Do We Need Influencers' Political Opinions? [Content Made Simple]
Issue #223: Charlie bit me, Millennial nostalgia, and more.
Do we really need influencers’ Israel-Palestine hot takes?
Quote:
For the most part, influencers exist because we like looking at them, their lives, their homes, and their clothes, and not necessarily their ability to articulate nuanced debates. Just as we should be suspicious of any big business that weighs in on political issues, so too should we be of celebrities, because ultimately both are beholden to their own economic success.
Rather than share empty infographics on Instagram or make grandiose statements with little action to back them up, a better way the wealthy could use their platforms is by sharing what, exactly, they’re doing in support of their causes.
Commentary:
I found this article really helpful! I always think it’s sorta interesting to see what hot-button issues internet influencers speak out on and what they choose to not speak out on. I find it, as does the author, deeply concerning that people are flocking to random internet influencers who specialize in makeup or cooking or gaming to become bastions of morality and ethics. Anyway, great article and worth a lot of consideration.
HITTING THE LINKS
Link #1: How Olivia Rodrigo Became a Canvas for Millennial Nostalgia
Fascinating look at the broad appeal of a new album that is captivating lots of people. (Language in the article.)
The album is an equally appealing soundtrack for millennials who “lost their 20s” to the pandemic, grasping for vitality from the Disney star. It’s a convenient point of access for people who don’t typically engage with new music, or 30-somethings who’ve aged out of the youth culture discourse. Olivia Rodrigo has become an inescapable enigma: Who is she, where did she come from, and why is everyone yelling? Sour validates the critics’ lionization of young artists who “get” bygone (early aughts) rock and pop traditions.
Link #2: Charlie bit us all, if you really think about it
We almost lost one of the most iconic YouTube videos of all time!
“After the auction we connected with the buyer, who ended up deciding to keep the video on YouTube,” Davies-Carr told Quartz. “The buyer felt that the video is an important part of popular culture and shouldn’t be taken down. It will now live on YouTube for the masses to continue enjoying as well as memorialized as an NFT on the blockchain.”
Link #3: ‘iCarly’ Revisits Influencer Culture in Revival Trailer
I was too old to watch the original iCarly, but it was a show well ahead of its time in terms of themes (internet celebrity, etc.). So I am interested to see how it addresses influencer culture in this re-launch of the series. I probably won’t be watching, but I’ll be interested to read writers who do.
Picking up 10 years after the classic Nickelodeon show ended, the new “iCarly” follows original influencer Carly Shay and her friends navigating work, love and family. In the trailer, the characters go on dates, joke around in the revamped loft and restart their popular web series, this time shot on a PearPhone.
THE FUNNY PART
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"Do we really need influencers’ Israel-Palestine hot takes?" Absolutely freaking not.