're all wailing and gnashing our teeth at every instance of consumerism we see. We're not. We point these things out because they so often go under the radar and become normalized, and we should be talking about that.

If consumer culture doesn't bother you, you're in the wrong subreddit. We're against that sort of thing in these here parts.

No, we will not allow people to enjoy things. Stop it.

Seriously, there's almost nothing that argument wouldn't apply to, anyway.

If you feel personally attacked when someone criticizes a commercial product or service you like, work on disentangling your identity from the things you buy. If you genuinely believe that people are misunderstanding something that is an accommodation for people with disabilities, one polite explanation is sufficient. Do not pile on repeating the same thing, do not personally insult or threaten anyone, and do not speculate about or invent disabilities and accommodations that maybe could apply.

If you have any thoughts or questions about these points or the subreddit in general, feel free to bring them up here rather than making meta comments about them in new posts or in the comments of existing ones.


r/Anticonsumption • • Jul 30 '26

Discussion The State of /r/Anticonsumption (Read Before Posting)

220 Upvotes

Just an update on what we’re allowing and what is preferred for the sub.

Recently on Reddit... major media outlets have started promoting their own content from their own accounts. This strikes me as a bit dubious considering how harshly Redditors have behaved in the past towards smaller content creators posting their own links. On the other hand, if the content is good… the content is good. My thinking is that articles from major outlets should be allowed in the sub BUT I’m inclined to remove such posts if overtly posted by the outlet itself. It’s not perfect, but... I feel better about doing it this way. If you don’t like an outlet… you’re free to criticize it in the comments and downvote accordingly.

We don’t need more posts with vague titles and unclear meaning. We get a lot of posts with titles like: “OMG, Do you believe this?!” Then OP will attach a picture of some product and any actual critique is just assumed. It’s low effort and may be more of an advertisement than anything else.

Similarly, a post with a title that’s just a sad emoji and a picture of litter on the ground… is weak and tired. Yes, we get it. Plastic litter is bad. But we know that, we’ve seen that, and there are better ways to address that issue. Such content may or may not be removed, but it would probably better if subscribers themselves took it upon themselves to upvote better content.

As the sub has grown… we’ve received a lot more troll traffic. And it can be difficult to distinguish between sincerity and “concern trolling.” It can be difficult to know if someone is really mad about something trivial or if they are only pretending to be mad in attempt to make a mockery of any values that folks here might have. I want to allow discourse, even heated conversation, but… there is a fine line between letting a troll get mocked and letting a conversation get derailed by hateful and misleading arguments. Once again... it’s an editorial judgment call and we can only do our best.

The various Automod actions in this sub (and on Reddit overall), for better or worse, are pretty darned strict these days. I find that if you use harsh verbiage at all… you might get throttled/restricted by the algorithms. I’ll often approve such posts – but won’t if it’s actually harsh and not really contributing too much. I tell you this in the hopes that people posting links and comments will try and be a bit more mindful or creative (so that the conversation can flow more smoothly). I think debate, discourse, and arguments can be very important, but… we’re not going to take an “anything goes” attitude with the sub.

In short, I just hope that everyone will try to post and upvote high-quality content. Having fun is allowed, but we also need to have serious discourse about important topics. And while “bad takes” are allowed here (you’re free to disagree as far as I’m concerned), don’t be surprised if you get downvoted, mocked, or have your content removed when you go a bit too far. Top-level meta posts about the sub are still not allowed... but you can still respond to posts like this one or message the mods if you’d like to suggest a change.

Thank you for you consideration. Have a nice day.


r/Anticonsumption • • 11h ago

Discussion I’m done streaming

Post image
3.6k Upvotes

So a couple months ago my Disney plus bundle just went up to $35. Previously $30. Then when I went to cancel it, they offered it for $20 a month! They can afford to lower prices they just choose to take advantage of people. This is ridiculous. It’s disgusting that these companies just take advantage of people while they’re struggling like this. Even when you get the cheaper ad free option, it’s expensive too!! Plus you get to watch 5-6 1-5 minute ads!

