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Topics: Psychology, Labubu
Callum Jones
A psychotherapist has explained the deeper meaning behind why so many people nowadays are obsessed with Labubus.
The fluffy and slightly ugly-looking Labubu are absolutely everywhere, and while some of them may be a bit off putting, it is just a toy at the end of the day.
While they may be intended for children, many adults have turned to the product in recent times.
There's no doubt that people are obsessed with the trinkets at the moment - but why exactly is that the case?
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Well, Jordan Conrad, a New York-based psychotherapist from Madison Park Therapy, has explained that the reason why so many want them is because they have gone viral and they are massively in demand.
"There is nothing in particular about Labubu dolls that makes them desirable or justifies their appeal," he said, as per the Independent.
"In fact, they actively show off how useless and ugly they are - and that is what makes them so coveted. This is a subtle technique that a lot of advertisers and brand marketers have adopted from behavioral psychology."
Meanwhile, Daren Banarsë, a psychotherapist based in a private practice in London, has also weighed in on the debate, saying we as humans are often guilty of assigning greater value to things that are difficult to obtain.
The expert explained: "People aren't just buying a toy; they're participating in a quest that feels meaningful precisely because it's challenging.
"The hunt has become as important as the prize, transforming a simple retail transaction into something that feels like genuine achievement."
Madison Burgess, for Tyla, also spoke with a psychologist about the fast-growing trend and what it really means.
Chartered clinical psychologist Tracy King told the site that she sees the rise of trinkets as a ‘response to the emotional climate Gen Z are growing up in’.
"On the surface, they’re fun and whimsical. But psychologically, they’re deeply symbolic: these objects offer small, accessible moments of comfort, control, and identity in an unpredictable world," she told Tyla.
"The old idea of the career ladder offered a sense of linear progression—work hard, move up, gain security. But for Gen Z, that ladder has been replaced with something more like an escape room.
“You’re expected to solve problems with no clear instructions, hit invisible milestones, and often find the goalposts moving entirely.”
While viral trends come and go, the Labubu hype doesn’t appear to be dying down anytime soon.