i know i said fuck capitalism and i hate the cult of consumerism, and i’m aware that i’ve proclaimed my dislike for social media, particularly instagram for its propaganda, celebrity culture and misinformation, but why is it that my friends, who are so much less class conscious than me, are unlikely to buy from instagram ads, yet i’ve spent a total of (probably) multiple paycheques (at part-time hours, so just the equivalent of one hefty paycheque) on them, you ask? allow me to explain: instagram’s algorithm is uncanny, and i abhor it, but who am i to deny myself bootleg merch from my favourite band? a hoodie with a beautiful graphic that illustrates a lyric from one of my favourite songs. it is, to this day, my favourite hoodie, making it a necessary purchase. and so what if my new favourite t-shirt is from an instagram ad that was advertising camp masculinity? i would have bought it if i had seen it in stores, but instead of going shopping at a mall like a normal person, i doom scroll on instagram for the raccoon reels and the deep fried memes, along with the memes that are so normal they return to niche. it’s not like i click on every ad i see, but why would i restrict myself from expanding my wardrobe for the better?