Why is Influencer Culture SO Toxic!? *let's talk about it*

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0:00 ---- Intro
5:41 ---- The LA Problem
8:55 ---- Flex Culture
12:11 --- The Young and the Famous
18:45 --- Non LA Influencers
23:13 ---- When kids are your fans
25:35 ----- Rich at 18
27:15 ---- Drama = Money
28:50 --- Final Thoughts
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[@HannahTheHorrible]

I call it the Justin Bieber Effect. You can’t just give a child millions of dollars and expect them to stay humble.

[@wiredayan9719]

This.

[@jjjjj4787]

Facts

[@aksez2u]

"Child" being the operative word here. All of this crap and not even a fully developed brain.

[@Catsby83]

The Mary Kate and Ashley saying that they wouldn’t wish their childhood on anyone.

[@laurat1012]

So true. You don’t learn the lessons that people typically learn when they aren’t handed anything they want from a young age.

[@fatsajak]

"glorified high school" is a really great way to describe it honestly.

[@ambular1304]

I think influencers move to LA because they think of themselves as celebrities and famous. Or they move to LA to become a legitimate “celebrity” They think because they are an influencer then they can easily just start acting, or singing, or being a late night talk show host. Being an influencer does not equal A list actors.

[@sosounheard]

THISSS!!!They dont realize that for the most part, it will actually work against them because alot of companys and celebrities will not take them seriously and dont want to attach it/themselves to their names because of the continuous scandals and antics they do to keep relevant. Unless you are mega big (Liza Koshy, Charli D, Addison Rae) and there is a guarantee of longevity and a fanbase willing to spend money and tune in, you wont break the barrier. Even Addison Rae had to be cosigned by the Kardashians before she was considered a D Lister. I mean there are SOO many influencers that blew up and less than 5 years later they have 2 million followers on IG but can’t get 20,000 likes.

[@21Michichi]

I forget what influencer I heard it from but they said they, and many others they know, moved to LA specifically because it would make collaborations with other influencers extremely easy. Such as youtube videos in person. Not necessarily for singing or acting (well traditional Hollywood acting if you know what I mean). Which I mean makes senses when they said it. But also leads to the influencer toxic bubble she was explaining.

[@MarciaQuijada]

@ThisIS TheGirl 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@avem7677]

@@21Michichi Pretty sure it was Smokey herself who said it in another video.

[@TracyD2]

Time will tell what becomes of them.

[@FootlessJo]

OMG I remember the Uggs in middle-school phase. I definitely didn't have real - or fake - ones. 😆

[@laurenorourke2442]

I still have my UGGS lmaoooo💀💀

[@sorudesarutta]

I would imagine with no foot you probably didn’t need to

[@FootlessJo]

@@sorudesarutta 😆 I mean, fair observation! But I had two feet in middle school, the footless part is a recent addition 😉

[@ballyhoodom]

Well you're footless. Why would you need shoes?

[@nickyfransky5443]

Living in Canada... I skipped the Ugg’s and kept my arctic boots. Those folks can keep their fuzzy house slippers 😅

[@Emma-zc5jm]

For me, a lot of real celebrities have some type of grounding because they know that "I'm famous because I acted in [this famous show/movie]/ I'm good at [insert profession]/etc". Whereas a lot of influencers that aren't big for their talent have this feeling that their famous because everyone likes them, and that feeds into your ego in a totally different way.

[@TheZombieMe]

This makes a lot of sense.

[@lonepinata]

This is a great point

[@Emma-zc5jm]

It's the like popular kids at school, but times a million, and they're adults

[@gidd]

I agree Alot of these influencers already come from money or stable families .They didn't have to struggle or put in the work to get to where they are

[@piscesmoon6333]

this is such a valid, underrated point

[@crackondrugs]

I almost passed out when you referred to Charles as your “husband”. I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU TWO 😭

[@jennawalden6386]

Did they actually get married yet? I've noticed that she's been wearing two rings now instead of just her engagement ring. It's so exciting!

[@breannagodinez2584]

@@jennawalden6386 legally yes! But they are still having a ceremony next year to celebrate with family

[@luciagraves4564]

My brain auto filled “James” in front of Charles so that was interesting to read for the first time

[@brianatford6603]

@@luciagraves4564 lol literally same

[@palladium607]

@@luciagraves4564 lmaooooooooooo

[@squidney4582]

“What’s going to happen once these kids turn 30?” Baby, who knows but we gonna find out soon. 😂

[@MiniCupcakesBaby]

They'll still be doing this shit. Look at Tati

[@johannauhl8862]

my first thought: turn into family vloggers ig?

[@squidney4582]

@@johannauhl8862 we don’t need another ace family. No thank you.

[@Discordia5]

@@johannauhl8862 I'd like to believe not all of them are evil enough to become family vloggers. 😢

[@squidney4582]

@@Discordia5 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@mmlee2213]

Hannah: does plenty of research and gives a succinct video essay on important topics that aren't talked about enough also Hannah: "anyway, I don't know"

[@oliviacintron8407]

im embarrassed cause ive been subscirbed for months and I just didn't realize her name was Hannah...

[@mmlee2213]

@@oliviacintron8407 lol don't be embarrassed!! I don't think she mentions it that often

[@airotkiv]

@@mmlee2213 She doesn't! I've watched quite a few videos of her and I only know her name from comments like yours lol

[@natalycastro9498]

It’s interesting to see how this “LA culture” is completely devoid of the experiences of people who are actually from LA, yet it’s the dominant culture that non-LA folks perceive of it.

[@LEXIDIMPLES93]

Exactly!! Every time someone says “La/La culture is toxic” me being born and raised in LA, I’m just like where🤔🥴 it’s all of the transplants that think they know what “la” is so then It’s just a bunch of ppl pretending to be “LA”🥲

[@AnaGarcia-kd9ez]

Yes! It's kinda annoying because it's always people who aren't from LA that think the city is monolith. The city is so diverse with different cultures and made up of other cities. Most of these influencers are not from Socal

[@plumpy_space_princess]

Exactly! That's what I was trying to say in my comment!

[@zoegwynn]

i was thinking the same thing! Im from SD but have fam and friends from LA and none of them are like that, but have one friend who is an influencer in DTLA and is totally like that. It depends your occupation and location in the city I guess

[@202cardline]

Yeah, it’s cause they are big online. And detached from reality 😔

[@vykepp5709]

I feel like influencers give young people a false sense of what life is actually like because they're rich and entitled and when these kids grow up they're gonna be so confused why they don't have a Tesla and why it's so hard to even just survive off a regular job

[@TheZombieMe]

I see this happening to my younger cousin who just graduated high school. She’s already confused about why she doesn’t have a high paying 9-5, weekends off, a newly renovated house/apartment, and a new car.

[@dani-888]

amen. as someone who’s in high school, it’s definitely had that effect on me... unfortunately 😖

[@TuesdaysArt]

Me, whose parents didn't buy their first house until they were in their 40s: 🙃

[@heyyou9313]

They also get so many free products from companies but a lot of people don’t think about that especially kids that watch and it makes it so unrealistic to naturally and spend all that money for the normal person

[@TheKnallkorper]

Even before influence culture really took off, I always felt pressured to buy new outfits and makeup ALL the time because the girls I watched were always talking about new stuff and doing hauls

[@alligatorjonesphd]

It's also hard for influencers to accept that they are losing attention - every tv show has to end, or it risks jumping the shark. They are not actors, they can't start a new season and replace actors or move onto another show or movie. They are real. And it hurts for people to outgrow you.

