THERE has been lately a rising trend on various social media platforms where certain vloggers sho­wcase their material possessions and lavish lifestyles, conse- quently fuelling a culture of materialism and greed among their followers, giving further impetus to the trend which is already well-entrenched in society.

Such displays of wealth have led to an increase in the number of crimes as well as mental health issues in society. People are no more satisfied with their happy and peaceful lives. They watch these ‘fake’ lives of these so-called ‘stars’, and get excited about their own chances. Such a display of wealth and personal life distorts reality, and perpetuates harmful norms in society, fostering a sense of depriva-tion and greed among those who are unable to attain similar levels of luxury in their lives.

I wonder at the length the vloggers go for the sake of a few more followers. Our society needs to have a meaningful discussion on critical the matter, aimed at addressing the underlying issues of greed and materialism in this digital age.

Fehmina Fatima
Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2024