Influencers

Today’s influencers hold court to change our purchasing and decorating decisions and more. Margaret Hopkins knows such influence isn’t new – from ancient history to her 12-year-old neighbor who was a “bad influence.” And she proclaims her limits.

The first time I heard the word “influence” was about Carlita Stompanato, a rowdy 12-year-old who lived in the apartment below us.

“Stay away from that girl! She’s a bad influence,” my live-in grandmother cautioned. “She’s no good.”

Granted, Carlita was advanced for her age. She stayed out late, wore “floozy” makeup, and for a 12-year-old, had a suspiciously sizeable chest, which Grandma said was 90% Kleenex and 10% sin.

Fast forward 50 years and now “influencers” are all around us thanks to social media. They “guide” or “inspire” us to buy a particular product or follow a new trend and they often get commissions when their audience buys what the influencers are plugging. I wonder if Carlita is still an “influencer.” And what product is she trying to influence people to purchase? I bet it’s Kleenex.

Influencers have existed for years. TV commercials, print ads, billboards have always been designed to get us to buy something, do something or go somewhere.

Think about the Garden of Eden: Eve was the original influencer. “Come on, Adam! You know you want it.” Just one bite of that apple and we’ve been doomed ever since.

Caveman probably had influencers:

Caveman #1: “Grunt grunt grunt grunt?” (“Like my new loincloth?’)

Caveman #2: “Gruuuuuunt!” (“Sure do! Where can I get one?”)

But back to the present. Social media has brought influencing to a whole new level. Influencers can earn a lot of money just by posting opinions on things like, “I really love this make-up, it changed my life,” “This pot and pan set consists of 6,000 pieces and you only pay $19.99,” and “I’ve lost 350 pounds and ate everything I wanted by just taking this pill once a day.” The latter shows a skinny person holding up a pair of pants that look like Gulliver could have worn them.

Lifestyle and decorating influencers are a big deal too. Martha Stewart is one of these. Her “posts” creep over to many online platforms and she can be seen poking her blonde head into many subjects. These influencers will tell you what to eat, how to furnish your living room, and what color to paint your kitchen. The problem many people have with some of these people’s posts is the negativity: “Outdated living room furniture,” “obsolete bathroom fixtures” “five colors NOT to paint your kitchen.” Martha sometimes delivers a very negative vibe delivered in an oh-so-soft voice, much like Sister Monica as she was swatting your bottom with a ruler for some classroom misdeed. (“Now, Freddie, dear, you must remember, Jesus is always watching you.” What – he’s got no cable?)

These comments, posts, suggestions or whatever these decorating / lifestyle influencers call them, sometimes make me feel inferior when surveying my own home. Make no mistake, I’m not draping doilies over chair backs or showing off my most recent tea cozy. I’m just living my life surrounded with things I like, colors that make me happy. I wouldn’t call my home casual contemporary, more like midcentury carnival. The kitchen sports bright yellow paint, there are finger puppets hanging on my key rack inside the front door, and there’s a miniature troll sitting atop a picture frame in the hallway. Not exactly Martha Stewart, I’ll admit.

When was I going to grow up? But then I took a few minutes to look around my kitchen with its bright yellow paint, really look, and thought about why I chose that color: it makes me happy.

So, hats off to all of the influencers and all of their followers. I’m sure I’ll pick up a tip here and there from them but for now, I think I’ll keep my yellow kitchen walls. And yes, the troll stays.

Margaret Hopkins is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in several national and Chicago publications including “Women’s World,” “Spooky Magazine,” “The Chicago Tribune,” and “Chicago Parent.” Her personal influencer is Marge Simpson.

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