Shopping feels impossible. At least ethically speaking. 

The pressure to find products that are animal safe, pro-Palestinian, environmentally friendly, or support DEI and human rights, all in a timely and budget conscious manner has never been harder.

Emphasis on producing and consuming products as fast as possible, in whatever unethical manner possible is nearly everywhere evidenced by the rise of fast fashion and late stage capitalism surrounding us.

Especially as a college student where options are already somewhat limited, it can be all the more difficult to shop anywhere and buy anything without breaking a boycott or supporting fascism. 

Take the Target boycott, for example. After announcing that they would be rolling back several DEI protections, people across the country called for a boycott of the business out of protest. But many students living on campus or in downtown Iowa city depend on Target as their primary source of groceries when other options are just not affordable or accessible. It becomes a matter of basic necessity versus ethical consumption. 

Of course, more ethical or favorable brands exist, but tend to be more expensive and for students it may be a matter of finding transportation and taking the time out of a busy schedule to get to them. Even if it isn’t significant extra effort, it can often feel that way, or we may coerce ourselves into thinking that it is for our own selfish profit.

First-year student Ava Ironside shared her approach to the cost challenges, which included analyzing the problem from the beginning. 

“Unfortunately, being able to buy sustainably is a privilege but it’s OK to not follow every trend. Buying secondhand or learning to create and mend clothing outweighs anything you could buy from Shien or Temu,” she said. “I don’t have money to spend on clothing just whenever I want. Being creative and sticking to staple items that don’t go out of style — if you’re a person that cares about that — is much more sustainable in the long run. Just buy one or two pieces of clothing that are of high quality and will last a long time.”

It’s important to consider the “why” of this issue: Why do I need this? Why am I buying this? Why is it a “must have?”

The media is constantly pushing product after product down our throats. So much of what we buy may not actually apply to this dilemma because we don’t really need it in the first place. It’s just self-indulgence, not a matter of true necessity versus humanitarian or ethical consideration.

However, many people don’t make any effort to even consider these existing factors or pause to consider alternatives, let alone actually change their consumption habits. This only seems to add to the pressure of following the herd since “what difference can I make anyways?” and “it’s what everyone else does.”

But when billions of people all think this way, or lack this thinking all together, it adds up. It adds up to 92 million tons of textile waste. It adds up to 115 million animals used in laboratory testing — the majority of which do not survive. It adds up to 250 million children between 5 and 14 working up to 16 hour days.

The ethical dilemma is complex. It depends on consumer education, understanding, and conscience. It’s also subjective from person to person. Taking a bus to Coralville in lieu of walking to Target might be a simple thing for some students. For others, factors of social anxiety, time, and an unknown place may make it unreasonable. Or perhaps a product that most can boycott, is one that others depend on and that lacks comparable alternatives.

While these factors and more make ethical consumption and spending under capitalism unrealistic, this should not be used as an excuse to spend carelessly. 

Sometimes we might need to prioritize brands based on a mix or compromise of cost, convenience, and our own personal values. It’s improbable to find a perfect product. We must consider what is most important and most practical. Is it more important that a product was produced with a low environmental impact, without harm to animals, or with fair conditions for workers? Are alternatives readily available and affordable? It’s a personal decision based on individual values and ideals. There’s not necessarily a right or wrong answer, so long as it feels right to you. 

So, what is the solution to the consumer’s dilemma? It’s not simple or singular in dimension. It includes first and foremost education, so that people are aware of what their consumption habits support and how they can change. It includes being mindful of what we actually need and where it comes from. 

Ethical consumption under capitalism is an oxymoron, and nearly implausible. But it should still be a careful, thoughtful process that works toward being ethical in whatever way possible. Just because one piece of your trash blows away into the wind, doesn’t mean you just dump out the entire bag.