Influencer

The word “influencer” has permeated our vocabulary with the stealth of an armadillo sneaking across the Texas border. Just a few years ago, it was a niche term, and now it’s inescapable. People who sway our opinions on everything from music to politics are crowned influencers, even the Vatican is considering a millennial saint as “God’s influencer.”

During an election, I myself was inexplicably labelled an influencer by the Charlotte Observer. It was a surprising title, to say the least.

Here’s the crux of the issue: the true influencers in my mind aren’t the ones with the most Instagram followers. Teachers, coaches, pastors, mentors – these are the people who leave a lasting positive impact on our lives. Social media, however, celebrates a different kind of influence, often built on fleeting trends and carefully curated feeds.

So, if you aspire to become an influencer, consider this: what kind of influence do you want to have? Do you crave fleeting likes, or do you want to inspire and empower others in a meaningful way?

About the author

Webb Hubbell is the former Associate Attorney General of The United States. His novels, When Men Betray, Ginger Snaps, A Game of Inches, The Eighteenth Green, and The East End are published by Beaufort Books and are available online or at your local bookstore. When Men Betray won one of the IndieFab awards for best novel in 2014. Ginger Snaps and The Eighteenth Green won the IPPY Awards Gold Medal for best suspense/thriller. His latest, “Light of Day” will be on the bookstands soon.

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