Labubu is a doll created by a domestic trendy toy (referred to as "trendy toy") company. It has pointed elf ears, round big eyes, nine serrated teeth, and a sly "stealing" smile, blending cuteness with a quirky and rebellious temperament. For a period of time, Labubu has been popular worldwide, not only due to its unique design or blind box addiction mechanism, but also because of its "social currency" attribute - players use it to express themselves, express their personalities, and highlight their taste. However, the "social currency" attribute of trendy games has timeliness. On the display shelves of players' trendy toy glass cabinets, there are always new "guests on the table", from Bearbrick block bears (a trendy toy in Japan), KAWS's iconic "xx eye" dolls (a trendy toy in the United States), to our domestic Labubu today. Yesterday's popularity may have become outdated today, and today's popularity may be replaced tomorrow. Compared to fleeting trend symbols, an individual's inner cultivation has more social charm. When it comes to the demand for "being seen" and the reasons for Labubu's popularity, commentators frequently mention its "social currency" attribute. Many people may wonder: How can an ordinary doll have social functions? After all, in traditional understanding, socializing is often closely linked to the scene of drinking and exchanging drinks together, and the scene of chatting around a table. To unravel this question, we need to start with the essence of 'social currency'. Socializing is a human social need. From ancient times to the present, the survival and development of individuals have always depended on the group. In primitive societies, individuals acting alone were unable to resist the invasion of wild beasts or obtain sufficient food. Collective hunting and defense were necessary means of survival, and this interdependence was ingrained in human genes. Through the long evolution of civilization, modern people's desire for emotional connection has never diminished. Social interaction is not just about dispelling loneliness, but a deeper desire is to be seen. The "mirror me" theory in sociology holds that our understanding of ourselves is like a mirror seen through the eyes of others - their attitudes and reactions are an invisible mirror through which we observe ourselves. Children will feel their cuteness from the encouragement of their parents' smiles, and adults also need the gaze of others to establish their own value and strengthen their self-identity. Neuroscience research has also found that when people gain social recognition, the reward center of the brain is activated, secreting dopamine to bring pleasure, confirming the importance of social feedback for self-identity. People's desire to be seen has given rise to a special resource - 'social currency'. Social currency "was originally a concept in the business field, but later applied to social life, mainly referring to things that can make a person appear tasteful, valuable, and personalized in a group. It can be a strange experience, an obscure knowledge point, or a casual reference to a niche movie, which can help individuals "exchange" a sense of achievement, social identity, and group belonging in social activities, playing a function similar to "currency" - exchanging something we want. The emergence of social media has made "social currency" more concrete, with likes, comments, and shares being measures of its liquidity. Clearly, limited edition dolls with innovative designs and vibrant colors are also a form of 'social currency'. Wow! I've been trying to grab this for a long time but haven't bought it yet! "" Do you also collect this series? It's so insightful! "Trendy games can instantly ignite common topics and serve as a" passport "for players to showcase their taste and integrate into specific circles. As a "social currency", trendy toys are different from traditional children's toys. The target audience of trendy toys is adults. Since its inception, trendy toys have carried strong artistic genes. Designers inject personal aesthetic concepts into the design details of dolls, such as exaggerated cartoon images, metaphorical color matching, and unconventional material use... Collecting trendy toys is not only collecting art works, but also showcasing individuality and conveying aesthetic taste. Labubu is a highly representative example. It was created by Hong Kong artist Long Jiasheng, based on the Nordic forest spirit, who endowed it with a strong personal style. From its appearance, Labubu has exaggerated proportions, big eyes, sharp teeth, and a round head, resembling both elves and small monsters, creating a wonderful contrast of cuteness and standing out among a group of "cute" dolls. Full of personality, artistry, and creativity, Labubu embodies the desire of contemporary young people to express themselves and their individuality, becoming their "social currency". Trendy toy brands are well versed in hunger marketing. They strictly control production to create a scarcity effect, and