Why are people always trashing influencers?

amother

Navy

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 1:07 am

Onajourney7 wrote:

I have a mental health page on Instagram. I wouldn’t call myself an influencer in any way. My Instagram page is very real. My followers know about my struggles, my ups and downs etc. I don’t do collaborations or post giveaways. I do it because I feel I can help many ppl with sharing my life.

I follow your page and it's really inspirational.
(And you're adorable!)

amother

Burntblack ↓

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 1:56 am

The two times I spoke with a friend at a simcha about an influencer were once when my friend was following somebody that was promoting her own idea of how to cure an eating disorder. Meanwhile my friend was following her advice and it was doing the opposite for her. I followed her too at the time and pointed out to my friend that she is taking ideas from other schools of thought, changing a few details and monetizing them. I also pointed out to her that this influencer doesn't seem to be healing herself. As a survivor myself it is very obvious to me from her stories and posts.

Another time was when a friend of mine was following an influencer that speaks a lot about parenting but uses her kids all the time as content. My friend was feeling like she would never be as good a mom as that influencer and I pointed out that neither is the influencer herself Smile

Her kids hate to be on camera and when they realize that she is filming them they will either freeze, throw things at the phone or start acting stupid. I feel really bad for them and stopped following her.

In general I find myself unfollowing influencers really quickly once they start 'coming out' about their children's diagnosis or struggles.
Social media has caused many people to forget the difference between secret, shameful and private.

LovesHashem

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 2:06 am

I agree a bit with you OP. I mainly follow non Jewish people who focus on art, ceramics, colorful fun homes, and other things. They don't show their children or families and their account is focused on things they create.

I still deleted it off my phone because it's such a time waster

amother

↑ Burntblack ↓

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 2:08 am

In general you will notice that SM pages that stick to the topic they were opened for (granted that the influencer is an expert on the topic) and almost obsessively don't post any other content are usually more wholesome and meaningful. The pages that are potentially more toxic are those that have a specific goal but branch out and display other things too.

amother

NeonGreen

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 2:17 am

I think it’s a combination of many factors. Like someone said upthread, I think we kind of use frum influencers as a symbol of how materialistic and shallow frum life has become.

I also think that people dislike the “fakeness” of social media. I recently came across a beautiful frum woman on Instagram. I scrolled down her feed, and was surprised to see that she looked like a completely different person a few years back. Different hair color, eye color, different nose etc. I have no issue with women trying to look their best, but it was jarring to see how this perfect image was not how it seemed.

Lastly, good old jealousy. So the antidote for that is easy. Leave SM Or unfollow..

amother

Clear

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 9:06 am

amother Lightgreen wrote:

I think there’s also some misogyny here. Some people don’t like seeing women in public positions of power.

Not at all. Influencing is probably a female dominated field. It’s not a position like a politician, judge, lawyer.

amother

SandyBrown

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 9:09 am

Social media trasher here.

Let's first separate them into 2 groups:

1. Those posting about interesting topics that might actually be useful to the viewer. Recipes, foodies and restaurants, art, mental health, religion and many more.

2. And then there's the.....Look at me as I try to somehow pack my wildly expensive designer clothes into my wildly expensive designer suitcases as I try to get my perfectly matched kids ready to go to the airport where we will be flying first class to our $50,000 pesach hotel where I will show you 3 different outfits I'm wearing each day as well as video of me sitting poolside sipping my pena colada. I will then go to the dining area and flaunt a video of the endless food and desserts made by the gourmet chef who is world renowned and flown in from France.

I will then introduce a poll to my followers of where they think I should go next pesach:

1. Italy

2. Dubai

3. Panama

4. Morocco

5. China

I am in recovery (ok, I'm exaggerating a little) and haven't looked at this jealousy provoking/why is my life so ordinary nonsense since after pesach. Best decision I ever made. I don't think it's possible for anyone to routinely watch these people flaunt their lives without feeling at least a little pang of jealousy.

content

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 10:01 am

I’m not a jealous person, so I don’t get it either.

I have no idea what designer things people are wearing.
Other than the fact that Billie Eillish wearing designer doesn’t make the clothing look less trashy 🤷‍♀️

If I don’t have patience to someone’s content, I don’t follow them.

People forget that they make their own social media experience.

icedcoffee ↓

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 10:04 am

amother Mauve wrote:

It means you're an empty shell of a person running after kavod all day.

That's quite the assumption, and not nice either, considering there are people on this forum who consider themselves influencers. That term spans a wide range of different types of accounts.

↑ giftedmom ↓

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 10:10 am

amother SandyBrown wrote:

Not a pang here. But lots of disgust. I mostly come across them when brands I follow repost their unboxing stories. And they give me the heebie jeebies.

amother

Obsidian

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 10:16 am

Maybe it's just me but I find it all so stupid. Maybe it's that I'm of a certain age (50) or that I've always had my own mind about things, but the idea that I can't even wrap my head around the fact that this is an actual job and that anyone cares what these people have to say.

amother

Lightgray

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 10:24 am

I had many positive experiences with IG. But I noticed that I spend way too much time away from my own family because I was busy following everyone else’s life and milestones. It was time to disconnect and pay more attention to and cherish my own.

amother

↑ Mauve ↓

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 10:24 am

icedcoffee wrote:

That's quite the assumption, and not nice either, considering there are people on this forum who consider themselves influencers. That term spans a wide range of different types of accounts.

I guess that's who the two hugs on my post are from...

↑ icedcoffee

Sun, Jun 11 2023, 10:34 am

amother Mauve wrote:

I guess that's who the two hugs on my post are from...

I don't know who hugged you, I just think it's not nice to anonymously accuse users here of being empty shells of a human. You don't know them and that's a harsh thing to say. To the people who ruin every family outing by relentlessly trying to get their kids to pose in the perfect position, or who let their cappuccino get cold while they snap the most symmetrical shot of it, that's a little sad. But there are plenty of "influencers" who are sharing useful recipes, cool hobbies, and interesting content. I don't think you can paint them all with the same brush.