It’s a perfect romance story. They are influencers and the influenced, the hunters, and the hunted. Their love-trending needs are dutifully met under the cold covers of social media.
Until…
…an influencing lie is revealed, or its truth has been stretched so far that it no longer feels comfortable for followers to swallow. It’s worse than cheating!
Such was the case with the couple who rescued an orphaned baby from China. All was well, and the followship grew exponentially. There’s nothing warmer or fuzzier than child rescues and a growing social media account.
The child’s disabilities became troublesome for the duo. The couple ended up “rehoming him”. He was once the centre of their trend but suddenly vanished without a word. Much phrase-juggling took place on their account to keep the faithful loyal, but when the truth became known, that influence lost it. The whole thing imploded and generated a new trend. (A documentary about this story will come to the small screen soon.)
“Gross. They adopted a child for content.” – laura_palmer
What attracts unknown people to another bunch of unknown people for unguided, unregulated content?
People often follow influencers not for who they are but for what they represent—a mirror reflecting desires, aspirations, and the desperate human need to connect. Influencers, often ordinary individuals cloaked in curated perfection, create an illusion of relatability and accessibility that seduces the masses. They are unknowns speaking to unknowns, but their platforms amplify their voices, making them seem larger than life.
This dynamic feeds on collective loneliness. Social media thrives on the paradox of proximity and distance, offering the illusion of intimacy without the risk of genuine vulnerability. Followers crave a sense of belonging, even in the shallow waters of parasocial relationships. They seek validation, inspiration, or even distraction from their lives by peering into someone else’s highlight reel.
But what is the purpose? Is this a healthy connection or a hollow imitation of community? One might argue it’s a cycle of narcissists leading the needy, with influencers drawing power from admiration while followers find fleeting comfort in guidance. The question remains: Does this transaction nourish or deplete us? In many cases, it’s a double-edged sword—offering moments of joy and escape while perpetuating the isolation and emptiness it seeks to alleviate.
Discover more from Michael Forman – Author of Dark Fiction & Drama
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