Reflecting on the current state of the internet, I can't help but feel a bit unnerved.
The digital landscape is teeming with viral TikTok influencers who've transformed themselves into modern marionette dolls, performing instantly on command to the tune of audience feedback and monetary gifts.
For instance, a livestream viewer gifts a virtual ice cream and instantly, a streamer offers an excited response about an "ice cream, so good." Or someone offers a virtual cowboy hat, worth more than the ice cream, and the streamer slips into a full-blown cowboy impersonation. I can't help but notice how unapologetic these creators are about their monetization strategies.
Humans turning into responsive marionettes, performing for strangers on the internet, stirs up a sense of discomfort within me. But are these TikTok influencers doing anything that isn’t right in line with our current societal trajectory?
Consider opinion leaders like Tucker Carlson. Is he too not a marionette, albeit of a different kind? He taps into the pulse of a substantial percentage of the Western population, providing exactly what they crave, thereby effectively monetizing his audience. The stark comparison between a TikTok influencer and a respected opinion leader like him might seem absurd, but is it really?
Take for example, his interview with Andrew Tate. Tate is no moral paragon, yet Tucker flew to Romania to meet Tate because Tate is clearly trending in social media algorithms, and Tucker knew his interview would go viral (and make him lots of money). How is this that different from what the TikTok livestreamers are doing?
We are all susceptible to audience capture, prioritizing what the audience wants to hear over what's worth communicating. It requires immense courage to resist this tempting trap. The lure of money, fame, and audience validation can easily reduce us to mere objects, treating both ourselves and our audiences as commodities in this transactional world of social media.
So, here's a thought to ponder. Are we selling ourselves out? Are we losing our individuality, our authenticity, in pursuit of popularity? Are we becoming slaves to algorithms? Is it worth it?
Only you can answer that for yourself.