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Moralitas dan Etika Konsumsi VS Gaya Hidup Anak Muda dalam Tren “Buy Now Pay Later”
Abstract
This study explores how moral values, social pressures, and digital culture shape young people's consumption behavior through PayLater services in Indonesia. Using a qualitative descriptive approach with a netnographic method, the research analyzed 29 social media posts from X (formerly Twitter) containing narratives related to experiences, moral justification, and emotions surrounding PayLater use. The findings reveal that PayLater is not merely a financial tool but a medium of social participation and symbolic identity formation. Young users often justify their indebtedness as acts of self-care, reward, or emotional recovery, reflecting a flexible moral framework shaped by digital narratives. Moreover, social validation and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) drive individuals to engage in consumption as a form of belonging. Humor, memes, and viral hashtags such as #PaylaterWarrior play a crucial role in normalizing debt-based consumption, transforming financial anxiety into collective cultural expression. Thus, the PayLater phenomenon illustrates how debt becomes moralized, aestheticized, and socially legitimate within the digital youth culture.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24198/umbara.v11i1.67356
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