In a world where cancel culture and the rise and fall of social media careers reign supreme, being a content creator is like walking on eggshells. The slightest mishap, joke gone wrong, or even unpopular brand deal can send influencers out of their fifteen minutes of fame. And between that and their attitudes behind cameras, influencers are notorious for disappearing from the face of the internet a few years after the peak of their fame. Part of this is heavily attributed to netizens’ boycotts. This means not watching any content from the creator, not supporting their product collabs and effectively, taking away their influencing power, bringing down their marketability to brands. In essence, it appears incredibly hard to separate the influencer from the content they put out, and therefore, if the internet doesn’t support the creator, their career goes down with it.
But in the past few years, the same debate has come up in regards to traditional celebrities. Athletes, actors, singers, and politicians. And here’s where the people split.
A lot of the articles and allegations that are brought up against these traditional definitions of celebrities are arguably worse. Without naming names, there are countless reports of assault, adultery, fraud, misdemeanors, drug possession, and even murder. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Yet, time and time again, their movies are box office hits, with their old films hitting theaters annually as memorable reruns, or songs hitting that sought-after number one spot on global charts.
If the argument is that art is an extension of the artist, what makes them any different from influencers and content creators? Why does the greater populace choose to boycott one, while letting the other slide? Is there a greater peer pressure at play, pressuring people to stand against certain types of creators versus others?
Now, I’m not saying that there’s a right answer to this debate. Personally, I believe an artist can be separated from their work. No one should have to feel guilty for enjoying the artistic work an individual artist puts out just because their morals and choices don’t align with that of the artist. But I do believe that we have an obligation to be consistent with our actions and thoughts. If you choose to stand against a small content creator who doesn’t have the same morals as you, that’s perfectly alright. But do the same for the big-shot actor, the world-class singer, the politician who openly states it. Don’t let the pressure of the external world dictate who you boycott and who you don’t, and most importantly, allow yourself to stand your ground.