Literally, just to be able to watch any NBA game you want for one season, it costs $700 a season legally. For every game. Thats a year of NBA League Pass, ESPN unlimited, peacock premium and Amazon prime because for some reason you can’t watch them all on one service. It can also cost you more if you have an NBA team local, because league pass will black out for any local teams and you’ll have to buy another local service for $100 a season. So it costs $800 a season to watch the NBA if you have a local team! Which by the way, a city with a team can be 4 hours away and still be considered local. It’s insane.

What are these companies even thinking? Pirating is at an all time high, and they wonder why. It’s either pay hundreds and potentially thousands to legally watch a random selection of shows and movies that barely change month to month, or type in a website name and have literally every piece of media available for free.

I wouldn’t even mind supporting streaming if it was reasonable. But it’s not reasonable in the slightest. They’ll get no more support from me. And when they finally decide to reduce prices, I will remember this and will not support them even then


r/Anticonsumption • • 10h ago

Society/Culture Musk Docu coming to PVOD early on 11/6 after theatrical sabotaged post Elon's $1B Paramount pledge

Thumbnail
tvfandomlounge.com
1.6k Upvotes

r/Anticonsumption • • 9h ago

Plastic Waste Nissan dealership flyer for bs contest

Post image
547 Upvotes

Here is a flyer I received from my local Nissan dealership. It has a battery in it that lights up the plastic game piece. It looks like i won, right, nope, just a tactic to get you into the dealership and your confirmation code doesn't match the winner. This is crazy


r/Anticonsumption • • 8h ago

Environment No straw is better. At the other end, how much big plastic paid South Korea to do that study?

Post image
301 Upvotes

Sponsored by Coke and Unilever


r/Anticonsumption • • 15h ago

Corporations We're watching less Netflix than ever, but expert predicts it's still going to cost us more

Thumbnail
thetab.com
1.0k Upvotes

r/Anticonsumption • • 6h ago

Corporations The hidden history of how Big Oil invented the American Dream

Thumbnail
grist.org
99 Upvotes

r/Anticonsumption • • 8h ago

Discussion Do we actually need a different product for every part of our body?

75 Upvotes

I've been thinking about how many products are marketed as absolute necessities now. separate products for your face, neck, eyes, hands, feet, etc. i'm not saying skincare is pointless, but at what point did basic hygiene turn into needing a 12-step routine? has anyone else simplified their routine and found that they weren't missing much? would love to hear everyone's pov on this!


r/Anticonsumption • • 5h ago

Question/Advice? Careers related to anti consumption/consumerism and ethically responsible?

27 Upvotes

I know the question sounds a bit silly, but we all need to work to live. I would prefer spending my time doing things I care about and that will actually contribute to a better future. What’s the uno reverse of being a sales person for single use plastics or private jet user? Originally I wanted to work in environmental policy and management, but life said no. I don’t need some big fancy job or one that can only be done in specific government offices that probably no longer exist in the US. What are “smaller” careers that are surprisingly helpful in the long term? Bonus points if it’s relatively easy to enter the industry. Because the impact of a single person’s daily life is pretty low, it would be nice to get more of us in industries where we can make bigger decisions for entire organizations, even in small ways.


r/Anticonsumption • • 14h ago

Environment Save the Planet = Spend Money

123 Upvotes

I am so SICK of hearing about how it could cost (insert obscene amount of money here) to go green or be sustainable. Money won't mean a damn thing if the planet is inhospitable. I have a theory that most - if not all - of the problems we have (not just environmental issues) have a root cause that is greed, whether it be on an individual scale or a massive one such as corporate greed. I am frustrated with this disposable, greedy culture we are all submersed in. Companies shove propaganda down our throats saying consumerism will make you happy or will make your life better. But it is a lie based on greed. One which is a major cause of the destruction of the natural environment. I am discontent.


r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Environment Talk about over packaging

Post image
1.9k Upvotes

The three tubes is the whole product. The rest is all empty cardboard. 10 ounces of sugar with more packaging than a 50 pound sack of sugar.


r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Plastic Waste What in the unholy hell...

