A recent poll says 86% of kids say their dream job is to be a "Social Media Influencer". Have we lost our minds as a society?

[KrakenAttackin]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/social-media-influencers-86-of-young-americans-want-to-become-one/

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1 y

This makes me want to puke.

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1 y

What we need are solid role models, IMHO.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

Why the fuck would anyone want a real job right now? Would you rather get a teaching degree in 4 years and make the same amount of money as a waiter? Or maybe you'd rather be a police officer and step on people's necks for a living like we see on social media all the time now.

Maybe you could be a lawyer and make enough money to own two used cars and if you're really diligent, maybe send your kids to college.

The middle class is gone dude. Why is it so confusing to older people that kids just want to be able to go on vacation sometimes without having to not eat or worry about paying their credit card because their car breaks down?

To live like someone who was middle class in the 70's you'd have to be making 200k every year now and that's the top 10% of earners in this country which means our middle class is now a representation of the bottom 3-4% (in my estimation) of the top 10% of top earners in the country.

So yea, I can see why kids don't want to be treated like a number, disrespected their whole lives and living on the edge of financial ruin for the rest of their lives. I can totally see why they'd rather be happy and have friends for a living.

[Levin]

Where are the solid role models?

Work 9-5 for a shit pay. Can't even afford to live, buy your own home, children, etc. And since when were the police, doctors, etc role models? Look what they did during covid. They have abandoned their inner sense of right, going along with social pressure and bullying others who don't go along with their warped world views.

So children are doing what comes naturally to them. Of course they're spellbound by good looking people, who get lots of attention and money for doing very little. It's not their fault that you get 10£ million per year for kicking a bag of air around.

Sorry if this is excessively jaded...

[Rosexøxø]

I mean, if you really think about it.. can we all influence? 🤔

I mean sure we can all have an influence and not be followers. It could help young generations break “molds” BUT as long as they are not mirroring OTHER influencers.

I don’t see why influencers can’t be productive either…

I’ve seen some construction youtubers- they had families too. Some fishing you tubers.

Everyone go document their lives of making a living, and have an influence! Lol

Youtube will definitely be filled, but 🤷‍♀️ at least people will be more focused on themselves possibly… as long as they’re not obsessed over the camera.

[KrakenAttackin]

@Rosexøxø. Ok, this is the best answer yet. It you are actually adding value, teaching a skill, helping people, sharing art; than I can see the value. It's the shameless attention seeking that makes me really concerned.

[Rosexøxø]

Thank you, and I agree!

Everything you said is spot on. Summarized and to the point. That’s how it ought to be.

[meetkitty123]

Oh yes it's rather frightful my own children have mentioned this I don't shoot their dreams down ever even if I don't agree with their aspirations what I'll do is I'll put other ideas in their heads while they're talking about it I'll mention college I mentioned the importance of not only having something to say but knowing what the heck you're talking about so you need to be educated being online can be successful but that does not mean you quit school it does not mean you rely on it as your only option you should be able to have multiple talents and that begins with a solid education.

[MzAsh]

That’s a lot, but I understand why. People are making a lot of money being internet entrepreneurs these days. And opportunities and entryways are everywhere.

[KrakenAttackin]

@MzAsh. So you block me than unblock me just so you can post to my question?

[OlderAndWiser]

WTF happened to kids wanting to be astronauts or nurses?

[normalice]

I would say the "job creators" have lost their minds. Such is the cost of a media that tried to glorify them as valuable members of a meaningful society by aggressively suggesting job creators are the ones who give us meaning. But it turned out all along they just wanted all the money, which they now have, and so have to deal with the pressure of being expected to hold up their end that they never agreed to - which they aren't doing. I think when kids see how meaningless their work options are and how little pay comes from it, set that next to some YouTuber that made a million dollars playing video games for an audience or whatever, and it's the 14% that would choose becoming another cog in the pointless machine that don't make a lot of sense. We've been told by example that work doesn't matter: what matters is that you have money. That is the lesson being taught by having a ruling class that doesn't seem to do anything. Of course people would learn it,

[KrakenAttackin]

@normalice An interesting point. I guess the goal should be to find work that has meaning TO YOU. I have worked with welders (mostly TIG) who were amazing artists and were very satisfied with their work. I think what you are really saying is work to live, don't live to work; which is completely correct.

