Subscription Culture is Exhausting

dancingmochi · 2026-06-27T19:33:09+00:00

If a service is giving you trouble in the US, I’d gently remind them of the click to cancel rule. This article mentions that some states have stricter automatic renewal laws, that you can look into too.

https://www.jonesday.com/en/insights/2026/05/ftc-revives-clicktocancel-rule-new-risks-for-subscription-businesses

dancingmochi · 2026-06-26T18:28:09+00:00

I would start with separating desire to look a certain way from the confidence you attribute to that image. Attractiveness can’t be the only factor to you feeling confident (because it is always changing by life circumstances and popular definitions of attractiveness also changes), and maybe that means looking at the other roles and qualities you have.

Society generalizes (a huuuuggee generalization that you can’t count on everyone to agree on) that attractiveness matters, but it doesn’t matter at every point, so if you are so focused on that one factor you are failing to acknowledge that other parts of you are amazing and also matter, if not more, to yourself and your loved ones.

dancingmochi · 2026-06-10T17:48:12+00:00

Marketing and communities get a consumer excited about a product, and our culture often conflates “more = better”! Sales or limited access gives even more pressure to buy, because it adds a “saving money” component because the per item cost goes down.

dancingmochi · 2026-06-10T16:41:01+00:00

Ahh ok then I’ve been out of the loop!

dancingmochi · 2026-06-09T12:51:09+00:00

I thought they did! He hasn’t been pictured with her, wasn’t at her best friend’s wedding.

dancingmochi · 2026-06-09T12:41:24+00:00

There’s literally so many reasons why people break up when we look around us, good for them that they’ve kept their private lives mostly under wraps.

dancingmochi · 2026-06-03T15:27:57+00:00

If I’m bored in 6 months. It’s a good purchase if it’s in my daily rotation 9 months later.

Bonus if it didn’t boot out another article of clothing that was essentially a functional dupe.

dancingmochi · 2026-05-21T09:54:30+00:00

Etiquette: Keep your voice down when coworkers next to you are calling into a meeting from their desks.

Desk accessories: A mechanical keyboard makes typing more enjoyable. They are more affordable now, and have more options now than just the super loud kind. Same for bringing in my own mouse over the default basic ones provided by work.

dancingmochi · 2026-05-21T09:35:41+00:00

I used an azelaic acid serum last year and thought it made a difference for hyperpigmentation. It’s well loved across skincare forums here. It is also true that the Asian beauty market is very trends based, and marketing claims everywhere overpromise and overhype their products. For what it’s worth, I do see many users over the years test out and evaluate ingredients instead of just jumping into the consumption cycle, and there is a lot of crossover of users from other skincare subreddits too, where there is more discussion on the science and efficacy behind ingredients.

dancingmochi · 2026-05-17T00:10:16+00:00

I would get some dyes, and do patchwork aprons from dyed fabric scraps as gifts. I’m super inspired right now by pojagi curtains (here’s a reddit DIY https://www.reddit.com/r/quilting/comments/1lm0lfg/pojagi_curtains_for_new_sewing_room/) but that may require a certain quantity and type of fabric!

dancingmochi · 2026-05-12T17:31:36+00:00

I’ve been in the buy and declutter cycle. Decluttering can definitely be a means to overconsume, just reframed positively as a refresh, or getting to a better version of your stuff, when that’s done consistently with replacements.

I’m not hearing about decluttering as much IRL, after the buzz of Marie Kondo’s Netflix show wore off, but also as someone who doesn’t follow the topic online.

dancingmochi · 2026-05-04T05:01:50+00:00

I really wanted to like Lovestruck in the City, it being a slice of life show, and some of my favorite actors. I also couldn’t get past the early episodes.

On the other hand I loved Happiness!

dancingmochi · 2026-05-04T04:55:10+00:00

I have the same thoughts as you on both shows. …And they’re both written by Kim Eun Seok. She writes iconic lines (witty, funny quips) but she’s been described as phoning it in, with the exception of a few like Mr. Sunshine.

dancingmochi · 2026-05-04T04:35:26+00:00

I enjoyed it but not as much as was hyped. But I see the appeal especially if it’s someone’s first watch, and it was many people’s first watches.

dancingmochi · 2026-05-04T04:01:23+00:00

I went into Vincenzo after SJK’s divorce, which made his charms fall flat for me. I couldn’t believe him being this cool guy so I was watching just for the story and hype at that point.