the supply exceeds demand, causing a sharp increase in the value of their "social currency". When there are only a few hundred surviving dolls, owning them means joining the ranks of the few. The prosperity of the secondary market has strengthened the investment attribute of trendy toys, and the resale price of some popular styles can reach dozens of times the original price. For example, not long ago, a mint colored Labubu that was 131 centimeters high was sold for 1.08 million yuan. Posting a hard to find limited edition trendy game on social media, receiving far more likes and comments than ordinary consumer goods, can bring players a strong sense of achievement. The Internet further magnified the circulation efficiency of Chaoplay as a "social currency". In the pre Internet era, it took several years for a certain subcultural symbol to break through the barriers; Now, when celebrities such as Rihanna and Beckham hold Labubu series trendy toys and appear on social media platforms, Labubu immediately evolves into a global trendsetter. An ordinary netizen who posts a Weibo post featuring the same Labubu as a celebrity, or a short video of unboxing the Labubu series blind box, can receive a large number of views and comments in a short period of time. In addition, trendy games such as Labubu are tangible objects that can be placed in prominent locations such as offices and living rooms, or hung on backpacks. They have "high visibility" and intuitively display multidimensional information such as players' aesthetics, financial resources, and social circles. They are a simple and direct "display" that maximizes the "social currency" attribute. The depreciation risk of "social currency" is that any "social currency" does not maintain its value indefinitely, but follows the law of price fluctuations. When a TV series is popular, it is a good "social currency", but when its popularity period passes, the "social currency" attribute drops sharply, and people lose interest in it; When internet vocabulary becomes popular, it is a "social currency" that can instantly bring people closer together. Once they become outdated, the "social currency" attribute becomes negative, and users appear "outdated" instead. The trendy gaming industry is not immune to vulgarity. The rapid changes in the fashion market and the constant shift in consumer preferences determine that almost all trendy products cannot maintain a dominant position in the long run. There was a period of time when Bearbrick building block bears and KAWS "xxx eye" dolls, with their distinctive designs and rich collaborative collaborations, sparked a craze in the field of trendy collectibles. With the continuous increase in the number of products on the market and the impact of new trendy IPs such as Labubu, their "social currency" attributes gradually declined, and styles that were once hyped to sky high prices in the second-hand market fell sharply in price, even resulting in no one interested. Compared to some classic IPs with profound story accumulation, Labubu lacks a complete narrative system as a value support. This inherent weakness determines that it must deepen its connotation through continuous cultural empowerment and artistic sublimation, and avoid the risks of IP value dilution and "social currency" depreciation as much as possible. Whether Labubu can avoid depreciation remains to be seen. Currently, it is certain that over time, consumers' aesthetics and preferences will continue to change, and new trendy IPs will continue to emerge. Even the currently popular IPs may completely lose their "social currency" attributes and become a thing of the past. Many players have released pressure, gained healing and satisfaction through collecting and sharing trendy games, which is the positive effect of trendy games. However, when players' consumption behavior is swept by trends and they impulsively rush to buy limited edition or co branded products, they are prone to falling into an irrational vortex. This is an important reminder for players: when facing trendy items, they should remain rational and calm, fully understand the rise and fall laws of "social currency", avoid blindly following the trend, and avoid unnecessary economic losses. Trends may fade, toys may become outdated, but a person's broad knowledge, unique experiences, and profound thinking will never depreciate. This is the truly enduring 'social currency'. A person who can tell a good story is more thought-provoking than someone who simply shares trendy content. A discussant who can provide unique insights is more impressive than someone who repeats popular internet memes... What people ultimately remember is not who has the most limited edition products, but whose ideas are more vivid and whose expressions are more warm. In this sense, instead of wasting energy on chasing fleeting trend labels, it is better to cultivate one's own spiritual soil - the former can make you briefly the center of the topic, and the latter can make you a unique existence. (New Society)