[@basiec.9705]

+

[@Luckynumber-devon]

Whoa that is exactly it - damn do you have a channel? Maybe I should be following you

[@satanified7089]

the thing is is that there’s a way to grow WITH your audience to keep your content fresh and captivating. it’s the people who refuse to change, do the same things for years on end and not adapt to new trends/concepts. these are the people audiences outgrow. it’s the reason why jenna marbles and shane dawson (until recently) were able to dominate the platform for years and others fizzled out into irrelevance.

[@eveningstar8581]

@@satanified7089 exactly!! My mind immediately went to Jenna, too! She’s not in her mid thirties slamming her face into cupboards anymore lol! A lot of her success is that her followers that were with her from the gate literally grew up with her. She really did nail “relevance on social media”!

[@putrijd5173]

I am patiently waiting for the Netflix documentary “Flex, Clout and Sponcon: The Influencers Phenomenon and Where They Are Now”

[@uroborous1660]

Trademark that title. I would watch that!!!

[@desireericheymesser1951]

This is totally going to happen in a few more years. You totally called it! When David Dobrick went down who I thought was untouchable,it just proves how toxic it all is.

[@erins4183]

Hahahaha OHMEHGERD this is brilliant and now I’m waiting for the same

[@schokococoa575]

@@desireericheymesser1951 oh snap he did?🤔

[@RiaRia172007]

Love the title...I'd watch it!

[@juliannadavis3000]

“Teens filming in their bedroom to clout monsters” Tana popped in my head IMMEDIATELY you’re spot on.

[@oneofthechicas]

its crazy to see that progression of character

[@Veenbuen1]

All in the midst of fabricated story times

[@mentally-ill-mary]

same bestie

[@swedishmake-upgeek5650]

Same

[@nymphacissa]

Its sad that literally ANYONE lets followers and money go to their head. Like Angelika Oles, she used to be so down to earth and relatable and now shes got a Telsa she thinks shes better than everyone, refuses to even have conversations with people and blocks her FANS when they dont think shes 100% right about everything..... also i hate to say ... Adam Mcintyre :( i have been a bestie for YEARS and still love him but hes changing so much so fast now that hes "moved out of the country age 18 alone" and constantly spending thousands on clothings hauls each week.... its like... bestie.... you dont have to brag... we loved you when you got your clothes at charity shops.

[@senselesslibraa]

hannah made a great point by pointing out that after a certain point they're gonna have to realize that real life isn't like the internet and that many of the young influencers haven't lived real life and are going to be real shocked when they finally have to.

[@hannahrosemartinez8916]

If they were smart enough to put money aside. I feel like most would use all their money to keep up with trends and watnot.

[@hannahveerkamp1097]

I always wonder wtf tana is gonna be like in 8 years bc of this

[@senselesslibraa]

@@hannahveerkamp1097 probably running out of money with no one wanting to hire her because of her reputation

[@seb61709]

I wonder how gabbie Hannah is going to feel in another 10 years 😬

[@bookishandbewildered]

Yes!!

[@TheRenegadeStarr]

The same reason mean, manipulative, problematic, bullies are usually the most popular people in high school. A huge chunk of the population gravitate towards that energy.

[@ItsNicoleAnderson]

This is something I literally cannot make sense of, especially when everyone can see their manipulation clearly

[@theseventh5204]

Usually out of fear. People would rather be with them than against them. Then they grow up, realise their mistake and grovel for forgiveness. Realising you were a bully must be pretty horrible.

[@tiger-lily3014]

It’s the confidence that enchants us. But we’re fools bc none of them are confident. They just have zero self awareness.

[@earthangelbaby_]

I went to high school with Larry (Larray) and it makes me feel so weird to see him be a mega-influencer. He was voted “most likely to be famous” in the yearbook and then it literally came true.

[@aztirayjx3389]

omg would you say that he changed? like personality wise has he changed after fame and money ?

[@earthangelbaby_]

@@aztirayjx3389 I don’t talk to him now that he’s famous, and didn’t really talk to him during school. We had mutual friends though! I’d say hes the same personality-wise (flamboyant, loud, etc). I’m happy for him, it’s just so weird!

[@Okkkkkkk-ol5kz]

As someone who works in the wealthy suburbs of Calabasas, LA culture is real. It’s more than just influencers. The wealth in this area is unreal. I think sometimes that I see more luxury cars worth more than the national average cost of a house in one parking lot than some people see in their whole lives. The wealth is so prevalent that I forget that most people don’t see these things with same frequency that I do. I’m a student and a teacher so this wealth will never apply to me lol but it’s so common. Influencers probably feel pressure to fit into the already existing lifestyle and LA norms. Then it becomes entitlement because that’s also a part of the culture here.

[@di3486]

A culture of narcissism

[@LauraRuiz-ek2sl]

I live in Burbank and I 100% agree

[@lavenderlatte13]

It’s not even LA culture though it’s literally gentrified White LA culture

[@sanjana4876]

@@lavenderlatte13 yeah this is so important to note!!

[@palladium607]

@@lavenderlatte13 white LA culture? Seriously? There's NO WAY you actually live there or white wouldn't be included. It's people literally of all races. Stop this ignorance right now

[@anggitimur6487]

I think Bretman Rock has a very similar lifestyle to these LA influencers but he can’t be put in the same category. He’s always been about his personality and not material things.

[@Chachixo]

I think there's a lot to be said about the way Bretman has chosen to live his life. His refusal to live in LA and the way he makes sure he keeps his family close to him are key. He started to get his fame early on and I think he had people around him who were willing to check small stuff before it went too far. Meanwhile lots of other people are 18 and move out to LA by themselves and they have all these people excited to say yes and leech off of them and that makes it hard to be humble like Bretman is.

[@MyCorrectOpinions]

@@Chachixo also bretmans immigrant identity and background definitely has a lot to do with it. He truly was never one of those blissfully ignorant and privileged kids so he’s probably very aware and grateful for where he’s gotten. Bretman does not take any of this for granted

[@SammyP038]

@@MyCorrectOpinions This!! He always speaks about his mother and how appreciative he is of all the sacrifices she made for himself and his siblings. I loved watching his show on MTV because he was so connected to his culture and family. I believe he has really good core values and morals. He’s living proof that these influencers don’t need to be problematic to make good content or have many fans.

[@anggitimur6487]

Yes! All of this! He has a strong confident personality but doesn’t flex which seems to be a rare thing in the influencer world

[@genericplantlife]

I love Bretman because yeah, he is for sure rich in the same way the other huge influencers are (he flexes the same way too sometimes), and he has for sure changed in some way since his first videos, but he still feels the same somehow. It might be because of distance and his family-centric culture. He has never pretended to be relatable, never tried to create a fake close relationship with his fans, and stays as far away from drama as his environment would let him.

[@husband2bears704]

"Power doesn't always corrupt. Power can cleanse. What I believe is always true about power is that power always reveals. When you have enough power to do what you always wanted to do, then you see what the guy always wanted to do."- Robert Caro

[@mandalynn252]

Yay for Robert Caro quotes!

[@midsummerdream2957]

Absolutely.

[@LolaKim]

I feel like most of those teenagers just don't understand that once you put something on the internet, it never goes away, ever?! Like, if one day they can't be on youtube or tiktok anymore, and they need to find a regular job, when you type their names on google, the first thing people are going to find is all the shitty things they've done when they were younger. Not just a couple of awkward drunk pictures posted by your friends on Instagram or Facebook, but partying during a pandemic showing that even if it's a life or death situation, you can't follow the most basic rules to prevent it? And so many other controversies, like scamming, racism, etc. It's always going to be linked to their names. They are 18 now, and Tiktok or youtube are working for them today, but what about in 10 years?