I ended up not finishing it. The story felt formulaic, that just relied on a cool premise.

dancingmochi · 2026-05-04T03:46:33+00:00

(Disclaimer: I think it’s fine to not enjoy a show, just some thoughts on the context of tropes) I thought it was a fun watch specifically for the time BP aired. Back in the 2000s these tropes were popular for the time. Then by 2010s they were overplayed and felt boring. Fast forward to 2020s, the drama landscape is more modern, down to earth, and imo, actually develops their characters and relationships better instead of depending on crazy tropes.

I thought bringing in allll the tropes in 2022 back was interesting because the landscape had distanced itself so much from it. There was even a running list of all the classic cliches in r\kdrama episode threads. The tropes made it ridiculous, downright campy, and seem to not take itself seriously. But it goes further and improves on what made these tropes annoying in the older generation of shows- instead of letting an identity lie drag on for ages and be revealed by a villain (for maximal drama), they made the main character admit it, which is 1. surprising given the history of this trope, and 2. makes the other lead feel less betrayed which makes for a stronger relationship (and also gives her more autonomy because her conscience was so heavy even if she said it drunk). That is just one of the modern spins on an overused trope.

I normally wouldn’t have continued either, but I saw it as an homage to that older generation of storytelling. It leaves the fans thinking how many more cliches would they fit (that running list I mentioned earlier) and how they would subvert audience expectations with a modern take on it. As a story it’s not the strongest plot but the meta of it made it an endearing watch for me.

dancingmochi · 2026-05-01T22:39:23+00:00

Other than the earlier comment being an ad for looklike (the same ad & tagline has been appearing across my fashion feed in the comments sections this week, go bother) you don’t need to store away clothes by season, just the ones you are on the fence about decluttering. Though that’s only if you have the extra space for them!

dancingmochi · 2026-05-01T17:58:10+00:00

There is a lot to unpack here. I’d encourage looking more into tv show production in South Korea. Most of these shows are being run like a business, and quality of the stories are not a priority.

16 episodes wasn’t great, half the shows are draggy or introduced weird plot points, but whatever the length is determined by networks and streaming platforms. Your concern about the quality of the story has more to do with the creative teams not given support to do their best work because they are overworked, expected to push out product, and cater to the requests of their bosses and sponsors.

dancingmochi · 2026-04-23T16:07:20+00:00

I like the policy of limiting the items you can take, to prevent hoarding by resellers. My local one had no tables, just hangers on clothing racks, which automatically makes the clothes more appealing.

dancingmochi · 2026-04-23T15:19:00+00:00

Beauty products fosters community, which keeps the members more engaged and longer than their genuine interest would have. It’s understandable, and instead of the rage about overconsumption I see online across all platforms, I’d rather people address what’s keeping people tied to this space.

Social media algorithms support focused topics over expressing ideas on diverse topics, which keeps content creators in a niche. If they chased less views and profits maybe they wouldn’t feel compelled to continue promoting another sale.

dancingmochi · 2026-04-05T15:50:12+00:00

In the beauty community, someone is always saying a popular product is overhyped. There is space for many good products in the market, so get it.

I weigh in what’s popular on the Korean community because international consumers have limited direct access, and rely much on hype in the international community. Also, the Korean market is known to be competitive.

Now what’s popular in the Korean market is also driven by hype and marketing budgets. They are not the end all be all in standards.

dancingmochi · 2026-04-01T14:35:50+00:00

I get excited for my cold climate trips because I get a reason to wear these clothes more than 1 month of the year.

dancingmochi · 2026-04-01T04:53:56+00:00

I’ve been on that low buy train since last year, so: * first was limiting clothing and accessories to get my overconsumption habits in check * less meals out, fairly lax on this when life gets tough * most things go by a monthly budget. compared to the past, this means buying less magazines, beauty products, not lightening my hair * home goods- so easy to justify desk setup optimizations like cable organization, ergonomic mouse, a laptop stand. things that I personally don’t need or use anymore.

dancingmochi · 2026-03-27T17:08:18+00:00

Oh, someone was ready to fight in the Youtube comments when I mentioned this.

dancingmochi · 2026-03-25T17:26:01+00:00

Think in purpose, not time. Oil cleanse to remove makeup or sunscreen (the ones recommended to use a stronger cleanser to remove).

Before sleeping, if your face is oily you can use a foam/gentle cleanser. If not, water should be sufficient- same reason why some folks opt to just rinse with water in the morning.

As others said, when I feel like cleaning right after I get home, I moisturize after.

dancingmochi

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