I Don’t Want To Come Across Rude But…
… Social Media Is For Idiots
Social media has taken over the 21st century.
We all use it and we all love it, but I think it’s fair to say we all use it a little bit too much and we all get a little bit too caught up in the ‘Instagram famous’ people we follow…and for some, it’s even a case of trying to look a little bit too much like their favourite social media mogul.
Ok, maybe not just any social media mogul, but the Kardashians.
The Kardashians have revolutionised social media and consequently built a remarkable empire from it, particularly on Instagram- here are some statistics:
According to Statisa, from January 2013 to September 2017 there has been up to 800 million monthly Instagram users.
Additionally, Statisa claim that 41% of worldwide Instagram users are 24 years old and under. These demographics are similar to that of the Kardashian family’s Instagram following- most of which are Millennials.
So, each member of the Kardashian Jenner clan has a following of:
Kim- 106 million
Kourtney- 60.4 million
Khloe- 72.1 million
Kris- 18.7 million
Kendall- 86.7 million
Kylie- 101 million
Caitlyn- 8.8 million
(Rob Kardashian’s profile is currently inactive)
If you add these together they amount to 453.7 million. If you round that to 454 million you’ll find that the Kardashian family alone claim four sevenths, or 57% of those 800 million monthly Instagram users.
Based on that mini analysis alone, I think it’s fair to say their empire has a gigantic influence over Instagram. That’s not even considering their other public profiles such as on, Twitter and their individual lifestyle apps.
With such a large following the Kardashians have influenced and inspired millions of people to look and dress like them in one way or another…
…If you don’t believe me, take a look:
Whether it’s make-up or plastic surgery, people have been persuaded by the intense force of the Kardashian social media presence, to look like them and if that’s how these people want to live their lives, because it makes them happy, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
However, these public figures who chose a ‘Kardashianised’ lifestyle should consider the type of message they’re putting into the minds of their own thousands of young followers…
…If I have tanned skin and big lips, should I also try make myself look like a Kardashian?
No.
Social media personalities such as the Ali sisters and Jordan are modern day idols. When I was a teenager, idols and role-models tended to be Pop-stars or Disney channel actors- nowadays they’re Instagramers and YouTubers. Their large young audiences look up to them and want to be like them. Consequently, instead of feeling uncool because they’re not allowed to get the pink highlights in their hair that their favourite singer had (like when I was 13), young social media users now start feeling uncool and pressured because they can’t get the lip fillers their favourite Instagramer got to look like Kim Kardashian. This then raises the worrying question, to what extent will young followers go to in order to overcome these rising societal pressures? Especially with the internet being so actively present in young peoples lives, it’s hard to avoid the pressure.
For example, the horrifying and dangerous Kylie Jenner lip challenge was an online spin-off effect that her followers created, due to Kylie not admitting she had actually got her lips injected. So, it’s obvious that celebrities and popular social media figures have major influential effects on their followers. Therefore, making themselves look like somebody else is not the right message to be sending their young followers- because they will listen. Instead, followers should be shown signs of self love for who they are and the way they are.
After all, the Kardashians don’t even really look like themselves anyway…
The Kardashians’ Instagram posts explicitly show what it takes to achieve the their looks, such as getting lip injections, spray tans, hair extensions, expensive clothing…the list goes on! So, with the existing societal pressure of looking good, and the available opportunities to get their looks, there’s an added pressure and effectively a desire, for youngsters in this Digital Age to look like a Kardashian.
Moreover, many young Instagram users also feel the need to behave like them. This can be achieved in numerous ways, but the most profound way is by obsessing over your selfies. This has now become the norm and people are expected to regularly take pictures of themselves and make sure the angle and lighting is absolutely perfect before it’s uploaded onto social media. Oh and just to set the standard, Kim published a book called ‘Selfish’ which is an entire book of her own selfies.
Don’t get me wrong, a selfie every now and then is great- but not to stress over it that much because…
…Life. Is. Too. Short.
So don’t be an idiot and waste time on your phone, taking selfies, uploading them onto social media and looking at other people live their lives. Make real memories with your friends and family and do what makes you happy- that’s far more fun. If looking like Kim Kardashian is what will make you happy then do it! But the point is, you don’t have to just because other people on social media are. So, don’t change yourself due to the pressures of living, behaving or looking like any ‘Instagram famous’ people, because at the end of the day being you is what’s most important.
