“Influencer” became one of the most desired professions – 05/28/2023 – Ronaldo Lemos

In times of uncertainty and precariousness, a profession emerges as one of the most desired among children, adolescents and young adults: the profession of influencer. A survey carried out by the Lego Foundation asked three countries what children aged 8 to 12 would like to be when they grow up.

In the United States and England, the most coveted profession was vlogger, an influencer who communicates through video. About 30% of children in both countries answered that this is their ambition for the future. In the third country surveyed, China, the answer was different. 58% of Chinese children answered that their biggest wish is to be an astronaut. The list of skills needed to be an astronaut is comprehensive, including mastery of physics, chemistry, mathematics and science in general.

If we consider that the future is realized first in the form of a dream, as historian Jules Michelet reminds us, the implications of these different dreams of children in each country can have a tangible impact in the coming years.

More than capturing children’s imagination, the profession of influencer has also become an ambition of the elderly. A survey conducted by the group Morning Star in the US with people aged 13 to 38, both millennials and members of Generation Z, showed similar results. 54% of the members of this group say they would like to follow this path if given the opportunity. In Brazil, a survey by the advertising company INFLR states that 75% of young people in the country want to be influencers.

The reasons of those who opt for the profession of influencer vary according to the age group. For members of Generation Z, the main reason for choosing it is “to be able to make a difference in the world”. While for millennials the main motivations are “flexible hours” and “money”.

However, even these reasons can be illusory. The desire to become an influencer is often inspired by those who have achieved success this way. However, the funnel to the top is narrow, a tiny number of those who try achieve the stability of living off their own content. Even those who get there seek to diversify their activities, precisely so as not to depend on the instability and brutal competition that is at the core of the influencer profession.

For the absolute majority of those who try this path, the reality is basically the opposite of what millennials aspire to when trying the profession. The work is incessant and the result is, in most cases, little or no money. Influencer work may be comparatively privileged, but in most cases it has the same precarious characteristics of the “gig economy”.

All this without mentioning the issue of mental health. The permanent search for “engagement”, or even the changes that the platforms themselves periodically make to their algorithms, create an environment of constant uncertainty. Research carried out by the Norwegian group Inspire.me with 350 global influencers showed that 47% claim that their career has impacted their mental health. In Brazil, even at the top, there are influencers like Felipe Neto and Whinderson Nunes who speak openly about the topic, including their personal challenges. In short, little of what glitters in today’s world is gold. What attracts on the outside can be a trap.

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