Want to be an ‘influencer’? Here’s where you should live in NJ

Atlantic City has been named one of the best cities in America for content creators.

And I have never felt more conflicted about a ranking in my life.

According to app.com, there's a new study from HostingAdvice that ranks Atlantic City number four out of 529 cities in the U.S. for people looking to make a living creating content.

The study considered things like connectivity and infrastructure, creative community and events, cost of living and affordability, and employment opportunities. Atlantic City scored particularly well for affordability and connectivity, including 100% high-speed coverage.

It also doesn’t hurt that you have a beach, boardwalk, casinos, concerts, restaurants and an endless supply of weirdness happening around you.

Person watching a live stream on their phone

So, yeah. I get it, but here’s where I have a problem.

I hate the word influencer.

Actually, I hate the phenomenon.

There are people who have legitimately talented careers creating videos, making movies, producing comedy or telling stories online. Fine. Good for them.

But somewhere along the way, we decided that talentless anybodies who can get 47,000 people to watch them eat a sandwich, dance in their kitchen, point at words appearing above their head or scream at a camera has become an “influencer.”

smartphone on monopod

Influence used to be something you earned.

Now it apparently means you have enough strangers watching you do nonsense that somebody sends you a free box of protein bars.

And don’t get me started on the people who introduce themselves as influencers.

What do you do?

“I’m an influencer.”

Influence WHAT? My decision to eat Tide Pods? My decision to try a restaurant only because you made a video standing outside it saying, “OMG guys, you HAVE to check this place out!”

Jobs are actors, or writers, or comics, etc.. “Influencer��� is not a “job.” Influencing someone might be a byproduct at best. The whole concept is absurd. If you call yourself an influencer the only thing you’re influencing is my opinion that you’re a pompous, pretentious jackass.

a woman taking a picture of herself in a kitchen

Still, Atlantic City is actually a pretty logical place for somebody trying to create content. There is something happening there practically every minute.

So congratulations, Atlantic City.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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