[@madisonnclarkexoxo]

omg i love this

[@coagulatedsalts4711]

YESSSSSS!! i used to say the n word (I am not black) a few times before I learned what it meant and I felt and still feel, terrible about it. i never wanted to hurt anyone at all. and there are people who live in the world we live in today where everyone knows what it means now and seeing them disregard it is just mind-boggling to me.

[@janekof]

Technically, we have learned about "influencers" in history. Basically kings, queens, and their courts after awhile were the glorified "fashionistas", "life-style gurus", and clout chasers.

[@NekoFaustus]

oh absolutely! and beyond even that, humans have been doing this sort of behavior pretty much before civilization as we know it, and before we were even really "humans". social animals will mimic the behavior of the group members around them as a means of learning and earning their place in the group, and in turn model that behavior to their own offspring or, in this case, to newer members of the group. it's kind of interesting and also terrifying how such a deeply ingrained behavior of ours has been molded and reshaped over millenia into what we're seeing w "influencer culture" today

[@SimranKaur-oy5oj]

Even a lot of early 1800s and 1900s high society had a group of women called 'socialites". There would be publications detailing what so and so socialite wore, what she does for her beauty, her relationship, and so on. It was like a FB or Instagram that other people write for you because you're just that rich and famous.

[@valerielevasseur8674]

History also shows how that can warp the decision-making process of even a fully adult brain. I call it the Michael Jackson syndrome when an authoritarian ruler, who may have started sane enough, goes full Mobutu due to having no one in their entourage willing to say no to them. We all need reality to assert itself once in a while, and a select few have always been able to give reality the slip.

[@roddo1955]

Living in a monarchy, I can tell you that the comparison is a major hyperbole.

[@janekof]

@@NekoFaustus I think the "normal" people(stan) reactions are also interesting psychologically-wise. At the start, some young rulers were touted for being understanding of average lives and then when they devolve into spending too much or other eccentricities the supporters go, "they're the monarchy, they're not like us normal people". It's all super reminiscent of a young stan waving away what their influencer is doing at the time lol

[@megan7506]

For whatever reason I found the TV with the ocean scene playing so relaxing

[@jessie2807]

Was looking for this comment

[@LydiaR418]

I zoned out so many times on it lol

[@man-wv8xj]

her parents porch is such a vibe

[@Blakesuga143]

I used to have the same screensaver in my Roku tv and I love the fact that it just shows the fishies swimming😊

[@filmfury743]

Back in the day, it was next to impossible to become famous. You had to be wildly talented, and lucky. Now anyone can become famous...and that’s kinda scary

[@sammysoppy3361]

well it’s not reaaaally famous tho is it? it’s like a sub basement of fame. it’s the junk food of fame. zero nutritional value, once you consume it you are hungry for something more substantial soon enough.... I think it’s easy to get attention and clout, even infamy, but that’s not the same as fame. that’s why most of the influencer and internet celebs will never really be seen as actual celebs, there’s always that hierarchy they won’t be a part of because most dont possess any actual talent and there is always an influx of newer, younger, hotter influencer types around the bend.

[@coagulatedsalts4711]

@@sammysoppy3361 i agree. celebs have longevity because their content is set up to be in for the long term, like movies and songs. influencers are working against an algorithm that scraps a video once it's a week old.

[@parandroid997]

As an LA native, the change in atmosphere was immense. In 2013, my freshman year, it was trendy to show up to school in PJ's or baggy/comfy clothing. I think the pressure began around 2016, when there was this insane boom in makeup culture. When I go to the mall now, it is way more obvious than several years ago how much people want you to notice them. I really have to give credit to the LA kids in middle and highschool rn, because my self-esteem absolutely would not have survived a cultural revolution like this.

[@renatacamacho9532]

I think not all problematic influencers are mean people by nature. I believe it has to do with really young people becoming famous and developing their personality when they’re already influencers. Kinda like wanting the mean girls to like you, except the mean girls are thousands of people online

[@mikhailr_27]

I totally agree with you!!!

[@di3486]

And many have personality disorders. A genuine person doesn’t change for fame and money. If they change they were shitty but still hidden.

[@kat8559]

Dude what the fuck why are you bringing personality disorders into this

[@di3486]

@@kat8559 why not

[@kat8559]

Are you saying people with PDs aren't 'genuine' people? Do you even know anyone with a PD? Do you have any idea how stigmatizing it is to say something like that?

[@alexahowmanyhamsters1312]

This whole thing scares me for my 15 yr old little sister. Whenever she see's someone she'll say what plastic surgery they "need to be beautiful" and it's awful :/

[@MostlyMom]

I really hoped that after the mid-2000’s we’d get away from plastic surgery again. And then you see 17 year old’s on TikTok getting Botox and lip fillers. It’s unbelievably sad. There’s nothing wrong with plastic surgery, but, it just feels like kids these days think you NEED that permanent “filter” type of thing in order to just be acceptably good looking.

[@b.6826]

@@MostlyMom I think that it’s going out of fashion here in the U.K., most of our big influencers like Molly-Mae Hague are publicly getting rid of their fillers, veneers etc, lots of reality stars are as well. I am enjoying the trend moving towards a more natural look but it definitely seems like a slow burn. At least fillers are dissolvable, when teenagers want more permanent procedures it makes me cringe 😬

[@MariaRodriguez-dx6sm]

@@MostlyMom they need to be scared for life by the mistakes of their elders, with butchered plastic surgery, deformed faces due to filler, breast implants illness, etc, as we were in the 90's early 2000's.

[@frostyskeletons8950]

Agreed. Yeah, it’s a personal choice to get PS, but it’s concerning how younger folks seem to consider it an EXPECTED and casual thing to do to meet beauty standards. Karolina Zebrowska has a great video on the topic as well as Kat Blaque and Khadijia Mbowe

[@la6136]

That's really scary. Influencers are teaching kids such a limited definition of beauty. I've seen attractive people with all kinds of facial features but if you aren't exposed to anything else besides the typical instagram face you won't know any better.

[@elle5932]

Side rant: As an Australian who went to HS in America, I always found the “fake ugg” thing so strange. Ugg’s are an Australian style of boot, not a brand. That American company trade marking the name Ugg was ridiculous. Americans were calling my Ugg’s I bought in Australia “fuggs” 😹

[@AutumnSwift2]

Why would Australians make a boot that is meant to keep your feet warm, how cold can Australia get?

[@elle5932]

@@AutumnSwift2 lol we have snow here.

[@alexgilmour3907]

@@AutumnSwift2 I'm in a regional area of Australia in June right now. It's winter. It's not snowing where I am, but it is cold and wet, and averages at 10 degrees celsius (50 degrees fahrenheit) on our 'warm' mornings. And when the temperature says 10, it means it feels like 5. I'm wearing my Uggs right now, with socks on as well, a wool sweater, and the heater is on. I'm still cold.

[@bootynut1002]

Yeah Americans are mostly materialistic

[@forgotmyun]

@@AutumnSwift2 Uggs were actually made for surfers to keep their feet warm once they got back on land. A lot of guys wore them before it became a fashion trend.

[@shoujokadyan5502]

I think the fact Cristine (simplynailogical) doesn't live in LA, has a 9 to 5 job, and started doing KZbin in her late 20s (and became viral at a later age too), she's one of the more down to earth people on this platform.

