Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author alone.
Ever since Instagram became the new reality, it seems like every Priya, Asha and Shruti in the country suddenly wants to become an influencer. Not to drag anyone but each time that I happen to stumble upon the Explore page on the app, I am suddenly bombarded with girls and boys doing strange, almost lazy TikTok dances or transitions that don’t really showcase any new fashion. I mean, who has not seen ‘3 ways to style a white tank top’? While the OGs on the ’gram have a certain undeniable clout, it’s the recent trend of wanting to transition into the influencer life that has suddenly got so many participants. So what is it that is creating this wave?
Credit: Instagram/Saturday Night Live
1. Real influence
As a student of journalism, one of the first few things we were taught is about the ‘circle of influence’. Whether you have 12 million followers or 12,000, the idea is to gauge whether the person can actually persuade you to do something — be it buying a watch they’re advertising or changing your political views.
However, today, that definition has completely changed and I’ll tell you why. The fact that the number of followers began being equated with the kind of real influence a person has, marketing companies began looking at social media as a platform to boost their products. Lo and behold, the birth of the Insta-influencer. Cut to 2021 and we see influencers receiving care packages, goodie bags and sponsored trips which, TBH, will only make people like you and me crave them more.
Credit: Giphy/BBCThree
2. The gifted life
One of the reasons that I believe that such a huge transition has happened with Instagram today is because of the projected lifestyle of influencers. As people working regular jobs, the life of photoshoots, attending award ceremonies and getting unlimited gifts is enticing to say the least. We all want in and badly.
Credit: Giphy/NewAmsterdam
However, the part here that actually sticks out like a sore thumb is that not a lot of these ‘influencers’ have any real influence. A lot of the stories and posts that they make are not the real deal — not their real skin, not the outfits they wear on a regular basis, not even real happiness. Several stories have emerged worldwide about how these influencers boasting of millions in their follower lists have not been able to actually sell any of the products they advertise or just how narcissistic they’ve become in the process of seeking validation. So where does one draw the line?
3. The unpretty
Another general trend I have noticed about the rise of influencers is the deflection towards more mature content. Of course there is no harm in showing your body if you’re comfortable with it but most of the time, the intended outcome of empowerment is far from being achieved. The difference between privilege and empowerment is gradually getting blurred especially when there is such a mismatch between the virtual world and reality in a dysfunctional society like India.
Credit: Giphy/The Girlfriend Experience
4. The question about mental health
Choice is a very powerful term on the internet. Here’s where we stand back and say, anyone is free to do whatever they feel like, wherever and whenever they feel like, right? However, the only thing such a trend has resulted in is a deterioration of mental health. The pressure to be relevant on the internet has genuinely become a talking point amongst the younger generation. “How many followers does she have?”, “Does he think he’s some influencer?” are all terms we’ve heard and perhaps used ourselves. Not only are we becoming participants in the toxic process, we’re actually letting it dictate our own self-worth.
Credit: Giphy/ShamelessMaya
Has time come to finally let go of the infatuation we have with these internet celebrities? Do we question whether they’re actually providing any solid ground for real discussion anymore? Let us know in the comments below.
Lead image credit: Instagram/Shanaya Kapoor
