Berita ini telah tayang pertama kali di JurnalPost dengan judul Representation of Online Loans and Consumerism in the Pay Later Series (2024)
Oleh Roma Kyo Kae Saniro
Dosen Universitas Andalas
JurnalPost.com – In recent years, Indonesia has been colored by various technological advancement products, including fintech. Fintech, or financial technology, amalgamates technology and economic systems. One example of a fintech product that the public can enjoy is online loans (online lending). Online loans are financial services that allow individuals to apply for loans through online platforms provided by financial service providers. The application process is done online through websites or mobile applications, with users being required to fill out application forms that include personal and financial information. The main advantage of online loans is that they do not require collateral, making them more accessible to individuals without sufficient assets. The loan approval process tends to be faster due to its online-based system, and funds are usually directly deposited into the borrower’s bank account upon approval. However, online loans may incur interest and administrative fees like any other loan.
Like a double-edged sword, online loans have become an interesting subject of discussion, especially for women who enjoy shopping. According to PARAPUAN research in 2023, Indonesian women’s behavior towards Online Loans found that 79% of respondents used online loans because they needed additional funds. Unfortunately, 22% of respondents admitted to never checking the legality of online loans, so 30% of those who did not check fell into illegal online loan traps (Parapuan, 2024). This data shows that 79% consider online loans to be a solution or can be a positive thing. However, as mentioned earlier, if not handled properly, this can backfire due to the ease of obtaining money. If someone does not use the loan for urgent matters and pays it on time, they will encounter problems.
These situations and conditions are depicted through the series “Pay Later” (2024), which illustrates the phenomenon of the increasing popularity of “pay later” services among consumers, especially in the context of fashion shopping. The main character, Tika, is portrayed as someone who enjoys shopping for fashion using “pay later” services. Tika’s enthusiasm for shopping is unrestrained, so she eventually faces many overdue installments that someone must pay. Tika believes that shopping for fashion will support her image and appearance as an influencer, so she continuously uses “pay later” services without considering her ability to pay. However, this decision traps her in a cycle of debt that is difficult to settle because she does not have a stable and definite job to pay off the installments.
Tika’s situation becomes even more complicated when her family and close friends experience similar difficulties paying “pay later” installments. This reflects how the phenomenon of consumer debt can spread and have a broad impact on society. By portraying this situation through the character of Tika, the “Pay Later” series provides a clear picture of the risks and consequences associated with excessive use of “pay later” services, especially for individuals who do not have sufficient financial stability. It also reflects the challenges many individuals face in managing their finances in this modern era, where easy access to digital financial services is often accompanied by risks that can disrupt personal financial stability.
In the realm of the series known as “Pay Later” from 2024, the narrative surrounding Tika can be interpreted as a portrayal of the adverse effects stemming from the prevalence of consumerist tendencies. Consumerism, characterized by repeated tendencies among individuals to indulge in the acquisition of goods and services excessively, often arises from an inherent desire to satisfy personal desires and achieve social recognition through material possessions.
At the forefront of the narrative, Tika stands out as a prime example of an individual trapped in an unbridled cycle of consumerism. Her fixation on fashion-related shopping endeavors, coupled with her utilization of the “pay later” facility, exemplifies the symbolic behavior of consumerism driven by an insatiable longing to possess the latest commodities regardless of her financial capability. This underlines how consumerism can act as a catalyst for imprudent and indifferent spending patterns.
Furthermore, Tika’s immersion in excessive consumerism triggers a cascading effect with detrimental consequences, not only for herself but also for her family and closest social circle. The challenges her relatives and acquaintances face in fulfilling their obligations to settle “pay later” dues indicate how uncontrolled consumerism cycles can trigger widespread financial difficulties impacting many individuals.
Consequently, by delving into Tika’s narrative within the “Pay Later” narrative, a profound awareness emerges regarding the dangers associated with unchecked consumerism, which can pave the way for unhealthy financial practices capable of undermining both individual and broader social fiscal well-being. This narrative underscores the importance of fostering financial acumen and exercising caution when engaging with financial instruments such as “pay later” services to prevent falling into the quagmire of debt extraction, from which extraction has proven to be a formidable challenge.
The representation of consumerism depicted in the series narrative shows that paying later can be a solution for someone who needs quick funds and can also pay on time. However, this convenience has the influence that one can be lulled into buying anything quickly without considering the burden of repaying it, resulting in massive or excessive purchases that foster consumerism. Thus, we can use pay later but wisely.
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