Post image
168 Upvotes

I...ITS JUST LIQUID INSTANT COFFEE PACKETS? BUT WITH A GIANT SINGLE USE TUBE?! IN WHAT WAY IS THIS CONVENIENT?


r/Anticonsumption • • 14h ago

Satire THE FINE PRINT | The Outer Worlds Song

Thumbnail
youtube.com
10 Upvotes

I haven't seen this one shared here, but I feel this song is quite accurate for this subreddit.

I have not played Outer Worlds. I just enjoy this song!


r/Anticonsumption • • 15h ago

Question/Advice? Feeling inadaquate

10 Upvotes

Recently I was involved in a rear ending accident.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a bad accident, I drive a truck so my bumper was messed up but perfectly drivable.

The guy that hit me (thankfully) accepted responsibility and his insurance is paying for my repairs.

I currently drive a 2019 Chevy Colorado LT with about 94k miles on it, and besides some maintenance and repairs, it’s been a great truck. Barebones, has CarPlay, but the only real ‘tech’ in the vehicle, besides a backup camera.

I love it, I’m a truck guy (yes gas mileage sucks, but I use the bed almost every day for all kinds of things)

My rental however, is much newer. A 2027 jeep wrangler rubicon (fully loaded). It has wireless CarPlay, heated mirrors, heated seats, heated steering wheel, etc.

I hate saying it, but I feel inadequate.

I mean hell recently, I got my insurance decreased by 65 dollars! From 231 to 169! I’m so happy about that.

But I’m still salivating at the 2023 - 2026 Colorado’s with more tech, etc.

The ones I’m looking at have everything I want. Remote start, heated steering wheel, heated seats, etc.

I’ve only had my truck since 2024 and I know I shouldn’t want it for a while, it makes me sound so materialistic.

But this rental is driving me insane.

Can I afford it now? No way. I need to pay off my truck, some CC from my time being unemployed, and my student loans.

I’m currently committing 500 minimum (1k on a good month) per month to pay off my debt, and it will still take a while.

I’ve gotten better buying clothes and food by limiting it to only necessities and trying cash only for paying for food and eating a max of 1 time per week.

Will I be able to afford it? Yes, but I’ll have to save up, and pay off my truck first to do things smart.

I just don’t know how to get a handle on my consumerist urges, while still giving myself things I genuinely enjoy and like, but through delayed gratification to ensure I really like what I’m buying and not keeping up with the Joneses.

I know it comes from insecurity and wanting to show that ‘I made it’, it sounds stupid, but it’s been really tough for me mentally, as I feel like a failure that I can’t afford these things at my age (27).

I should be proud of myself, I have a car, am able to live with my parents while paying down debt (only helping out with groceries and chores), have a bachelors, masters, and work a great job in cybersecurity making $30 an hour.

I grew up in TN living in a trailer, close to the poverty line, but was blessed to move to the NE, get a good education, parents with stable jobs, and was able to enjoy my childhood. I grew up in Westchester NY. Coming from eastern TN, it was very different. Here, it seems everyone was filthy rich: huge houses/mansions, always had the newest iPhones, going on lavish vacations, brand new cars at school, hell some kids drove mclarens to school at points. I think I’ve always tried to keep up with these people. I’ve gotten better, but the feelings of inadequacy still affect me.

I should be happy, but I’m not, I know I’m looking for happiness and validation through things, I’ve always done this.

I still want these things, like a new truck, clothes, etc. but I want to be smart about it. I know what the correct decisions are, but that feeling of FOMO/inadequacy/jealousy/envy is killing me.

Any advice on this would be great. I would like to be better and adopt a new mindset.

TLDR: Struggling sticking to delayed gratification to ‘keep up with the Joneses’


r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Ads/Marketing Ads have found a new home.

