Lifestyle’s Julia Cawele discusses how influencers like Chloe Ferry are reshaping the landscape of what it means to be a social media star
The weight of social pressure can feel intense, especially for public figures. The proliferation of social media over the last decade has granted access for anyone, anywhere, to follow the lives of their favourite stars and feel a greater connection. Although this can have its benefits, it can sadly blur the lines of reality as the parasocial becomes the new currency which can lead influencers and their fans down a dark path.
Reality TV veteran, Chloe Ferry, recently opened up on social media about the negative toll social media has had on her over the tenor of her career as a public figure and how negative comments from trolls had plummeted her self-esteem over the years. Ferry rose to fame in the early 2010s from her iconic stint on MTV’s “Geordie Shore” where viewers were invited into the wild nightlife of a then 19 year old, boisterous, Chloe.
Many stars thrusted into the limelight at a young age tend to sing the same tune; how it was just too much too quickly. Predictably, all the cameras, grandeur and constant attention can be a recipe for disaster even with the help of a manager or pr team. On top of all that, young stars like Chloe had the bigger beast to face; social media. In an exclusive interview with podcaster Paul Brunson, Ferry shared struggles with grappling with constant media scrutiny and online trolls, and toll it has taken on self-esteem. She exclaims
““…I want to love myself again,
Ferry also expressed regret over the many cosmetics produces she has undergone as a result of the pressure she felt to fit a certain image as a public figure;
This speaks to the immense shift in beauty standards over the last decade which continues to change with the fleeting nature of social media which now defines what is “in” and what isn’t, at the feet of young women desperate the fit the mold. In the midst of the superficial fog however is people with a voice like Chloe, who every now and then speak out and remind us all that it’s okay not to be okay.
From the outside looking in, the influencer world seems to be on filled with hurt individuals pacified with free makeup goodies and complimentary brand trips, all in an attempt to numb the pain of your success in your profession being measured by how many more people think your pretty compared to the next girl- it looks exhausting. I must admit, on paper, I once thought it would be a dream akin to that of a pop star, but if we’ve learnt anything in recent years, particularly with Hollywood seemingly in decline and our once-idols reputations unravelling as the truth emerges, it’s quite clear that
“what glitters isn’t always gold.
Chloe Ferry is a brave soul. It’s crucial those we admire- investing into their livelihoods through our clicks and shares, which ultimately pay their bills- to recognize the extent of their influence. By choosing moments of self-reflection and demonstrating their willingness to change, sharing these experiences with their supporters, they can
“impact lives in profound ways
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