[@jupiterisaak1004]

Raw beauty Kristi also seems normal and down to earth

[@Caroline-us1hn]

Yes, and Nikkietutorials too. Might be because she lives in the Netherlands, and doesn't plan on moving to America

[@andynd99]

As an Anthropology major who is about to graduate studying influencer culture sounds AWESOME

[@rhonwynv]

Hi! I am a marketing lecturer who studies influencer consumer culture. It is awesome and interesting. Are you considering grad school?

[@bails9546]

Check out Dr Crystal Abidin :) she's been at the forefront of this research especially in the south and southeast Asian region for quite a few years now

[@andynd99]

@@rhonwynv I have considered grad school but that is something that I probably would not begin for a few years. I need a break from school for a bit

[@skeletonwitch.]

what job are you able to do with a degree like that?

[@moretyquira]

'I'm hiding from all of the dogs that currently reside in the house' I want that problem

[@nanamiharuka3269]

Haha same! I love dogs and honestly they are such an amazing stress reliever, which I desperately need right now

[@McSnezzly]

My therapist has this problem with her cats, but every therapy session still ends up with at least one of them finding her and blocking the webcam lmao

[@direcircumstances]

I was talking to a friend of mine about instagram models recently - my friend was lamenting over how their lives seem so fun and glamorous and easy, while she's slaving away at an office job every day making less money than most of them. I tried to put this into perspective for her: most of those models have spent thousands on surgeries and/or facetuned the hell out of their pictures in order to achieve their perfect looks, and they likely have no actual life skills or job opportunities that don't relate to their physical appearance. In a few years, once they are deep in debt from "flexing" and they have used up their 15 minutes of fame, they will be struggling just to stay afloat because they are completely unprepared to enter the work force. The "real world" will not be kind to these influencers and I don't envy the uphill climb they will have to make once they are too old and irrelevant to sell flat tummy tea anymore.

[@ItsNicoleAnderson]

The only huge influencers I truly care about and hope will have big opportunities till the day they die is Emma chamberlain and charli

[@GoldenXBoots]

Exactly!!! Plus, it is a 24H job. It never stops. People live through the camera, never to enjoy the moment. You have a professional network that will drop you when you are no longer relevant. When working a normal job, you can leave your job behind and chose to spend time with family. Influencers are always connected. The pressure is unreal. Fans will drop you without a second thought. It is a shallow life. Quite sad, really.

[@coagulatedsalts4711]

this also applies to models too. i understand modeling on the side for cash but trying to make a career out of it is impossible unless your bella or gigi hadid. you're going to age, plastic surgery can only do so much. it would be better imo to move modeling into a consistently part-time field so that models can have a life/living post modeling career.

[@pumpkinpastie]

I think a lot of influencers are being surrounded by too many "yes" people who aren't telling them they aren't all that. Great vid as always!x

[@corneliastreets]

It's their followers! They get so much praise and validation from their followers, and most of the time their friends are solely fellow influencers. Their management won't step in either as long as they're making them money. They become stuck in a bubble that is centered around them and that usually makes them so full of themselves.

[@neptoon928]

My exact thoughts and I’m sure their parents are playing a part in this too

[@internetexplorer6304]

That's true but I all feel like that kind of person deliberately seeks out yes people

[@allief2000]

I think it's only going to get worse, and I think one new factor is the pushy stage parents who can now exploit their children from home. You've got kids from family channels growing up and starting their own channels, and it's just going to cause the same types of problems as child actors.

[@MostlyMom]

Right! At least child actors have rights. These family vlog children have no protection.

[@haleymist09]

Oohhhhh nooooo!!!!!

[@MariaRodriguez-dx6sm]

I really want to know the testimonies of this children in 10 years from now. It's going to be really interesting

[@frostyskeletons8950]

Absolutely. Alyson Stoner has an excellent video about the child star version of this called the “Toddler to Trainwreck Pipeline” if anyone is interested

[@haleymist09]

@@MariaRodriguez-dx6sm i really wish we could somehow protect all the kids now so we have to hear heart-rendering stories in 10 years! 😭😭😭

[@akapotatis9445]

The theory of Power says that power doesn't corrupt people but instead, allows them to do what they always wanted to do

[@mandalynn252]

Power doesn't corrupt, power reveals.

[@IsitaMA]

I also believe that the fact that most influencers spend their days talking to themselves and looking at them while filming, watching themselves talk for hours while they edit the video and then looking at all the thousands of selfies they take so they can choose the perfect one and edit it to post it on social media is a huge reason on why they end up with such big heads and inflated egos.

[@clairelariviere1019]

I feel like we (the 25-30 year olds) are looking down at these influences and wondering what the heck they are doing, much like seniors in high school looked at the freshman antics.

[@majlordag1889]

It's usually cause the influencers act problematic and are drenched in privileges while pretending they're from the bottom and stuff

[@stauneyhansen4324]

When you were like “I’m talking to myself” I weirdly got so offended, because I was “no youre not! I’m RIGHT HERE!” And then I remembered you can’t see any of us.

[@LadyxSky]

I will never understand flex culture. I'm here stoked as fuck over the fact that I have little feet and I can fit into $15 kids shoes 🤷‍♀️

[@kathrynmclean1766]

I felt this in my soul

[@qdillon18]

me and my giant feet can’t relate but I love that for u

[@TuesdaysArt]

I can't fit into kids shoes but I still fit in the same clothes I wore in middle school and I'm oddly proud of that.

[@nidoqueef4453]

Lol yessss I got my work boots in the boys section at Famous Footwear 😂

[@nastjaajdnik7236]

Going to flex by saying I borrow my mums clothes, I don't have to buy them as often 😂

[@jade.9066]

“No, you’re amazing, you’re perfect, you didn’t make a mistake, there’s no reason for you to be apologizing, why are you even apologizing in the first place? You’re phenomenal, you’re fantastic, you’re my favorite person in the world” is the new “talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, totally unique”

[@dianaacevedo7552]

Hannah do a video on the sexisim in youtube. For me, i think it’s interesting how the biggest representatives in beauty, skincare and fashion are males, (which those things tends to be a more “feminine” things) James Charles it the biggest representative in the beauty community, getting more support and shows like insta influencer, when he commits crimes and get forgotten. Hiram is representing the Skincare, Brad Mondo haircare and HauteLeMode fashion.

[@madisonnclarkexoxo]

yeah i don’t get it either

[@toris5605]

It makes no sense, especially considering how females are the majority of customers for those companies!

[@oliviam5103]

@@toris5605 this is seen in the “real world” too with the executives of many beauty companies being men. I think the phenomenon is called the “glass elevator” where men in fields that are thought of as traditionally feminine achieve disproportionate success.

[@oliviam5103]

Whoops it’s the glass escalator

[@blujaebird]

Am I the only one who wants a relatively small house instead of a mansion? Imagine how long it takes to clean a mansion!

[@erinmitchell5427]

Do you actually think these people who own these mansions are spending their days physically cleaning.... c'monnn

[@202cardline]

I love the innocence of this comment. But also yeah I know what you mean 😭 I got some mobility issues, I don’t even want a house, I’ll take a condo lol

[@BloodOfMadara]

I too have come to this conclusion as well. A mansion just seems excessive to me.

[@fewcusi]

@Sunshine z People who have money can pay a staff to maintain a mansion AND still "go on adventures." It's not either/or. That's what wealth is.

[@carolineosterman2420]

I'm happy with an apartment. No repairs, maintenance, or renovations.

