Regardless of whether we are aware of it or not, we are being influenced daily. Whether it’s the way we choose to dress, speak, act, or think, our lives are made up of doses of inspiration from those around us.
Maybe you choose to put your hair in a bun because that’s what your second-grade teacher did or say “hello” to the bus driver because that’s what your best friend always does. Perhaps, you listen to brown noise while studying because a girl on TikTok said it’s life changing, or you always make an effort to match your shoes to your top because the sandwich rule is all the rage.
Considering how much time we spend on our phones, it’s no surprise that much of the influence we are receiving is from people we don’t even know — that is, people on social media. With the dramatic evolution of technology’s presence in individuals’ lives over the last two decades, many social media creators have been able to sustain content creation as a full-time career.
With the support of worldwide followers, these influencers can be classified as mainstream. Whether focusing their content on fashion, food, beauty, gaming, life, or anything else in between, countless influencers have been able to garner millions of followers and, thus, a dedicated audience.
Many of us are drawn towards influencers who are loved by many and whose lives are filled with luxury and carefreeness. We enjoy seeing them attend events we would never be invited to and wearing clothes we can only hope to one day afford. Watching their content gives us the opportunity to live vicariously through them, smiling at the good things happening in their lives, allowing us to take a break from thinking about the not-so-great things happening in our own.
Although there is nothing wrong with following the lives of those oh-so-entertaining influencers, it’s also important to be aware of how influence can affect us.Â
When you are continuously watching content creators who seem to have all the things you could ever ask for, you may start to wonder if you can ever reach that level of contentment. The truth is that we simply don’t know how exactly these influencers have come into the virality. While some of the things influencers have can be obtained with money and hard work, others are acquired by privilege or just plain luck.
Exclusively consuming the content of those who are privileged can cause us to compare ourselves to them, which can be quite damaging to our self-esteem. This doesn’t, however, take away from how amusing it can be to watch a random woman on the internet unbox a pair of shoes worth a month’s rent.
If I’m being completely honest myself, I enjoy watching content about people who seem to not have any worries. Rather than watching dramas about heartbreak, broken families, and tragedy, I often opt for light-hearted sitcoms that portray characters who live in paid-off houses and eat out every day. In the same way, over social media, I find myself spending more time viewing pretty women get ready for a night out in LA rather than videos of people using social media as an outlet to express their frustrations with their relationships, careers, and life in general.
Constantly seeing people living in luxury can cause us to feel self-doubt and insecurity and that we are behind in life. On the other hand, constantly hearing about the struggles of those we don’t know can cause us to feel negativity and hopelessness, unsure of whether we deserve the things we have. Ultimately, we all need to find a balance that works for us. A great way to remedy this is to make an effort to follow influencers who reflect us.
Representation matters, even when it comes to social media. We all deserve to see people we can relate to, whether on the big screen or the little one in our hands. From race to religion, ethnicity to socioeconomic status, occupation to personal interests, finding influencers like us can allow us to feel good about being ourselves.Â
Reflecting on my own experiences — being a young, impressionable person on social media — I’ve found that it took me a while to realize how valuable it can be to find influencers who are like me. Initially, I gravitated towards content that made me wish my hair was a different colour or my facial features weren’t the way they were. I didn’t see this as an issue because I heard all the discourse about how terrible social media is and how using it will ultimately drive you to self-hatred.Â
What I didn’t realize is that this feeling was avoidable through representation. I’ve now realized that I can appreciate different types of content. I can admire those who fit Eurocentric beauty standards and can afford to get their nails done every week. I can also value those who are trying to find a balance between embracing their darker skin, navigating being a first-generation child of immigrants, and just trying to pass their next exam without having a meltdown.
Instead of donning the very same outfit I’ve been wearing since middle school, I’m able to dress in a way that makes me feel good about myself while also embracing my religious beliefs. The reason I can now do this is because I began to follow more South Asian hijabi influencers. I get to watch them stress out the night before exams, be anxious on the way to work or be annoyed at all the expectations placed before them, in addition to viewing the other white influencers I was following before.
Ultimately, following mainstream influencers is not a bad thing, nor should you feel ashamed for appreciating content created by people with lives very different from yours. However, making an effort to find influencers that look like you can help you feel a sense of belonging. It can make you realize that there are people out there with similar lives and backgrounds to yours and that their lives are also worthy of appreciation.
So, whether it be academic pursuits, fashion, family, career goals, or anything in between, they can influence and inspire you to be your best without feeling like you aren’t doing enough.