Part 2: Goop, Gerp, Chirp: How Wellness Is Repackaging Consumerism

Does being have a price tag?

Blasé Raire

aishwarya

, and

Amber Theurer

Jun 05, 2024

Edited by: Alyson Chatterjee & Jenna Movsowitz

In our previous piece, we ended with an exploration of the vehicles for dealing with the dissatisfactions of life. In this piece, we’ll begin to look deeper…seeing how the glimmer of these temporary (and often damaging) fixes are starting to fade.

The cost of coping + shhhmoking = croaking

The long-term consequences of these coping mechanisms (ZYN, postmodern consumption of media, Ozempic, etc) remain largely unknown. We're traversing uncharted territory, where the impacts of excessive screen time and reliance on pharmaceutical aids are yet to be fully understood. As time reveals the repercussions of these habits, there's a growing realization that they may not align with our inherent human need for genuine connection, holistic well-being, and meaningful experiences.

We do know that social media is having negative effects on our self-worth, self-image, and exacerbating depression and anxiety...it's almost too overwhelming to begin to think through the impact of, say, eye health through looking at artificial light for upwards of 7 hours a day...let's not even get started on AirPod Maxes beaming Charli XCX full volume into our eardrums for another 8....god bless our wee-brains.

This shift in desire for more “healthy” coping mechanisms is wonderfully represented by the sober curious movement, with 41% of people planning to drink less alcohol in 2024. It’s possible we’re heading into a world where consumption of alcohol is undergoing a mindset shift akin to the societal perception of cigarettes today. However, we still see signs outside of bodegas in NYC saying “ZYN - SOLD OUT!”

As awareness grows regarding the potential drawbacks of postmodern consumption patterns, there's a natural inclination towards seeking alternatives that prioritize actual authenticity, self-care, and conscious living…not just the glorified idea of it through a highly-curated-but-made-to-look-completely-casual instagram photodump, but the lived experience of it...

You can’t sit with us (unless your mattress is Eight Sleep)

In theory, the "goop" ethos offers a holistic approach, addressing not just physical health but also mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

But what happens in a world where wellness becomes social capital?

Where showing up to pilates in anything other than an alo yoga matching set is a sticking point to signing up for the class. Where not holding a Kin in hand as a sober-curious girlie is blasphemy. Where going to Ayahuasca retreats in someone’s Brooklyn apartment(?) is a performative checkbox rather than a journey to the inner self.

Think about who gets to go to Davos and who invests most in longevity science companies (hint hint - billionaires do not want to age or die!). There are drugs literally being developed to increase the lifespan of dogs. What does it say about you if you choose to not buy a drug to synthetically increase the lifespan of your dog? (W)oof.

Most venture capitalists and exited tech founders (nouveau riche type beat) bank cord blood and placentas. One can’t help but think…do only rich people get to survive the apocalypse?

Sequencing our personal genome is not accessible or affordable yet. The wellness industrial complex, just like anything else that influences the economy, is actively increasing wealth disparity across the world.

These signals require deep pockets, not self-awareness. It’s giving Medieval Europe instead of the period of Enlightenment, the technological renaissance claims to be in.

Turns out authenticity is accessible?!! :0

When you strip the ego out of wellness, you see ancient practices of meditation, ayurveda, TCM, indigenous healing practices, which often require nothing but seasonal foods and a deep connection to nature. “Modalities” include acupressure points that can be stimulated with one’s own hands, breathing that can be led by one’s own guidance, singing and prayers that can be done with one’s own voice. There is nothing to add, and everything to be.

Being is who we are. It is something that is accessible to all of us, not just nepo babies, SAH girlfriends, or those with cushy finance, consulting, or big-tech jobs.

When you strip the ego away, you see that wellbeing cannot be purchased.

You can engage with tools to support your journey, but strides in neuroimmunology, quantum physics, therapeutics, epigenetics (more on this soon!) are showcasing that optimal wellbeing has far more to with our internal mindset, environments, and social circles than it has to do with any SoulCycle membership.

These products that promise a more fulfilled version of ourselves are really repackaged bandaids. They might cover our wounds but they do not remedy the root cause.

The wellness-industrial-complex is buying our attention, fooling us into thinking their products will get us “closer to ourselves”, when all they do is perpetuate a lack of self-trust.

Because if the single thing tying us together is that we are human, why would some be fundamentally “more deserving” of truth than others?

Glossary

Epigenetics: the study of changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence. These changes can affect how genes are turned on or off and are influenced by various factors including environment, lifestyle, and disease states.

Nouveau Riche: a French term that translates to "new rich" in English. It refers to individuals or families who have recently acquired substantial wealth, typically within their own generation, rather than inheriting it from previous generations.

Neuroimmunology: an interdisciplinary field that combines aspects of neuroscience and immunology to study the interactions between the nervous system and the immune system.

Postmodern Consumption: refers to patterns of consumer behavior and cultural practices that emerged in the late 20th century, influenced by the characteristics of postmodernism. Postmodernism is a broad cultural, artistic, and intellectual movement characterized by skepticism toward grand narratives, a focus on subjective experience, and an embrace of diversity and pluralism.