Influencer Culture: Are We Going Too Far?

"Nancy what is wrong with you!!" That's the first thing my mum would say whenever I got home at the end of the term from boarding school.

She would try to pry the remote from my hands with an irritated look on her face and the times where she did succeed in doing that, she would change my favorite show "Keeping up with the Kardashians" to something more kid friendly.

But that never lasted long.

Soon as she stepped out to run errands, 14-year-old me with all the defiance and arrogance of a teenager would switch back to my daily dose of KUWTK.

"What did she know?" The Kardashians were the most beautiful and desired women in the world (or so my teenage brain thought) and they were my world.

At 16 years old, I was already pointing out problems in myself. Why wasn't I as pretty as Kim or had the desired body type? My major priority was saving enough money and perhaps going under the knife to conform to what my teenage heart considered perfection.

Fast forward to 2024 and my mum was right. I am happy that I had parents that put their foot down and made me take a good hard look in the mirror. But when I look around today, I can't help but wonder, what will the social scene look like?

The term influencer was still coming up at the time I was growing up and it wasn't a word people tended to think about when they wanted to be like celebrities or look like them. In the past, these celebrities were out of reach. We could see, admire and aspire to be like them but that was it.

Now, you can't escape it.

Influencers are everywhere - on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and maybe even your local bookstore.

Almost everyone understands what it means to be an influencer and countless people want to be.

On one hand, the rise of influencer culture can be seen as a good thing (I always try to be the Devil’s advocate).

The pandemic stoked the flames of influencer culture and today, it is a $5 billion industry.

It created job opportunities for people and in my side of the world, I've seen influencing give people the opportunity to explore their creativity and earn money online.

Then there is the flip side -its unavoidable impact on culture and self image.

Until my 20s, I didn't realize the impact the Kardashians and other influencers I saw on Instagram had on my self esteem and my perception of worth and beauty. Today I do and in a way, you can help but wonder if the younger generation stands a chance.

Teenagers are no longer teenagers. The awkward shy phase is gone and in its place are "babies" trying to look 10 years older. In place of paperback books, educational toys, and playtime with friends, are iPad kids that throw a tantrum when their phones are taken away.

Right now, honesty is a rare policy. Just check Instagram and TikTok. Everyone (I'm guilty as well) tries to present the most perfect and luxurious version of themselves. If you do decide to show yourself as you really are, you are described as brave or courageous because you stood in the face of social media pressure and hyper curated beauty and came out strong.

For young people, our attention span has been cut short; but for Gen Alpha it is probably going to be even worse. Consumerism and materialism is taking over not because we need these items, but to impress people who don't even know our last names.

Everybody is trying to sell you something whether it is an image or a product. You have to be more aware than ever to separate what is genuine from a quick cash grab.

Influencing can be a good thing, but it is important for everyone to bear in mind that they are not above its impact. Social media can be a tool for good and can be used in the most productive way. But we have to be extra mindful of the culture growing on social media and its possible impact on our minds.

What do you think of influencer culture? Have we gone too far or is there a chance for us to come back?

Let's talk!