If you’ve spent any time on social media (especially the Gen Z side of it) you’ve probably come across the idea that Pinterest is the calm corner of the internet. It’s often praised as a soothing, aesthetic-driven platform, untouched by the usual toxicity and brain rot that plagues other apps. But here’s the thing: Pinterest might actually be one of the biggest players in the very system it claims to rise above. It’s positioned itself as the anti-social media social media, and yet, if you look a little closer, there’s more going on beneath the surface.

Before I go any further, I want to make something clear. I’m not writing this from a place of superiority, I’m an avid Pinterest user myself. In fact, I’m just as deep into the world of curated moodboards and saved pins as anyone else. What I’m sharing here comes from personal observation, and while it won’t apply to everyone, I know it will resonate with a lot of people.

Also, It’s not just Pinterest, though. This isn’t a one-app problem. The same patterns show up across Instagram, YouTube, and even X. Each platform, in its own way, tries to sell us an escape, something softer, smarter, more curated, or more authentic than the rest. But at the end of the day, they’re all playing the same game. Maybe this is just how capitalism works. Maybe it’s less about individual blame and more about the systems we’re all part of, knowingly or not.

Aesthetics

Let’s talk about the concept of aesthetics. If you’re a girl using social media in this era, you already know how everything is now divided into a “core” — cottagecore, fairycore, soft girl core, grungecore, desi core, corporatecore, Y2K core, gothcore. The list keeps growing. These aren’t just visual styles anymore, they’ve become entire identities. And as users, we’re expected to pick one. Choose your core, and with it, choose your personality. What you wear, how you act, what you buy, and even how you think — it all starts to revolve around this curated version of yourself that fits neatly into an aesthetic box.

Say you go for the soft girl core. That means pastel-colored clothes like pink, mint green, lemon yellow sundresses, and of course, a matcha in hand. You probably also have a cute diary where you “manifest” your dreams. Or maybe you’re into the clean girl aesthetic. That means sleeked-back hair in a bun, gold minimalist jewelry, and the holy grail: neutral-toned outfits. Whites, beiges, taupes, soft pastels. Bright colors? Absolutely not.

Do you see the problem? These aesthetics or “cores” are slowly taking away our power to think and choose for ourselves. Instead of developing personal style or expression, we pick a mold and conform to it. We stop thinking beyond what’s already been presented to us. Everyone has chosen some version of a “core” they relate to, and they live by it, without questioning it. And in the process, we lose something deeply important: the ability to process, create, and express from a place that’s truly our own.

The Influencer Effect

Continuing the conversation around aesthetics, we have to talk about influencers. By definition, these are individuals with large or highly engaged social media followings who hold considerable sway in specific industries like beauty, fashion, fitness, travel, and food. They’re known for their authenticity (or at least the illusion of it) and for their fresh, creative takes. Their influence is built on trust, relatability, and the ability to shape trends. And for many of them, their entire personal brand or their career revolves around a single aesthetic.

Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. But dig a little deeper and three major issues begin to surface.

1. Consumerism, dressed up as lifestyle
Strip away the GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos, “a day in my life” reels, “come with me to xxx” vlogs what’s left? Not much beyond Consumerism. We see cute Pinteresty crockery, those white skirts, overpriced Rhode phone cases (they’re not even cute), $20 lip balms, Stanley cups, UGGs, chonky belts, claw clips, and whatever else happens to be trending that month. It’s more of a shopping list than content.

2. The slow death of uniqueness

Ever since aesthetics became marketable identities, brands have had a field day. All they have to do is lean into whatever aesthetic is hot, send a few PR packages, and boom! It sells. Take bow for example – Put a bow on anything, like a shirt, a cake, a phone case and boom! It becomes instantly cute and hence sellable.

3. The curated illusion

The influencer model is built on showing a hyper-selective, carefully edited slice of life. Aesthetically pleasing, always on brand, never too raw. This persona sets a dangerous standard, especially for young, impressionable users. It tells them that this is what life should look like. That if you’re not living in a sunlit apartment with iced matcha, gold jewelry, and a perfectly edited morning routine, then you’re doing life wrong. And that question starts creeping in: If my life doesn’t look like that, what’s the point?

Brands

The ones truly benefitting from turning us into identical, aesthetic-chasing consumers? Brands. Social media gives them a front-row seat to what’s trending. They watch what aesthetics are gaining traction, then mass-produce products to match, wrapped in sleek packaging and premium price tags. And the wildest part? Many of these trends aren’t even new. They’ve been part of our culture for generations.

Take the slicked-back hair from the “clean girl” look. For many of us, this isn’t new at all. Growing up, our mothers or grandmothers would oil our hair with coconut oil and tie it into tight ponytails or buns. That was just routine. Now, brands take the same basic oils, repackage them in minimalistic bottles, and sell them back to us for ten times the price.

Or look at the clean girl makeup, it’s just a modern remix of what so many South Asian women have always done. A bit of kajal, one or two lipsticks, a simple bindi, maybe a little foundation. It was never a trend, it was just everyday life. And the Scandinavian “scarf trend”? Let’s be honest, it’s our dupatta in disguise.

What’s happening is that brands are using culture against us. They rebrand what’s familiar, call it luxury or aesthetic, and sell it back to us as if it’s something new and elite. It’s not just about trends, it’s about erasing context, and then reselling it for profit.

Be Cautious

Maybe this is just how capitalism works. Trends are created, identities are packaged, and culture is repurposed, all in the name of profit. But as consumers, we still have some power. We can choose to be more mindful of what we allow to influence us and what we decide to buy.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of making an entire lifestyle out of an aesthetic, of shaping our personalities around curated internet trends. But realistically, it’s not sustainable, and it’s not real. We don’t have to fit perfectly into any “core” to feel valid. We can admire aesthetics without letting them define us. The point isn’t to reject everything, but to engage with it thoughtfully. To ask ourselves, do I actually like this, or have I just been told I should?

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