[@kristinraeee]

I’m 33 and a mom. I would be horrified if my daughter wanted to watch some of these Influencers. I don’t understand how parents aren’t more hands on about internet usage, and they can’t buy anything unless the parent approves it. Parents are certainly a link in a long chain of issues.

[@thetree2046]

I agree.

[@Discordia5]

@@SA-ru5vm Learning insatiable consumer culture as a toddler cannot be good for brain development.

[@Meraidd]

I will be forever grateful that I was unable to use a credit card as a kid. Visa-debit wasn't a thing until I was maybe 17, so I had no way to buy anything online and my mom saw absolutely NO value in merch so I just didn't buy anything. I'm glad I had that restriction, because I did not need whatever they were selling. Now as an adult I can decide what's really worth buying and who I want to support. :)

[@sabahmerchant1866]

Precisely. HOW are kids buying this stuff willy-nilly? Even now I triple-check everything if I'm not buying things from well-known shopping sites in my country/region, and I'm 24.

[@sabahmerchant1866]

@@Meraidd You said it best.

[@ceciliaaaxiful]

I live in Dubai which is the regional equivalent of a place for influencers, and this flex culture totally affects people here. You see so many of your peers posting designer fashion, eating at celebrity chef restaurants all the time, wearing a new outfit for every post, it starts to make it all feel normal and something that you should be aiming for. My friends and I have had this talk about influencers and normalising flexing, it definitely impacts people here! (Note this part of the culture here is a really small part and contrary to popular belief the UAE is full of authentic, historic, traditional and beautiful culture!)

[@salmieesalmon]

i think another reason for this is how Dubai it self encourages this from rising creators in the first place, and also how a lot of places are now designed and decorated for it to be catered to influencers

[@jessy7974]

dubai is a shit show i hate it and i live in the uae. full of fakes

[@SarahMarjorie]

I don't think these young influencers are even thinking about the future. In their minds, they can ride this wave forever. There's no thought regarding if all these apps shut down, if they have to get a normal society job. It's that invincible mindset

[@babieeden]

i kinda feel bad for them bc i know so many of them will be super embarrassed by their actions, or the things they do will make them less marketable to future job employees. also most people wont remember who they are except for the like top 5 most popular ones. i wish more of them valued finishing their hs/college education

[@winnieouyang7802]

I think their plan is to just make hella bank, enough to live for the rest of their lives, and retire early. If they smart and they saving and investing most of the money they earn rn or starting a business, they don’t really gotta get a job later on.

[@janak7552]

They don't have to get 'real' jobs if they just invest their money

[@candacejenece]

In my opinion it’s the money. That’s a common denominator, young people with large amounts of money in a world/profession that’s constantly in a d*** measuring competition.

[@frostyskeletons8950]

I also think the types of adults who manage kids/young adults with a lot of money tend to be exploitive and encourage bad behaviors through lack of genuine support. A lot of the clout chasers have scummy managers and poor support systems. Although different, Alyson Stoner has an excellent video on a similar phenomenon with child stars called the “Toddler to Trainwreck Pipeline”

[@Sarahpeaches333]

@@frostyskeletons8950 this and they’re surrounded by yes men who praise everything they do

[@imaearrete]

AMEN I agree 100%

[@candacejenece]

@@frostyskeletons8950 Oh exactly! Everyone has ulterior motives so they don’t get genuine guidance. You’ve hit the nail on the head

[@SpookyGhostHands]

"my mom doesn't like cand... It's weird I know..." 😂😂😂

[@Catsby83]

Mama Glow is smokeless.

[@inspirationmovemebrightly9627]

I loved the way she said that!!

[@d13_a]

i think a big difference between “traditional” celebrities (actors, singers, etc) and influencers is that celebrities are primarily entertainment and can do advertising occasionally and influencers are primarily advertisement who occasionally do entertainment when there’s opportunity although the entertainment industry is inherently capitalist, there’s something hyper capitalist about influencers, if that makes sense

[@farquadvii]

I think a good example of an LA influencer who went through this but then changed is Maddi Bragg. She was big in the early 2010's and she got a big head but then she went to culinary school and got like a regular food service job and got humbled really quick. She's back on KZbin now and like she's still wealthy but you can tell she's more of a normal person.

[@dragonballreviewsandprevie7112]

I don’t know her but I checked her out but doenst that happen to every KZbin or vlogger? That’s life, the person uploading this videos in like 6 years as well probably gonna to like drop down on views and drop. It is what it is

[@erinahughes5288]

think it’s like, a lot of them get homeschooled or drop out high school or don’t go to college so moving to LA is similar to going and getting that college life experience. Especially when they’re so young and literally lived with their parents before/while they blew up online.

[@annaeggland9397]

and all of the content houses are just frats

[@melaniemagolan2241]

It's like LA is a normal college with a really prevalent greek life. Like, everyone else is going to a normal college and then you turn around and "woooooooooo!" oh god, theta sigma tau is here. Most people are there for the normal college, but the greek life angle gets really famous because they keep doing very stupid things.

[@202cardline]

That makes sense actually, since the influencer scene glorifies parties, suddenly *you* want that too, and if you never went to college to get that, well LA will suffice. Psh I’m just thinking of my college experience, where I worked my ass off at my job and school work.

[@tamabedin]

I think another important thing to note is that a lot of these influencers, who come to put themselves online in the first place, already come from privileged backgrounds whether it’s being middle class or having a stable and supportive family.

[@maya-zn3jj]

exactly- many of them were set up for success by having class privilege and not having to worry about whether their youtube career would “take off” or not.

[@aztirayjx3389]

yesssss

[@fmadiva]

They white too usually, especially the bigger ones

[@seabreeze4559]

there are no working class youtubers in my country (uk) and no under-class, who the middle-class seek to dress like the poor are now priced out of charity shops because of middle class 'hauls' with fast fashion consumption patterns

[@coagulatedsalts4711]

YESSS. and they act like they came from nowhere. if I blew up online i would thank my parents publicly and endlessly for paying for my wi-fi and phone.

[@irinatanase7150]

Idk who said this but power and money don’t make you a bad person, they just make you more of what you already are. So ofc if you add teenager + money, you are most likely going to get a brat

[@Housewarmin]

I think that normal people go through this. Think about sorority girls, or rich aunties, or boss babes. There are “influencers” in these smaller communities that become toxic and are surrounded by yes men.

[@MorningAngel]

I can't remember which actor said in an interview that celebrities' maturity tends to get stuck at the age where they become famous. I think that's kind of what you see here in some measure; they stay immature even at a point where they should start to know better. Also, because influencers are their product for which they become famous, I think it's much harder to separate their private self from their public self. An actor or singer can have a stage persona and things related to their craft that they leave at work, but with influencers, it seems like these two sides are much more likely to merge or blur because they're tailoring their life to clicks and views.

[@texaspoontappa2088]

It was Taylor Swift

[@nonokes]

This comment reminds me of some comments I've read saying that James Charles goes after people who are around the age he became famous which combined with the power dynamic and the threats he sent towards those people who came foward shows that he lacks maturity and sense of responsibility. Although there's a lot more to it than him being clouded by fame, I feel like this is something worth pointing out. However, there are exceptions and plenty of influencers are actually good people and use their platform wisely even if they live in LA.

[@foxycinnamon7307]

I am fascinated/repelled by this phenomenon: an older friend who teaches music was bragging on his daughter being a model on IG, working with sponsors, etc. Turns out, he pays the rent on her apt, helps w/car payments, bills. Not that he shouldn't but it wasn't the glam set up I thought it was. A lot of LA scenesters wind up w/nothing. No security.

