When it comes to material indulgence, teenagers are one of the best examples we have. Many of us spend time shopping for fun, going out to eat junk food, and tending to buy the most stuff because it’s trendy at the moment. Now, although this trend of teenagers buying clothes and bags to “ride the wave” has been prevalent all throughout history, is it impossible to deny that it has greatly picked up speed in the modern day (the last decade or so). I know many people my age that blame other teenagers for being wasteful and ignorant, and even more older folks that look down on teenagers for the same reason. One thing that I believe heavily contributes to this is the fact that they don’t particularly get to choose the world they grew up in. Sure, they can choose whether to leave flashy clothes and appearances behind, but everything from the media to familial/friendly relationships has been conditioned to praise those who come up with something new, adore those who made fashion trends,  and interact with those who follow them. Those who distance themselves from social media and fashion tend to gravitate towards other things like books, art, deep friendships with fewer people instead of large friend groups and buying whatever is trendy at the moment. So, it’s not completely their fault. It’s also ours. We have to create a more positive environment that doesn’t support mindless indulgence and spending, and instead romanticize and encourage others to strive towards simple living in order for these ideas of being waste-conscious to others. It’s not their fault whether their parents drive them to school or make them walk/bike. It’s not their choice which light bulbs they use in their house. They didn’t choose how far they lived from school. We all need to work together to make a better future for all of us.