[normalice]

The problem is if the work one finds meaningful doesn't pay enough to live comfortably. Indeed in most cases such work doesn't pay at all or may even end up costing money (that's what a hobby is). You must find work to do that profits a rich man. And you must put that attribute before anything else you want to find out about the work or risk starvation, and I suspect knowing all of the available work there is for to one choose from necessarily has that filter applied might disillusion a lot of people to the absence of any meaning to any of it. No one likes a gatekeeper.

Of course, if you have some sort of economic safety net (ie an inheritance or trust fund) you can try starting your own business without any risk of starvation to gamble with the prospect of becoming one of the gatekeepers, but the chances of success are slim (though not zero).

[goaded]

"You must find work to do that profits a rich man."
Or that profits many people a little, surely?

[KrakenAttackin]

@normalice. I mostly agree with your posts. But people have to make their way, out food on the table, raise kids, etc. Perhaps we need to stop centering our identities around our occupation.

[normalice]

Indeed, I'm not endorsing this way of life, merely describing it..

[Aerissa_Jade]

Doesn't this happen every generation? My dad says 75% of his class back in the 90's wanted to play video games and get paid to find bugs. Before the internet was a big thing of course and they actually paid testers.

He says it didn't last as long though, cause internet came out and companies switched to using paying customers to find bugs and release updates, rather than QA testing before release.

Lots of people failed at their dream job of getting paid to play games.

People should consider their 'dream' job to be a decent job at a decent company, even if ten minutes before your shift starts, your crying thinking damn I don't want to go to work but at least they pay good and got decent benefits... so suck it up and get it on.

[exitseven]

I wanted to be a news broadcaster when I was a kid. This was back when it was an honorable profession.

[Lliam]

If that statistic is true (and I have no reason to think it's not), it truly is crazy.
I guess it's because kids are spoiled and don't want to work hard. They probably don't even buy the equipment they use for social media. It's probably given to them by their parents who house and feed them.

At the same time, there are few decent paying low skilled jobs anymore. It used to be that there were lots of jobs for high school grads. Men could own homes and support families on jobs that didn't require college degrees. Not anymore.

[monorprise]

They wanted to be rock stars, sports stars, actors, etc.. before.

Kids are programed to want to seek what they think is fame, power, and fortune. Today they see that in Social media Influencers because like the other sorts of professions/hobbies they know not what they really are.

Just remember this is how we are programed to be successfully by trying to emulate other people who are most successful.

The problem is we live in a world of ever more cleverly hidden fiction.

For those of us still inexperienced with said world as the young are it is far too easily to be deceived in believing the most famboiant and visible are also the most successful and powerful.

[Cubus]

An interesting thing my professor recently told me:

Tiktok in Western countries (like USA) ads "trendy" things linked with lifestyle of influencers. This results in more and more western children wanting to be an influencer,

On the same platform in China, ads consist of things related to engineering, biophysics, medicare etc. In order to rise interest in this amoung young Chinese people that use Tiktok.

So Tiktok actually develops Western youth into influencers, and Chinese youth into scientists and doctors. Guess who would end up better.

[TallAnon]

People have always wanted to get rich without effort, this is just the new way people see to get to that point. It's the same as becoming a rock star, entrepreneur, etc.
Can't blame them either, as a human race, we should be aiming for a society where entertainment is the most important, because this means we superceded the need for more basic thing such as food, healthcare, etc. We should actively be trying to permanently overcome those difficulties and give ourselves the chance to just "enjoy life".

[Fuentes]

I can't say much about this it's kids, many kids said they wanna be astronauts or pilots or even the President or some famous actor in all era's growing up but nobody only grew up to really do that only a small handful.

So since it's children you can never kill their imagination & dreams. Right now In this current climate the new TV is youtube & fast streaming services. Got to let kids grow can't throw adulthood at them early. But the thing I will tell kids is these SJW'S are bad people, there is only two genders & that they will be continuing my family tree blood line.

[Anonymous]

No, a lot is made about people not wanting to work anymore. But we've just changed as a society. Automation and outsourced labor is giving Americans the ability to find incomes that require minimal if any labor. I now make as much money outside my 9 to 5 job that last yr. A decided to stop doing it altogether. No, not everyone can be social media influencer. But we've reached a point in society where hard work is neither valued or even respected. If you make a living getting your hands dirty you're actually ridiculed and derided. Where this all ends? That's anybody especially guess.