[@oortcloud326]

i think this raises a good point, you must come from a place of wealth/privilege to be an influencer and move to LA and all that

[@foxycinnamon7307]

@@oortcloud326 Even the suburbs are expensive.

[@hankypanda]

That’s so weird. I get being proud of your kid, but that’s such a specific exaggeration of their “talent” and kind of what the hell, who is he trying to impress with tall tales of a working model DAUGHTER?

[@foxycinnamon7307]

@@hankypanda I think it came from embarrassment, really. What she wants to do versus the reality of how not consistent her income is.

[@holigatis7588]

Yes! I know an influencer/only fans model (who is really nice so no shade to her) and precovid she used to party everyday and would wear expensive cloths but in real life she was really struggling to pay rent and buy groceries.

[@IsabellaDemarko]

So thankful for your intelligent analysis of these things. It’s so important to talk about!

[@alibeaulieu1087]

I feel like LA influencers try to align themselves with traditional celebrities through flexing - like they think if they can own the same bag as Kim Kardashian it will legitimize them in the public eye since lots of the general population doesn’t give influencers and traditional celebrities the same respect/merit. Also a lot of them claim that they want to get into actual acting/music so trying to emulate celebrity lifestyles could be another way that they try to earn legitimacy in that field.

[@Lily-uu6wq]

Omg when u mentioned “fuggs” I was transported back to my dystopian middle school experience

[@plumpy_space_princess]

When I was in middle school, if you didn't have a Jansport, then you were a "happy camper" 😑

[@michaelal7538]

@@plumpy_space_princess At my school the big thing was abercrombie anything, mainly the henleys versus aeropostale that divided us. Completely forgot about the fuggs but I’m glad we all had the same awful middle school experience

[@plumpy_space_princess]

@@michaelal7538 it was the same in my school except it was aéropostale and Hollister 😒🙄

[@GabbyJibblit]

I feel like an outsider in this comment section because I never went through this and had no idea about the Ugg trend. It’s funny that Ugg boots were literally invented by an Australian but as an Australian myself have never worn them because it’s too damn hot

[@Coolgravy]

When I was nine and my sister was seven, my grandma got both of us a pair of uggs for Christmas. My sister was so disappointed. She thought it was a joke at first.

[@brookehenderson5762]

I am so glad you touched on this! I lived in LA for 9 years and just the entire culture and vibe changed so dramatically while living there that I actually decided to move right before covid. I didn't move because of the pandemic I didn't know that was about to happen, I moved because LA got taken over by teenagers with cameras running around everywhere in every spot and every restaurant doing outrageous things for attention and it became so normal to be driving and someone jumps out or does something crazy and I just figured not only do I not want to settle down here, but I'm 29 years old If I ever decide to have children, do I want to raise them in this kind of environment? It just became reckless. There used to be humility and passion in moving to LA to pursue your dreams and working at a restaurant while you work your hardest. I understand that what's happening to these kids is not as much their fault as it is what society is morphing them into, however a ruined LA, it really did hahaha

[@D0llbabyAngel]

well I was born and raised here in fact I was born in the same hospital as Marilyn Monroe and I understand what you are saying completely, every time I'm in a restaurant or in line to check out I run into some moron vlogging and I'm in their shot I fucking hate it but I refuse to move from my childhood home because of these idiots.

[@brittanys505]

@@D0llbabyAngel gosh I don't live in LA but I hate that feeling

[@jimmyearlworld8614]

Move to the valley, it ain’t like that over here.

[@sailormf]

Sitting here as a happy 32 year old lady who just woke up from a 5 hour nap with her cat

[@jennygarza8298]

You are future me. I’m a 19 year old who as also woken up from a 5 hour nap with her cat.

[@vanillamarshmallow]

You two are goals. Now I just need a cat.

[@KayleeMaxey]

I watch almost all of your videos(since 2019), and this has been one of the best! It feels very intimate in this setting.

[@coll6914]

I know! I love switching up the location it was kind of a nice change :)

[@allisonholt4803]

Loved this settingggggg

[@lct11]

Being from LA, it always erks me when ppl come, wreck havoc and give Los Angeles a bad name/image

[@Emgawzzz]

I think it would be so interesting to do a video about influencers that have avoided these pitfalls - for example Bretmanrock. He's young, rich, and lives in a huge mansion in Hawaii so I CANNOT relate but he still never feels unreliable to me??? The funny thing is he is very open about not wanting this parasocial relationship with fans (saying he'd never date a fan, telling fans to stop telling him what to do, telling them he doesn't know them and doesn't want to get to know them...) Idk I just think it'd be super interesting

[@abbyz13]

You never hear his name on drama channels the same way as others and I don’t even follow him but this is interesting af to me

[@chaturangaful]

Yes to this idea!! While I agree with many points Hannah makes in this video, I also think we need to remember that this is a specific part of the influencer community and not influencers as a whole group. All the people I follow, Hannah included, are way more down to earth, authentic, open and honest, sharing their successes and also their flaws.

[@Discordia5]

The thing I don't like about him is how toxic he is towards his sister and his one androgynous friend. It's so bad I can't watch him.

[@202cardline]

I NEVER realized until you mentioned it- influences who move to LA have already made it, where those working in the entertainment industry are hustling while auditioning. That’s such a good point...when I almost moved to NY I knew I was going to be looking at tiny apartments with 12 Roomates. Not moving into a hype house lmao.

[@Sophaye]

Mia Maples is a great example of someone who has stayed humble and down to earth. Love her

[@ItsNicoleAnderson]

Same! Her and Emma chamberlain r my girls

[@Sophaye]

@@ItsNicoleAnderson yeah i feel like emma knows she’s annoying now and she wants to change. at least she’s self aware

[@pitbull635]

@@ItsNicoleAnderson emma is a terrible example. shes always complaining about "LA culture" when she knows nothing about actual LA culture and lives in her little bubble. LA culture is SO much more than people with a little internet clout.

[@skeletonwitch.]

mia maples is the blandest person ever lol

[@bethel_6571]

"My ego would be the size of the empire state building" I had completely forgotten about that one, i almost died 😂😂

[@Veenbuen1]

Funny she said that lol

[@whenbailey]

I feel like some influencers are desperate to become mainstream celebrities. Though KZbin has grown exponentially, there is still a big difference between influencers and celebrities in terms of wealth, recognition and respect. By flexing wealth and getting papped, influencers are trying to force people to recognize that they are just as famous and wealthy as "real" celebrities. I also think that could be a reason why many influencers try to jumpstart a singing career, because it's seen as a more 'legit' form of celebrity. Like you've said, they're just kids, and they're trying to live out this fantasy of what they think it's like to be a star.

[@202cardline]

That’s so interesting! Yeah the only way they can scrape together an A list celebrity image is getting the paps to catch them walking around with 10k on. That’s the only way they can be similar. I think the fact some C-list people get invited to that ball thing at the MoMA fuel the idea they can reach the same level of respect as A-list singers and actors and artists. Which fine go for it, but the way influencers get famous heavily rely on youth and image- they won’t be able to keep it up without getting good at something. Maybe singing is a safety net too? But, while I don’t know any A-list celebs, I do know a lot of people who act and sing don’t just do it for the fame. But what else does an influencer strive for? Like as a genuine question though...you will not be happy if you solely rely on attention. I just wouldn’t tell a kid to rely on being an influencer for anything.

