Out of fascination with celebrity figures and celebrity culture in general another genre was spawned, one with a tight multitude of admirers and followers and hangers-on, which to someone like me gives credence to the idiomatic expression 'get a life'!

There are marketers, social influencers, stylists, PR marketers and so many other catchy little nomenclatures for these people who build up a following on social media, on Internet channels, on radio and on television, many having their very own shows, courting name brands in the process to sign up with them so they can highlight the brands on their platforms, attract more followers, a greater number of brands, and make a surprising amount of profit for themselves. Word-of-mouth if you've got the charisma and the followers can gain the 'right people' quite an advantage in a career of advertising/public relations.

 

And in the process one must be extremely careful to make friends among others within the profession, to carefully avoid pitfalls, pratfalls and above all, the dreaded mob rule leading to accusations that seem indefensible when the adoring public has its 'progressive' back up, and wham! you're cancelled.

"According to Wikipedia, “Influencer marketing (also influence marketing) is a form of marketing in which focus is placed on specific key individuals (or types of individual) rather than the target market as a whole.” Over the last five years, it has grown from obscurity to a form of marketing where even the biggest brands understand its value."

Influencer Marketing Hub 

Here is a snippet of a sad and sordid, perfectly pathetic tale of influencer-versus-marketer woe. Which betrays the way the wind blows these days of progressive culture, Black Lives Matter and the regular media's fascination with an alter-culture that has become mainstream culture, a stereotype of bullying for gain in followers and accompanying profit in a cutthroat world of female empowerment. 

Jessica Mulroney /Instagram

Jessica: "I had a moment to think and I want to apologize. I was wrong. Comparing myself to you was wrong and what you are doing is all the good the world needs. I will do better and be better. I am not a fighter. I'm a lover. But I went about it the wrong way. Please accept my sincerest apologies."

 

Sasha: "Girl, everyone is calling you out. You were not dialed in to see that. DO NOT MAKE YOURSELF THE VICTIM HERE! Not one person that I called out for their poor judgment and behaviour was 'disappointed; or did make it about themselves. Nor did they have the balls to compare themselves to me as a black woman and what I'm [putting] on my feed. You will have a lot of work to do moving forward That is clear."

"I've lost all respect for you."

 

Jessica: "I'm sorry you feel that way. Was only trying to help and learn from you ... I believe working together is the answer. Do  you? I tried to make a conversation happen. I was just hurt."

 

Photography by Justin Aranha

Sasha: "Honestly, I think I'm done with this conversation. You are not Woke and you won't be. Ever. You're scared which is probably why your account is private and you're taking a social media 'break'. Girlfriend, you aren't fooling anyone. This entire thread is proof that you have not learned one thing. I cannot devote energy to ignorance. I am very sad because I foolishly expected different."

 

Jessica: "I did not take time to realize I was not approaching the right way and needed space. I was wrong and am sorry. Truly. There s no need for hate right now I"ll do better. I hope we can get back to a good place. This is why I wanted to be thorough and thoughtful about what I say. Anyway, I hope you will take my apology under consideration. Only love and respect for you. But what you said. It's not about me. It's about a larger issue and speaking up is the only answer. Thank you for enlightening me."

 

Sasha: "This is ALL kinds of wrong and shows how much you've tried to exercise your privilege in this situation. Your comments in yesterday's text thread are so problematic, you have no idea. It's textbook Amy Cooper."

Jessica: "Sasha, we are not always reasonable in moments of shame. I'm sorry. That's all I can say. Emotions are running high and I guess I felt embarrassed that you called me out. I received many calls about it and it hurt. But let's move forward. I realize I was wrong and I'm trying to apologize. But if you don't want to understand me then I get it."

"Well, your silence is understood. We don't always do it the right way. But we learn from our mistakes. Take care."

Perfectly ghastly on all kinds of levels. Have people truly, nothing better to do with themselves? As for the unabashed bullying and the meek acceptance of someone who knows how destructive the merest whiff of suspicion of 'racism' or 'Black-bullying' can be to one's career and aspirations, even if that career is of no benefit whatever to society, but represents a nasty black hole of out-of-control consumerism and pretence to importance, the spectacle of a woman willing to surrender her self-respect in this manner is downright painful.