In today's digital age, news about "some streamer earning millions overnight" is not uncommon. Live streaming sales have made shopping more convenient, but the hidden costs are hard to ignore. Some products in live streaming rooms seem to offer high cost-performance ratios, but in reality, low prices often come with quality concerns. To clear inventory, manufacturers supply influencers at low prices, cutting out middlemen, which leads to a continuous shrinkage of the share of the real economy, and many once-stable jobs gradually disappear.
For those who work hard, they are not eliminated due to a lack of effort, but rather because the distribution of resources in society has become increasingly unfair. More and more manufacturers, in order to survive, join this vicious competition, resulting in lower prices and poorer quality, creating a vicious cycle. Ordinary people eagerly rush to buy, only to find that the quality does not meet expectations, leading to a naturally high return rate. Even more concerning is that many physical stores are closing because they cannot compete with online sales, leading to a livelihood crisis for countless families. They work diligently; have they done something wrong?
In stark contrast are the high commissions taken by platforms and the generous rebates given to streamers. They earn a fortune, while ordinary people suffer. Is this development model truly sustainable? Are we left helplessly watching our lives being shattered by the wave of live streaming sales? Some may say that market competition is a natural law, and survival of the fittest. However, does this competition inadvertently exacerbate social inequality?
When the rise of a major streamer means unemployment for thousands, what is the significance of such competition? Those streamers who loudly claim to seek benefits for the common people and lower prices, often refer to their audience as "family," setting out under the banner of fighting for the public's interests. When consumers are filled with anticipation, they believe they have finally found guardians of consumption.
However, when the "79 eyebrow pencil incident" occurred, the words "reflect on why you can't afford it, is it because you don't work hard enough" cut like a knife, hurting countless hearts. The once dragon-slaying youth now stands high above, criticizing consumers. Looking at the recent "Hong Kong mooncake" incident, false advertising transformed mooncakes from Guangzhou into high-end Hong Kong mooncakes, exposing their profit-driven nature. Those streamers who speak eloquently in front of the camera seem to have long ceased to be grassroots; behind them lies a web of profit chains. Their original intentions have long been lost in the fog of profit, and forgetting righteousness for profit has become their new label.
Has the once dragon-slaying youth already become the evil dragon, unaware? The crisis of bottomless competition in this fiercely competitive market has led to fewer and fewer honest businesses, replaced by "cutting leeks" behavior that disregards consequences for the sake of profit. This phenomenon not only disappoints consumers but also leaves those who conduct business honestly feeling helpless. Faced with such a situation, many people begin to choose to "follow the trend," trying to survive in this bottomless market. However, following the trend is not a long-term solution; it may instead exacerbate market chaos and distrust.
We need to call for more integrity in business practices and a sense of social responsibility. Finally, let me say, please leave a glimmer of hope for ordinary people! If even this light is extinguished, the ones who suffer in the end will not only be ordinary people; those high above will also eventually face the night.