[@missyaman7053]

Oh this is a good take. 🤔

[@naomilasby7744]

I get soooo sick of myself/hearing myself talk, after busy 12 hr work shifts full of talking incessantly to patients, coworkers and everyone else in the world via phone/internet, I cant imagine then having to then edit few hour snippets of that 🤣🤣🤣👊

[@rxxrcousin]

Flex culture makes me sad because I know when those people are older they’ll have less genuine relationships, less money, and realize what a waste spending time like that was :/

[@ishamachadobracamonte4772]

I think that influencers right now, teenagers and young adults, are not worried about aging and their future because they have been influenced by people like the Kardashians. They are images of problematic people, that stay problematic and yet have billions of dollars and keep getting invited to all of these important events. So, there's not really a disencouraging example that would lead them to change or reconsider life choices 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@Zzz2x]

“‘My mom doesn’t like candles. I know, it’s weird” lmao I just found that so funny.

[@carolynj6144]

Lmaoo me too. It was like she was responding to my thought while watching the video 😅

[@kayliefromkalopsia]

I think also the difference between lifestyle influencer and famous actors are that actors just play roles and can go home and be themselves. People follow influencers for their authentic selves, whether that be fake or real and if you’re trying to keep up and show everyone your day to day life, it’s easy to get caught up in such a toxic mindset.

[@Lady.Labyrinth]

Personally, I believe the definition of the word "influence" has changed due to this culture. What exactly are they trying to influence people to do: be "attractive", buy whatever you want, and show off? I never understood the word "influencer" in the context of influencer culture. Since when does moving to LA (for example), flexing everything you have, and thinking you are better than everyone else become an influence to young kids? It's so ridiculous 😂

[@lucinda7085]

I know we can barely see any of the house but omg what we can see is so pretty !!

[@alycedeal9015]

"Fans fall in love with these influencers then they start flexing and not being relateable, and fans had enough" LITERALLY ME W GABI DIMETIRO.

[@KourttneyL]

Yeah she’s so deep, she can’t find herself. She’s so far down the rabbit hole of flaunting $$ to get popular.

[@dianareynolds2446]

Do you mean Gabi DeMartino?

[@mariechev7732]

Dimetiro. I- 🤣🤣😩 whyyy

[@nicolepinto5632]

@@KourttneyL exactly

[@ItsNicoleAnderson]

It’s so bad I can see why her and her sister have problems bc if that was my sister, I’d have a problem with her as well

[@eleanorkeyes2170]

Hi Hannah!! Anthropology and sociology double major here, and I just loved your comment at the end. Totally something we've been discussing in my sociology classes in recent years but my professors just aren't knowledgeable of social media platforms enough to take the topic where you do - and that's one of the reasons I love your channel so much. If I ever become a teacher I promise to do influencer culture lectures just in honor of you lollll! love you xx

[@026anjelly]

As an LA native.. I blame influencers for an increase in gentrification in many neighborhoods.

[@haileytin9454]

I’ve been talking a lot about children’s culture in my masters program this semester, and this video raises a lot of questions for me about how internet culture will continue to impact childhood development. I’m not saying the internet and technology are rotting children’s brains, but I do wonder about how children moving forward will interpret what they’re seeing these influencers do and apply those interpretations to their own lives and attitudes. How is children’s culture changing because of influencers? Before, children would pick up a lot of their morals and understanding of the world not just from their parents and the people they interact with on a daily basis, but from literature, movies, shows, cartoons, obvious works of fiction and artifice with an intended meaning. Even if a child didn’t consciously understand the moral of a piece of media, they were internalizing the stories messages. With influencers and KZbin videos that barrier is non-existent, they perceive it as real life because they’re being told these are real people and not actors, none of this is fictitious in their minds. It’ll be really interesting in a few years to do an introspection on this when the first big wave of children who grew up on the internet are old enough to understand their role in uplifting influencers and perpetuating sometimes very harmful behavior. Child psychologists are gonna have a field day lol

[@michaelal7538]

This is such an interesting point to bring up. I remember watching things like full house, boy meets world, other sitcoms when I was young where there was always a problem and then a solution was provided, happy ending with a moral lesson thrown in. If kids are watching youtube, there’s no intent to teach anything, it’s purely entertainment and void of any moral message in the best case scenario, but more likely they’re seeing bad behavior and will want to emulate it. I fear for the next generation coming up but more than that I’m sad for them

[@IsaRican810]

Social media is the world’s largest social experiment with no control group.

[@Discordia5]

If you won't, I'll come out and say it: Internet and technology are ruining childrens' brains.

[@joaocarminhola2246]

I feel like LA is very toxic if you don’t have a good circle of people around you, like family or long term friends, or even a good management team to keep you focused

[@LakynCarlton]

LA is not toxic. The industries that people move here to get into are toxic but LA is a city that isn't even mostly made up of people in those industries

[@lavenderlatte13]

LA isn’t toxic, it’s the transplant white LA ppl who move here & breed that image. Most of LA is heavily latino based & if you want to talk about LA culture it’s necessary to understand the Latino influence here. Not these white Kardashian knock offs which is what influencers try to be

[@katie-yk1es]

@@lavenderlatte13 and there is a large Asian community in LA too

[@psolo768]

@@lavenderlatte13 hard agree. My friend and I were actually having this same exact conversation not too long ago. As a native Angelino, it’s so frustrating to see these “influencers” be the representative of what LA is when I know that’s not true. Yeah the white affluent communities are like that, but LA is more than Beverly Hills, Calabasas, North Hollywood, etc. What about South Central? What about East LA? Watts? Compton? Inglewood, etc etc. They don’t want to go there... I wonder why?? 🤔🤔

[@proper1323]

Nah it's these outsider 🤣🤣. True L.A. native ppl are down to earth.

[@lovelilly140]

As someone who moved away from SoCal LA area, I can tell you there is a very toxic culture there. The area creates an urge to constantly compare, always look your best, and generally want to show your life as if it is perfect when you're generally pretty depressed. It's like the Hollywood cultures seeps out everywhere else. Moving out of the state I was shocked to find out how outwardly and genuinely happy other people are, not to mention the fact that there isn't an expectation to dress up when I leave the house. Other places are just not as performative.

[@keenadietz6899]

honestly it's so strange to be a younger person now watching youtube because like. when i was 10 i used to watch some of these youtubers and now they're SO different that i physically cannot believe i used to like them. but these people keep cycling through new kids and then their old mistakes are completely forgotten about. influencer culture is so wild

[@LauraRuiz-ek2sl]

I think it’s the LA culture. I live in LA and flex culture is a real thing for everyone not just celebrities. Also LA is a place where you go to reinvent yourself. It’s a place where anything is possible. And although it is very much superficial it is a cutthroat city and I think a lot of influencers get lost in the glitz and glamour and stay there.

[@yarethvarela7182]

I rarely comment on KZbin, but I’d really like to let you know that you’ve truly inspired me to continue with my social work major. Seeing how you are as a person that is extremely genuine and thoughtful, is so inspiring, and can’t wait to be a fellow social worker of yours!

[@ChicSabrina]

I imagine the solution would be to stop giving those people views and attention and basically act like they don't exist. The more people comment on their behavior, the more famous they get, and the larger their bank account gets, which just encourages them and their behavior. The issue with this is that there will always be people that continue to support them, no matter what they do.

[@202cardline]

The largest demographic of viewers on KZbin is children. (Those under 18) I think that is the reason this “just don’t give them attention” thing flops before it even starts. I don’t have an answer, just observing.

