Bad Influencers
I must be a glutton for punishment because I’m an active LinkedIn user. After years of recruiting, I suppose it’s a habit to log on daily, but some days I wonder why I put myself through the torture.
I have to admit the self-important “influencers” are my favorite people to follow. The virtue signaling and perfectionism is a sight to behold. Over-used inspirational quotes, wise-beyond-their-years insight people claim comes out of the mouths of their toddlers, and aspirational hustle porn stars who portray themselves as ballers posing next to the Bugatti they just valet parked, are all very bizarre and puzzling phenomenon.
I guess being in my forties means my brain was trained to believe things in print carry some weight, some validity. Before everything became click bait, newspapers, and more accurately journalist, had standards and reputations to uphold. Now that anybody can publish anything online, credibility has been flushed down the toilet.
Intellectually I understand people are exaggerating their success, but it takes the emotional side of my brain a minute to catch up. Lately, I’ve taken to doing a little research on some of the people who have grandiose claims about their credentials. Well, actually, I’ve taken to filling in the blanks of those experiences.
When I read someone’s bio that they’re a best-selling author (so you topped your niche Amazon category of artisan thimble making for 2 hours in April 2017), keynote speaker (yeah, at the Valparaiso, Indiana Kiwanis Club Chapter 239 December 2013 meeting), or CEO (of the pickle company you retailed out of a Radio Flyer wagon to supplement your kids’ preschool tuition), I have to take a moment to remind myself that 88% of LinkedIn is unabashed bullshit.
I’ve come to realize the GOAT “influencer” is Matt Foley. Had LinkedIn been around in the 1990’s he would have been doing live video from his van down by the river and he would have gamed the algorithm better than Liz Ryan in her wildest dreams.
