From the beginning of time, even before TikTok, trends that swept the nation came in the form of slinkies, erasers and fidget spinners. While these fads were often harmless, others such as the 1990s Beanie Babies era left a wake of fraud and financial ruin. Collectors who invested in ridiculous amounts of the product had their entire savings wasted on a tiny bear. The world may change, but mass consumerism never will. Today, the fidget known as the NeeDoh has taken the title of the internet’s favorite toy. While this toy serves beneficially as a calming tool, the hype surrounding this item calls attention to issues of consumerism in our culture.
This new fidget comes in many forms: sometimes a teardrop and other times a cube. My first experience with this toy was Christmas morning when I was given a NeeDoh in the shape of a gummy bear. At the time, I didn’t know what a widespread phenomenon NeeDohs had become. However, as I began to take more notice, it seemed as if they were everywhere. Weekend plans now included finding a store that still stocked this popular item and buying not just one NeeDoh, but five.
After becoming viral on TikTok, NeeDohs have sold out in stores across the United States, raising questions about whether this is a trend that has gone too far. It’s not surprising that this product is so successful: the toy maintains a low cost and durability while also expanding to incorporate a wide variety of fidgets. This variety in selection makes it easy for customers to justify buying more than just one at a time.
Alongside the affordability and variety of NeeDohs, students have found them to be useful in school. With the high amounts of anxiety and stress that the average high schooler experiences, the NeeDoh offers a solution with little complications. Teachers shouldn’t ban these products from the classroom because it helps students maintain focus. The product also can help with anger management: you can squish it aggressively instead of getting upset over a physics grade or lashing out at a friend.
However, the rise in NeeDohs also highlights our culture’s obsession with overconsumption. It feels reminiscent of the many trends that have appeared in the past, such as the Stanley Cup trend or Labubu craze. While comparatively the price is much lower, NeeDohs pose the same threat as previous cases of overconsumption. Instead of buyers being satisfied with one or two, there is an underlying competition to buy as many products as possible. Online videos continue to glorify a cycle of collecting that leaves many parents and kids struggling to find products in stock while landfills pile up with brightly colored rubber.
While there is joy that comes from neatly organizing your NeeDohs in order, collectors should reconsider the value of simplicity. Wouldn’t one squishy pink NeeDoh be immensely more enjoyable if it was your only one? Instead we contribute to wasting money on products that in five years will be gathering dust in your closet or at the bottom of a trash dump.
Unfortunately, it seems that from the Beanie Bear to the NeeDoh gummy bear, the impulse to buy as much as possible is hard to get rid of. It may be hard to eliminate this habit from society, but there are ways we can approach this issue. Instead of buying a new NeeDoh, trade with your friend for a week to get the same novelty without wasting unnecessary money.