[Likes2drive]

The world needs ditch diggers too, unfortunately they don’t realize not everyone can actually do this for a living, someone has to have skills and still build things and solve problems or we will all suffer. I’m glad my kids don’t think like that, it’s unrealistic, they are all getting jobs in the medical field since that’s always needed and pays better

[EmyyWolf]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/eiVkFql33rE

RUMBLE

MADE THIS VIDEO FOT YOU

[EmyyWolf]

@KrakenAttackin

[WindAtMyBack]

They'll grow out of it. It's not really any different than kids seeing another kid on TV or movies and wanting to be an actor.

It's also a lot like people wanting to be professional gamers, musicians or artists. Go for it, but keep your day job.

[midnightmoon05]

When growing up, I seen homeless people. Now that I am a grown up. I am seeing young kids (teens, young 20s, young 30s) homeless.

What can I say... parents didn't do their job because kids want to be art major and English major... etc... and change major and take on loads of tuition debts.

the new thing? "social media influencer"? SMH...

[desperatelyhungry]

No. They don’t do hard work. They make more money then most of us will ever see in our lives. They travel, have the finest things, and are their own bosses. I know why the real
Jobs are needed but the real
Jobs are also bullshit and I get why people would rather make money posting on ig

[NaultD]

Sounds like the American dream to me. It pays the bills. That's what it means to be in a capitalist free market economy. Why do you think every bill made in America has "in god we trust"? Every cent every dollar transaction is blessed and sanctioned by god.

[Anonymous]

As from a standpoint , it's cool. You can get money and fame rapidly. Don't have to work or study hard for years. No pressure sedentary Peter Pan lifestyle is the dream of millions. The problem is not people wanting to be social media stars.

The problem is we have screwed up other jobs and will do it more in the future. After some years most tech and attendent jobs will be taken over by AI. As science is progressing STEM jobs will become incredibly difficult and will take years of training. Doctors , scientists have to stay lifetime in school. Most people will not go to science research as it doesn't pay. You will still have blue collar jobs but those aren't role model jobs for progression of society.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

They are kids. I wanted to be all types of BS when I was a kid too.

Once they grow up and mature dreaming to be a cowboy and princesses etc all goes away.

Some will become social media influencers which is nothing wrong with it as long they aren't promoting garbage or bad vaules.

[KrakenAttackin]

I disagree. "Influencers" are largely shallow clowns, whereas Astronauts, doctors, etc., are not.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

That's not a fact, but your personal opinion. Social media influencers provide a service and content of entertainment that their followers find interesting and fun and many get paid very well for what they provide.

[KrakenAttackin]

@Hispanic-Cool-Guy Right, because "influencers" build space probes, cure diseases, build buildings, lead nations, house the homeless, and invent great things. No man, we cannot normalize narcissism and accept it as "good". And if we do, we cannot accept being an "influencer" as something "valuable", anymore than a game show host is "valuable".

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Man, narcissistic individuals always have and will always exist in droves if social media is around or not.

Let them have their platform and provide their entertainment to people who desire to be entertained by them.

My niece is 11 years old and she has her own channel and the personality to be a social media influencer so be it.

You're making a big deal out of nothing, besides the point out of those 86% percent surveyed only about maybe 3% to 5% will have a successful media channel anyways.

Don't worry doctors, engineers etc won't go out of style, never.

[KrakenAttackin]

@Hispanic-Cool-Guy What happens when her whole self worth becomes centered around the number of "likes" and "followers"? People get driven to be more and more sexualized (for women), and outrageous (for men), all for the pursuit of "likes". This is NOT healthy. Maybe she can make a living at it but at what cost?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

That's none of your concern. You worry about yourself. If it's their dream to a be a influencer then so be it.

[Anonymous]

I mean, is it really all that surprising? They usually say they want to be whatever they think looks the coolest. Astronaut, movie star, firefighter, doctor, social media influencer seems like it's not too far a stretch from that pattern. I wanted to drive an ice cream truck when I was a kid lmao

[OddBeMe]

What was the dream job of teen girls in the 50s? Secretaries. Typists. Maybe the next Lana Turner. I think its an upgrade. Still bullshit, but at least its actual dreaming.

I still dream of writing the next great American Novel. Titled “Trump…Why?”