A few months ago, I was in the depths of the Internet online shopping for a pair of boots. I get insane buyer’s remorse so once I settled on three options, I needed to take a step back and let it stew a little before actually deciding to purchase one of them. The next thing I knew, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and came across a recommended post of probably the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen wearing one of the boots. So, naturally, I bought that one.
As an influencer, that’s the ultimate goal, isn’t it? You get lavished with free products and in turn, you promote them online and let the promise of looking like you or living like you do the rest. At the core of influencer culture is capitalism and the ever-growing reliance our modern society has on other people to sway our dollar. It only takes a handful of these individuals, and a well-programmed algorithm, for us to literally buy into consumerism and perpetuate the glamorization of “more.”
Clearly, I am no exception to the powers that be. My falsely correlational thinking convinces me that if I get those boots, I will look like that girl not only in her choice of footwear but in every other positive trait I’ve found in her within five seconds of seeing the post. Maybe, even, I’ll get to traipse around New York City like she is in the photo, living as carefree as she seems to be living and getting people to perceive me as the “cool girl” the way I am perceiving her.
Brands capitalize on the likability of influencers and their ability to be relatable, yet not attainable. The difference between a brand promoting a product on their own social media accounts versus a famous person doing the same is that that person gives the general public a physical, concrete image to look up to and want to be. However, reality often misses the mark not just because of the aforementioned misguided thinking, but because the stuff we see on social media is rarely untouched. You can buy the makeup that your favorite influencer is sponsored by, but no matter how much foundation you use, your skin will never look as untextured or airbrushed as theirs does because theirs is literally airbrushed. While many are more transparent with their audience, the majority of influencers (and people in general) will push the best version of themselves online and create an unrealistic idea of what they look like and what lifestyles they have.
The term “influencer” is used to describe people loosely and almost condescendingly, but at the end of the day, they really are influencing us. Even our deterrence to their promotions or platforms informs businesses and helps them to better cater their content to the most defiant customers. Gen Z loves to hate on capitalism and consumerism, but then we let random people with blue checkmarks next to their names dictate which boots we buy.
Despite the surface-level rejection of influencers, they are only growing in numbers, especially with the recent rise of micro-influencers. Being a mindful consumer is more important than ever and it’s important that we are careful with the content we consume on the Internet and the way it affects how we perceive ourselves and others. Social media has always been a slippery slope, but by being vigilant customers in the digital marketplace, we can recognize its pitfalls and make sure we’re spending our time, money and energy wisely.