It is amazing looking at the landscape of popular culture in the 2010's. With thanks to the rise of the internet, regular, average, everyday men and women can be catapulted to a level of fame and success that I used to associate with a Daedalian work ethic and talent level.

On one hand, I am excited at the prospects to come from the new manner of obtaining talent through crowdsourcing. On the other hand, as 2010 became 2017, I was forced to realize that such opportunities often came at the expense of legitimate talent.

Hear me out.


Remember Vine? The app that gave people six seconds of video time to make a mark in some way shape or form?

Well, I stopped actively watching Vines around mid-2014, when sponsorships and not-so-subliminal advertising turned those six second videos from funny shorts to off-putting marketing ploys.

Flash forward three years from then, and for some reason, a group of unfunny Viners - who have now taken their 'talents' to Hollywood and YouTube where the checks are bigger - are still here (because, white, because conventionally attractive, because their jokes are rooted in upholding stereotypes, because all three) for some reason.

As I pondered my life's choices while watching what felt like an endless stream of: that one white guy with blue-ish eyes and a good enough smile who had that one video with the punchline 'GIRLS BE LIKE' land a major modelling contract; and that one brunette girl whose dumb jokes went excused because, hot, duh - interview lauded actors prior to a major awards show, I realized social media influencers were really...out here!

Social influencers make up a minority of the entertainment industry, though they contribute to a large, very vocal percentage of modern day marketing and advertising. They are in their own right celebrities, creators of a new culture fostered by the growing influence of the internet.

We've all seen one, if not know someone attempting to break into that industry - there is truly no escaping the new crop of instacelebs.

And, to keep it a stack, I'm more than over it.

The mediocre bunch, I mean.

Now don't get me wrong - this is not a grand generalization of every social media influencer. Not all are banking on society's love of mediocrity - capitalism won't allow that from everybody.

Speaking as an outside observer, maintaining a following and holding the public's attention as a social media influencer takes hard work and dedication to your given craft.

But there are some who skate by on...not a lot.

And that's when it hit me - it's because there is safety in mediocrity aka 'the known'.

Yeah, that's kind of a harsh assessment, but think about it.

There's a reason why trends are cyclical, why people scream about diversity, individuality, uniqueness and creativity all whilst following the herd and adhering to the standards of 'the norm'.

It's why there is conformity in every subculture - even in those who claim to not conform.

Why there is an influx of recycled faces, bodies, speeches, branding, aesthetics and marketing.

Because it is a safe bet.

To look at it from the perspective of a businessperson (yes, ladies and gents, I did in fact consider a minor in business...until I took accounting).

There is no risk in investing in what is known to generate profit.

It's lazy, uninspired, fueled by rapacious desires and...it's the truth.

You may believe you are witnessing change, witnessing risk taking but look closely with a keen eye.

I'm tired of the safe bet, the easy way out, the eschewing of legitimate talent.

Shame.

Let's try harder and do better, because the clock is ticking and I'm ready for certain people to get left behind.

(God willing, God willing - times have to change.)