The definitions of influencer and politician differ drastically. Influencers are hired to help detail products and services usually in exchange for currency or other rewards, while politicians hold an office and are “experienced people in the art and science of government” according to Merriam Webster (Merriam-Webster, 2021). Influencers should not be mutually exclusive and rarely should intersect, but is that the case today? Not so fast!
The rise of influencers has continued with the expansion of the internet, social media, and the accessibility and emphasis for most people to have a smart phone. Having easier access to the internet, social media, and a smart phone has created additional scenarios and additional times for people to be influenced by one another. Thinking back to how things used to be even 20 to 30 years ago, people did not interact with one another as often as they do today.
Once people did not see each other in person, there was a good chance they did not talk to them till the next day or just through a phone call between a few people. Now, our world is incredibly connected and access to so much information and various others conversations are accessible by just a few clicks of some buttons. But, what does this have to do with persuasion and propaganda anyways?
Well, it has just about everything to do with persuasion and propaganda, in fact. Due to the digital and information age, influencers have more mediums than ever to influence people, and the same goes for politicians. According to the Pew Research Center, it was estimated earlier in 2021 that about seven in 10 American citizens (72 percent to be exact) have a social media account of some sort (Pew Research Center, 2021).
Comparing and Contrasting Politicians to Influencers
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