To get a break as an artist, you'll have to be an influencer.
I'm not kidding.
Think about it.
Influencers and celebrities pretty much do everything today.
They sell books, launch their own merch, teach courses, give out commencement speeches, invest in startups, come up with their own apparel, liquor, or cosmetic brand, launch their fitness startup, act in ads, produce movies, endorse products on their Insta or TikTok. Everything!
I don't blame them. There's a huge market for this.
The celebrity craze is at its peak now.
People worship celebrities. They see them as role models. They defend them when someone bad mouths them on social media. And, they do mean things out of love for their 'idols'.
But, that's not my problem. Hero worship is part of every society. Has been and will be.
My problem is with the kind of celebrities we as a society are giving rise to…
A 17-year old TikToker who posts GRWM videos and tries on new clothes is some kid's role model today.
Kids who idolize these influencers think that they don't have to study. They think education is a waste of time. Their dream goes from going to college to becoming an influencer and enjoying a cool lifestyle.
The same thing happens to a lot of women. They quit their career and jump onto OnlyFans to make money. What the hell! If you haven't heard about the girl who quit her PhD to do OnlyFans, go read it!
If this continues, no one will become a scientist or a researcher. Everyone would be holding their smartphones on a monopod and would be scream "Hey fammmm!..."
This whole craze around influencers and celebrities is crushing the spirit of art and true artists from around the world.
Before the 21st century, artists became celebrities. Now, celebrities are becoming artists.
I read somewhere that for a book to sell, publishers have set a new criterion.
The author has to have at least 1,00,000 followers on their social media - enough to get 5,000 to 10,000 pre-orders - which makes the book a bestseller.
When numbers take precedence over content, art gets diminished and mediocrity begins to sell. And, if you really want to be a writer, you have to do more than just write.
You'll have to create content, play to the rules of the 'algorithm', engage with your fans, voice out your opinion, gain your 1,000 true fans, and do a zillion other things to sell your book.
It's crazy!
I'm scared and worried when I think about the next generation, will they create an environment for real art to thrive?
Will they celebrate the masters like we or our previous generations did?
What kind of society we will be if we only prioritized and celebrated content that are sub-par or that only focuses on making money?
It shakes me up.
Only a miracle can change all of the above from happening.