Episode 73 The Craze Craze

Why We Love Losing Our Minds Together

Every generation has that thing. The must-have item that takes over classrooms, dinner tables, and shopping aisles. Cabbage Patch Kids. Beanie Babies. Fidget Spinners. Stanley Cups. And now — apparently — Labubu.

This week, we dove headfirst into the psychology of why we lose our minds together over the latest craze. And, spoiler alert: it’s not just about wanting the toy, or the tumbler, or the trendy water bottle — it’s about wanting in.

Nancy's Cabbage Patch Koosa Doll from the '80s

The Labubu Hunt: Connection Disguised as Collecting

Nancy’s daughter, Johanna, introduced her to Labubu — a wildly popular little monster figurine from Korea that’s as adorable as it is impossible to find. The craze runs deep: there’s a whole online lottery system through Pop Mart just to maybe get your hands on one.

Sound familiar? It should. Because as soon as Nancy started explaining it, Lynne and Kathy were flashing back to Cabbage Patch dolls, Beanie Babies, and Tickle Me Elmo — all those times when parents were fighting crowds to make sure their kids didn’t miss out.

But underneath the scramble is something more human: the need to connect, to belong, to not be the one left out. It’s not just kids who get caught up in it — adults do too. From $60 Stanley Cups to limited-edition sneakers, we all chase that feeling of being part of a shared experience.

As Nancy put it on the show, it’s “social capital.”Having the thing gives us a subtle badge of inclusion — a little ticket into the collective conversation.

The Price Tag Placebo

Kathy pointed out something a lot of us know but rarely admit: we trust expensive things more. A $40 water bottle must be better than a $15 one, right?

Turns out, that feeling has a name — the placebo effect of price. Studies have shown that our brains actually register higher satisfaction when we believe something costs more. We associate price with quality, even when it’s not necessarily true.

Lynne owned up to being a “marketer’s dream.” She knows when she’s being sold to, but that doesn’t stop her from jumping on the next well-branded bandwagon. Whether it’s Bombas socks that support people in need or the bear-proof Yeti cooler that became a lifestyle symbol, marketing works because it taps into emotion — belonging, purpose, aspiration.

And maybe that’s not always a bad thing. Maybe it’s just how we remind ourselves that we’re part of something bigger than our own little bubble.

The Lice Chronicles

Speaking of bubbles (and things we wish we could pop), Nancy also shared the horror story that no parent wants to live through: lice.

After years of dodging the dreaded school notice, she and her daughter finally got hit — and hard. The ordeal involved hundreds of dollars, professional treatments, daily laundry marathons, and the psychological itch that doesn’t quit.

The worst part? The stigma. Parents whispering about outbreaks but not reporting them, afraid of judgment. Schools downplaying cases to avoid panic. It’s a perfect breeding ground — not just for lice, but for shame.

Nancy’s takeaway was refreshingly honest: “I’m embarrassed to even say it, but I told everyone I needed to tell. We have to stop hiding it.”

Because just like with social crazes, silence and secrecy only make the problem worse.

Connection, FOMO, and the Need to Be Seen

Whether it’s chasing a toy, buying the right tumbler, or keeping quiet about lice, so much of our behavior comes back to the same basic human need — connection. We want to be part of something, to be included, to feel seen.

Sometimes that means overpaying for a cup that keeps your drink cold. Sometimes it means buying a collectible you don’t even understand just because your kid does. And sometimes it means talking openly about the messy stuff — even when it’s uncomfortable.

The craziest thing about The Craze Craze isn’t the toys or the trends.It’s that deep down, all of us are just trying to belong.

Move it Fishes!

We're still laser-focused on moving at least twenty minutes EVERY DAY in October. This week, Kathy shares five quick stretches you can do the second your feet hit the floor every morning. Gets the blood pumping and your body limber before you start your day. Find them HERE

What’s for Dinner?

This week, the answer was easy: whatever you don’t have to cook. After the lice saga and the Labubu chase, Nancy gave us all permission to fire up DoorDash, pour a drink, and call it self-care.

Because sometimes, you don’t need a recipe — just a reason to give yourself a break.

Listen to Episode 73: “The Craze Craze — Why We Love Losing Our Minds Together” Every Thursday morning, wherever you get your podcasts. Rate, review, and share it with your favorite fishies — because connection, after all, is what this whole thing’s about.