[jrochkind1]

> their job description is literally taking money in order to influence people

I mean, that's literally just a descirption of marketing, right? Or Public Relations. Taking money to influence people? It's a whole industry.

What an influencer brings to it is that they use one person's own personal likeness as a 'brand'... and try not to disclose the extent to which they are getting paid for marketing and/or PR. Which yeah, takes an already suspicious industry and makes it both more so and more... pathetic, if that's the right word. Most attempted "influencers" are struggling/hustling without making a ton of money, but even those who are successful seem just in a sad place to me.