Lisa Magnusson: It's Obvious No One Is Inspired by Influencers

In a sharp critique published by Dagens Nyheter, Lisa Magnusson argues that the pervasive influencer culture, despite its outward appearance of trendsetting, fundamentally fails to create anything of genuine substance. Magnusson contends that influencers do not produce music, art, or fashion, but rather peddle a lifestyle centered around consumption and sponsored events, which she finds ultimately uninspiring and hollow.

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Influencers create nothing. Not music, not art, not fashion. And instead of a party: a sponsored event.

The author challenges the notion, recently floated by a TikTok personality, that influencers inspire young people. Magnusson asserts that this idea is misguided, suggesting that the constant barrage of curated content often leaves followers feeling inadequate and perpetually in need of purchasing more. This focus on superficiality, she argues, is a defining characteristic of the influencer phenomenon, distinguishing it from previous youth cultural movements that, in retrospect, may seem more adventurous or authentic.

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I wish better for both them and their followers.

Magnusson's piece, appearing on Dagens Nyheter's independent liberal editorial pages, posits that the influencer model is characterized by a lack of original creation. Instead of fostering genuine creativity or community, it promotes a cycle of consumption and manufactured experiences. While acknowledging that such a culture might represent a form of youth rebellion against older generations' values, Magnusson expresses personal dismay at the pervasive emphasis on surface-level aesthetics and the "plasticky" nature of influencer content, which she believes ultimately serves to make followers feel insufficient.

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Influencers do in fact do nothing of value at all!