Under the Influence

Typical influencer: Stegosaurus was very big, with a tiny brain. 

I am currently reading an interesting book called "The Last Days of the Dinosaurs," by Riley Black. It relates how a 7-mile-wide asteroid struck the Earth and killed most of the giant beasts immediately, making way for the emergence of mammals. We've had a good long run, but we're getting pretty close to the end.

Proof that the human race is destined for extinction is the emergence of a new profession, called an "influencer." There are many of these people online who gain star-status by posting photos and videos of themselves living their lives, as if their lives are superior to everyday folks who are not narcissistic assholes lacking recognizable skills and talents.

Personally I am not influenced by anyone other than my cardiologist who advises me on how to avoid a second heart attack. So I was surprised to read the dictionary definition of the word: "An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience."

I disagree. Take, for example, the case of influencer Joshua Blackledge, a high school junior with 1.1 million TikTok followers whose recent death (reason undisclosed) made the news. The boy's posted content varied between lip-syncing clips, pictures of cars and videos of him hanging out with his teenage friends and girlfriend. 

All I can say is, "Help me, Rhonda." (Not everyone will get that.)