Post image
946 Upvotes

r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Upcycled/Repaired This old broken window ac i found on the side of the road i fixed

Thumbnail
gallery
112 Upvotes

bypassing the controls with a light switch to make it work. There’s no thermostat it just on or off
. I also reverse the condenser fan with the blade to pull air though the coil to help with efficiency

The link of the unit running
https://youtu.be/jKxUD9--srI?is=5J5l6XUy1w6pGWXj


r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Corporations Remember when a price tag was the same for everybody...?

Thumbnail
youtu.be
115 Upvotes

Kinda wild thing I never thought about until I looked into it. You and your friend get different prices at the same time for the exact same thing. WHY?

Some pricing companies literally sell software built around your "willingness to pay." And the faster and easier the checkout, the less you compare... which is kind of the point.

What I've been doing:

  • checking stuff on a second device before I buy
  • not shopping when I'm tired or in a rush
  • honestly just buying more in person where I can see the actual price

I made a video on the whole thing if anyone's curious: https://youtu.be/PP0LL0-w-Fc

Anyone else going back to stores just to see a normal price?


r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Corporations The spending threshold for the men's clothing coupon is less than the one for women's at Target

Post image
567 Upvotes

r/Anticonsumption • • 2d ago

Environment 75-86% of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is Fishing Gear

Post image
8.1k Upvotes

r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Question/Advice? How to repair the tarnishing on these glasses?

Post image
13 Upvotes

can anyone give me an idea how to restore the silver finish on the bridge of these glasses? it’s not the kind of tarnishing you can rub off with a jewelry cloth; I think it had a silver color coating over it that’s starting to wear off. I have put silver nail polish over the area for now, but I’d love other ideas if you have them!


r/Anticonsumption • • 2d ago

Society/Culture Have we lost our minds as a society?

Post image
726 Upvotes

this is being sold/advertised for an adult!!

what adult needs this?!

edit: thanks for the variety of perspectives. I didn’t mean to suggest we should remove joy and relaxation from people’s lives.


r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Discussion How do we shift the conversation around fast fashion for young adults?

33 Upvotes

Growing up today means navigating endless trends, weekly clothing hauls and constant social pressure to constantly wear something new, driven heavily by platforms where fast fashion is normalized and rewarded.
For teens and young adults entering a world dominated by fast fashion cycles, what do you think is the most effective way to revert back? Is it about changing how social media influences fashion culture, shifting the stigma around rewearing clothes, or tackling the root of how young people build their identities through style?
Curious to hear your thoughts on how younger generations can navigate the fast fashion culture.


r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Society/Culture i need a ‘mildly infuriating’ specifically for anti-consumerism / overconsumption awareness tbh.

Post image
133 Upvotes

“my newest hobby” and its 11 notebooks of “dot by letter” which appears very similar to diamond painting. ELEVEN of them off the bat just seems insane to me. and of course she isn’t alone in over-consuming and going on a shopping spree for a new hobby. and i’ve seen much worse hobby shopping sprees on tiktok too. and we all have room to improve.

but i think a sub focused on this kind of trend-based habit would be good for people to vent their annoyances about it, or even talk about their own bad habits that are in that same realm. if it exists, let me know! but this sub does seem to not want this kind of post since it can be repetitive and doesnt have the kind of substance thats intended here (correct me if i’m wrong), however i feel showing it when it happens and talking about habits of people around us and ourselves could be helpful and i feel it could potentially reach more people, and introduce more people to anti-consumerism through shared annoyances lol. maybe i’m overthinking this! sorry!


r/Anticonsumption • • 1d ago

Question/Advice? Kotatsu - under table heating - in winter?

26 Upvotes

I live in a cold winter climate renting a coldass house cheap. Comfortable heating is expensive and burns through a lot of fuel.

I’ve set up my own makeshift kotatsu with a legged coffee tray in front of my couch but wondering if anyone has tried this and have they seen underconsumption from it?

Basic idea is warm me, not the whole space.

Otherwise i might just switch to indoor tent.