[@halensunday2016]

Can I just say I love your work, your research your segways and how you get your point across so constructively. I'm a 34 year old nurse and since covid i have been deployed into C19 testing. I just came off a 10 day run and I sat down and watched your video. I really enjoyed it. At 19 my mom tod me to get on the bus do my nursing and dont think about returning until you know the value of hard work and dedication from starting at the bottom and earning your respect. It was hard at times and in my mid 20's I spent 5 years with the emergency services and that gave me life skills it still is hard esp with covid, I'm not wealthy I earn mediocre pay I still drive a toyota yaris from 2004, but i have met so many people, learned so much from older and wiser people and patients i see daily. I don't own expensive things but I wouldn't change it for the world. Thank you for your video. Stay safe everyone x

[@Paige-xd1yv]

All i can say is influencer culture can be seen in children now. I work with high schoolers and the entitlement and attitude and disrespect for adults in their life is real (and I see this strongest in kids who I know are wearing someone's merch - there are blessings in being an adult who watches a lot of youtube XD)

[@Unhappytimeaper]

I work mainly with middle schoolers and I feel there is a big thing about how they treat education/educators as useless with the full intent of making it big as creators so it doesn’t matter how they act/treat those around them (esp adults), however, even their peers are treated pretty negatively. I do think watching “problematic” creators is helping this defiant, rude behavior but also just the idea of blowing up online to the point of not having to worry about anything since pretty much all of these influencers are at a point no matter what they do they’ll be set for a long time.

[@michaelal7538]

I hear similar things from my teacher friends in kids as young elementary school. Bringing two pairs of shoes to school because they don’t want the nice ones to get “creased” at recess. Not to be a boomer, but when I was a kid, I didn’t get a new pair until my soles were talking and I grew up in a wealthier area than where I hear these stories come out of. I think for us young adults in our 20s and 30s were seeing a shift away from being so materialistic apart from la and flex culture, but it’s looking like the next set of kids growing up are going to pick it back up worse than ever

[@kaitlynpilapil1548]

I’m in high school right now and I’m not from the US. I think it mostly happens there because I have a classmate that transferred from Hawaii and she is exactly like that. The rest of my class isn’t like that. Of course we all get tired and joke that we’ll just become influencers but we still do our best at school. I have a lot of respect for educators because it is a difficult job and I’m so sorry that you have to deal with students like that

[@MariaRodriguez-dx6sm]

@@michaelal7538 Just let them grow out of mom and dad house and health insurance and see them being crushed by credit card debt. Some people only learn the hard way

[@Unhappytimeaper]

@@kaitlynpilapil1548 yeah, I mean I recently graduated high school (3 years ago) and I’ll say the bunch who act truly rude/mean is small and I don’t think it would have been any different without influencer culture; more like the style of rudeness is derived from influencer culture. In high school for me it was similar, there were a few super stuck up, influencer awful people but it was few out of the 1,500 people at high school (maybe like 50). However, with how a lot of kids are unsupervised (or even if parents try and still struggle) I would be surprised if this type of behavior grows as being an influencer as a career choice still grows. I mean I’m part of I think the first gen of kids who grew up with influencer culture and it was a career I though would have been super fun for a long time I can’t imagine being a 12 year old now at it’s ‘peak’

[@LeaNezz]

LA culture is so interesting and i would love to hear maybe LA vs NYC influencers (NYC influencer culture). I live here and i feel like it is so much less flashy!

[@anakarina1011]

Any nyc influencers you recommend?

[@LeaNezz]

@@anakarina1011 i have a channel but im not a real influencer! haha. Tess Christine, Paige Lorenze, etc

[@bethanymulo]

@@anakarina1011 paige secosky is really good!

[@anakarina1011]

@@bethanymulo thx bby

[@aparnamenon262]

Forget Texas, LA influencer culture has even reached influencers in India smh 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@rikafen]

im so stressed with grad school rn and your uploads bring me immense joy & an escape 😭 thank u sm 💛

[@jilliankailab]

HANNAH this is unrelated but I just minutes ago found out that I passed all my classes this semester which officially makes me A COLLEGE GRADUATE after 5 long years and I wanna tell everyone omg

[@NevitaSahanerdgirl]

Congrats! 💫🥳🍻🎊🎉🎈🧨

[@Kelly-cp8nv]

congratulations!!!

[@shabby3340]

congratulations! 🎉🍾🎊🎈 proud of u !

[@elledoeslaw675]

Well done you!!! Shout it from the rooftops, such an achievement ❤️ 🥳

[@sagespills3159]

I’m so incredibly proud of you!!

[@kayladupuis8610]

A large portion of ppl u meet in LA are absurdly 'business oriented,' ie either you're a business opportunity or you're useless to ppl. When you're surrounded by that constantly its easy to watch ur morals change, even as a 'nobody'

[@pollypocket4323]

That sounds awful

[@TheWhitnasty23]

I could listen to you talk about literally anything! I love how organized and eloquent you speak and I can hear the purpose and passion behind your words. You are my favorite KZbinr and it’s so refreshing to see how humble and real you are! Love you Hannah 🥰

[@klarabjerin8706]

i think the entitlement thing with money sounds alot like the mindset of a kid who was brought up in a family that was middle class or above. like a family where they didnt really have to worry about money, where if they broke their phone their parents could pretty easily afford to replace it etc. like the "i deserve to be taken care of" mentality.

[@macgordon9583]

I’m in grad school for anthropology!! I have spent the past year studying COVID and applying it to media and culture and boy….there’s a lot to say

[@becks5978]

I just know this one is going to be good! Celebrating finishing my undergrad today watching this

[@sarahm9462]

congrats!!

[@sweetfossil]

congrats!!!! that’s amazing :)

[@kaitlynpeters9010]

Congrats!!!!

[@falynangel6594]

Mazel Tov!

[@aaliyahstark7948]

Congratulations!

[@BOOKishbehavior]

My heart definitely felt a little warmer hearing Hannah say "my husband and I." Awww. ❤

[@Kitkitkit1]

You are literally SO good at speaking lmao. Each video you make is like a mini documentary. I just recently found you and have been binging all your content. You’re awesome!

[@ratalie28]

I love the background but I don’t like that there’s no candle 😭

[@ishamachadobracamonte4772]

I'm currently in mid-term exams and I did a presentation about Kim Kardashian's Paper Magazine Cover, the one with the cup on her butt. And I basically used the image and the article as an example of how public figures have this persona that they mantain all the time, like a front, even when they are being "real" it is all the persona. (I also heavily explained everything wrong with that picture like referencing Sarah Baartman without even acknowledging her story, etc.)

[@ishamachadobracamonte4772]

It is the epidemy of Kim Kardashian appropriating black culture's pain and profiting from it

[@hannahnadine8943]

She referenced Sarah Baartman?? Omg what in the hell is wrong with her.

[@ishamachadobracamonte4772]

The photohrapher Jean Paul Goude is known for very racially insensitive work, the original photo that she is recreating is actually referencing Sarah Baartman. The original is called Carolina Beaumont and it is part of his book "Jungle Fever" (quite a name btw)

[@oliviahirano]

im so glad you have as much empathy as you do to include the point of view of "yeah, if i were 18 and millions of people told me i was the best ever, i would get a big head too" because it makes this video feel so much more rounded as an argument, being able to see their point of view of everything, and reaffirms that this isn't a hate video just shitting on influencers or anything of the sort, it's real analysis and thought process of how/why influencer culture is the way it is. so well done, i love watching your videos

[@irelandbrianna1649]

I am so glad someone like you exists on the internet in the midst of what is absolutely the strangest of times