The Social Media Influencer: Overexposed, Overhyped, and Over It

I’m so over the social media “influencer.” You know the one — the one unboxing the latest swag they will soon link for you to buy, the one showing the next best item in every single post, the one that touts simple living and minimalism but also links the latest and greatest organization thing (stuff!), the thousands of social media brand “influencers” selling how to become a social media brand influencer. Ah, it is so…overwhelming, exhausting, and dag on annoying. Why is everyone just trying to sell you something? How do you know what’s real? And, God Almighty, it is sometimes downright harmful. Whatever happened to responsible influencing? Oh, wait — that was never a thing. To be fair, you can’t believe everything you see on the internet. The problem is, that so many do. To be honest, social media isn’t really the problem — it is the users and consumers that make it up. What I want — I just want to be inspired, genuinely entertained, and maybe actually learn something interesting in the social media sphere occasionally. There is still a little of that in there. I see you!

Let’s take a step back.

In the ever-evolving landscape of the digital age, social media influencers have taken center stage. Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter gave ordinary people the opportunity to share their lives…