As kids, we were always asked what we wanted to do when we grew up. With the rise of social media, if you ask this question today, you may have children saying they want to be an influencer, rather than pursuing a useful job that benefits society. Just flaunting how you live, what you do, and what you buy has become a career, for some reason.
What even is an influencer? And do we really need them?
Over the years, many horrible things have happened to millions of people in this selfish journey to fame. These influencers do not care about you. In the process of selling anything for clout and profit, they are blind to, or purposely ignore, the harm their online actions may cause
Of course, not all influencers are bad, but those people are few and far between. Rolling Stone’s list of the 25 Most Influential Creators of 2024 talks about all these creators who utilize their platforms for varying purposes. Those who have not been corrupted by money may use their influence to encourage sustainability, such as Mandy Lee, who believes that “when people know their style, they inherently waste less.”
However, encouraging beneficial habits can only do so much. To speak well, but not do as you say, is still harmful. At the end of the day, these rich influencers can say all they want, but with the money they make influencing you, they can afford to put on an act for the camera. Then, later, they can retreat back into the shadows and indulge in the habit they told their less fortunate followers not to do, regardless of how expensive or affordable it may be.
Even if you go into this career with the best intentions, the fame and money that come from being an influencer can go to a person’s head so easily. Yes, there still are good influencers, but you don’t often hear about them.
The toxic ones who constantly create drama are the ones who go viral. They don’t care that their actions are harmful or that they may easily ruin the lives of their fans. All they want is clout and money, and they don’t care who they have to hurt to get it.
Let’s take a look at a big one. Mr. Beast was once considered a generous philanthropist, but he is now hated across the board. The more fame and money he got, the more he lost touch with reality. Accusations kept piling up. Claims of abuses and illegal activities were constant, but he did his best to use his wealth to cover up or quiet the rumors. He participates in countless pump and dump schemes, stealing his viewers’ earnings and later trying to get away with it through his influence.
The fame that many influencers develop backfires negatively on those they influence. Terrible people are rising to prominence who care more about greed than about honoring basic human decency. They can mistreat and hurt people, but they have developed a shield that protects them from receiving the consequences of their actions, leaving the victims with no justice
Even the most well-intentioned people can hurt you in some way, and for those who intend to cause harm, they can inflict damage in never-ending ways, such as cyberbullying.
So no matter how much you may want to be an influencer, this career truly can only cause more harm than good. There is no need to empty your pocket on an overly expensive item because some rich influencer said so, and the trends they encourage may cause true harm. We need doctors, not influencers, and that won’t change any time soon.
