An ‘old-fashioned’ definition of an influencer is someone who inspires, guides, or motivates the actions of others by being the best possible example, in their actions or behaviour, and being reflective of their society’s expectations.
Earlier examples of these would have been maybe, Omar Sharif, a suave Egyptian actor, the first Arab to conquer Hollywood, whose roles portrayed him as sophisticated and worldly, influencing men towards a greater appreciation of women, and guiding women towards greater expectations of their men. Clark Gable was another who influenced men and women positively through both his glamorous private life, and his many cinema roles. Yet when he ripped his shirt off to display a bare chest, in the 1934 movie ‘It Happened One Night,’ undershirts and singlets became a thing of the past overnight! It’s also impossible to go past Elvis Presley’s influence on all generations musically, with his rock and roll, or corning romanticism. Physically and sartorially, Elvis Aaron Presley was the full package.
Norma Jean Mortensen was a successful model, but as Marilyn Monroe, she influenced the way women walked, talked, danced, and laughed out loud. Often portrayed as the ‘blonde bombshell’ in her movies, she challenged that stereotype vigorously inspiring her generation. Meanwhile, across the other side of the Atlantic, British fashion designer Mary Quant decided ‘less was more,’ in creating the ‘mini skirt’ and ‘hot pants,’ knee and calf length boots, and giving the ‘swinging sixties,’ an iconic imagery to last forever. Florence Nightingale professionalised nursing and altered forever the way in which women were seen in the workplace, and particularly hospitals. They would never be docile, subservient and unheard again.
These six individuals changed the world by doing ‘their things,’ by inspiring, motivating and guiding entire generations towards expression, liberty, and identity, with their skills, knowledge and understanding, demonstrating resilience, and the indefinable quality that is missing in so many of today’s generation... talent. They worked hard for their success, not seeking influence, yet finding it.
Globally, with 88 million TikTok, and 36 million Facebook followers, Addison Rae tops the world standings. Blonde and beautiful, she has been a student, see Louisiana State University, dropped out in 2020; a cosmetician, see ‘Item Beauty,’ discontinued in 2023; a modestly talented dancer, and an actress with minor roles in ‘She’s All That,’ and ‘Thanksgiving.’ A singer boasting a high of 54 on billboard, she has maintained her imposing social media numbers through musical collaborations with the likes of Charlie XCX, Lana del Ray, and a host of ‘walk-through’ and ‘dance-through,’ music videos, and television appearances. Rae is clearly a driven young woman, but with Britney Spears as her main influence, and a large part of her life, how does that CV stack up as inspirational? Benito Skinner is thirty-something, and identified by ‘The Hollywood Reporter,’ as one of the top five influencers in America, is a comedian, apparently. In ‘Overcompensating,’ a Prime Video offering, “he rose to digital prominence creating sketches about characters who are nothing like him,” but as his alter ego, Benny Drama, performing skits that he says, “tap back into a childlike version of himself.” And that’s it, I ask myself? Top 5, and all he wants to do is to access JK Rowling’s Twitter account so he can delete it! What a fatuous personality! Quelle horreur!
And then there’s the ‘Queen of the Kardashians,’ Kim. Imagine, her first brush with fame was a 2007 unauthorised x-rated video, a ‘dalliance,’ if you like, yet today she is a ubiquitous presence on television, has a burgeoning business empire, being named one of Fortune Magazine’s ‘Most Powerful Woman,’ in 2023, and is as rich as Croesus. Yet clearly surgically enhanced, she is dissatisfied with her body image, and what message does that send to impressionable teens, her target market? Today’s so-called influencers are a motley assortment of would-be-wonders, self-obsessed wannabees, freeloaders, crudely imposing themselves upon a generation that seeks fame without talent, industry, or effort. Well, you can put lipstick on something ugly, but... it will still be ugly.
Ray Petersen
The writer is a media consultant
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