Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for October 07, 2023

The age of euphemism

I was thinking more “shill”.

Snake oil salesman.

And they believe it’s a grand thing to be! I think it’s just pitiful.

Influencer: a respiratory illness. Ah, autocorrect gave me the wrong word but, ironically, the same conclusion.

Not all Hucksters or Shills manage to influence very many followers but they are still Hucksters and Shills.

I was thinking somewhere between gig economy spokesperson and 3am infomercial huckster.

In my looong-ago childhood I remember “huckster” being used for street vendors, often with pushcarts.

American Slang: promote or sell a product of questionable value?

I believe Influencers as much as I believe Tom Selleck has a reverse mortgage loan.

When I think “influencer”, I think “Kardashian”. Then I think “weak minded follower”.

Over 100 years of being exposed to electronic advertising, and here we are!

“Huckster” is so low brow.

Akin to the snake oil salesmen.

“The Girl Who Was Plugged In” James Tiptree, Jr. (pen-name for Alice Sheldon)

Circa 1975-8

fusilier, SMOF, jg (ret)

James 2:24

Nicest way to say it, a spokesperson whose known for being a spokesperson. Even this doesn’t sound impressive. At one time there were people on youtube getting high viewerships by video taping their kid opening boxes the toys were displayed on the shelves. I mean how can TV networks compete with that?

I hear noise and see pixels.

If you can upgrade with a real estate or insurance license you are legally allowed to call yourself a cheap chiseler.

“Shill” also comes to mind. As do others, but I’m keeping it family-safe.

I think the general crassness of social media has made us cynical about social media altogether. That is a shame; we are using social media right now, and it is one of the bright spots in my life.

Even here, we have seen sentiments that have no place in a friendly forum. Partisan political rants certainly top the list; those are a blight to social media everywhere. We also see product evaluations here. Many are “this worked for me” evaluations, or “the darned thing broke in weeks” but by far the most valuable ones to me are from the people here I have come to trust. The magic is that I trust most of the regulars and we know which ones have biases that would affect their reliability. Really, if a member who is lost in politician bashing recommends something, I would be skeptical about how it would make me feel. On the other hand, if one of my buds in GC comments says Trump-no-More works great, I would ask where I can get it… especially if it deflects anti- or pro- Trump rants.

The shoe is sometimes on the other foot, too. If anybody mentions how much trouble seasonal allergies are I am very likely to recommend Nasalcrom, because it works so very well for me without side effects. MyPillow? I have one and am satisfied with it, but mostly because I have low expectations for any pillow. I use it (and kinda like that it can be tossed in the washer with a load of clothes) but I would never recommend it because I don’t think most people would find it comfortable. You know the story of the Princess and the Pea? I would sleep just fine with pine cones under the sheet.

… People walking up to ya

Singing glory Hallelujah

And they’re tryin’ to sock it to you

In the name of the Lord

… They’re gonna teach you how to meditate

Read your horoscope, cheat your fate

And further more to hell with hate

Come on and get on board whoah

… La-da da da da da da da

La-da da da da da de

Talking ’bout you and me

And the games people play …

My brother and I owned a local business for many years. A local ad group produced some TV commercials that people still tell us made them laugh like nothing else. I loved being a salesman.

Recently identified as the #1 career choice for high school students.

I am not influenced at all but then, I’m not on any social media (except this one, and don’t YOU try to implant something in my brain!!)

Someone tells the “influencer” what to push to the unsuspecting public. So “shill” is the right word.

I prefer “jokester” as they all make me laugh with their self-importance. best comedy in the world.

I think you would have to ‘follow’ these folks to actually see what they are shilling, and truth told, I can’t imagine anyone here ‘following’ anyone who is not related.

Anybody who refers to themselves as a social media influencer really isn’t.

I remember my parents worrying about my having good or bad influences. (They were adulting back then.)

Is there a difference between, “huckster,” and “shyster”? And is, “conman,” just generic?

Well said Janis

Yeah. Shill is good.

“Pimp” comes to mind, especially if you’re not fond of the particular commerce

another way not to have a real job

Another word for “scammer.”

and then they ask for a “donation”!!!

Influencer: Someone too lazy to get a real job and pretends to be important.

they actually sell snake oil

“Huckster”. I like that!

I follow social media influencers from Poland, Japan, and Australia. However, they discuss vintage clothing, history, and culture. It’s a far cry from a teenaged girl on TikTok pushing her ‘advice’ on cosmetics and fashion.

I’ve yet to see / hear an influencer that I would want to spend dinner with.

Influencers make money, Hucksters don’t! Maybe teachers should be called Influencers!

The most simple word description is usually the most correct……

spot on…shill is good also…

Influencers aren’t shrill as shills can be.

As pschearer correctly noted “shill” is another word as well as “stooge”.

The collective common sense of those who post here is a wonder to behold. I’m glad to be among the A & J army of the common sense just good folks.

If you’re not going to get upset with Jack Benny for advertising Jell=O and Lucky Strike Cigarettes then don’t get upset with people who make TikToks about face cream and shoes. It’s just advertising. “Influencers” have always existed, we just didn’t use that term. There have ALWAYS been attractive people who’ve sold the idea of an easy lifestyle if you only did/bought/used X, Y, or Z.

One nice thing about being kind of an adult, is, I don’t need some phony professional telling me what I need, how to do things, etc. I’m a big boy, now…I can figure these all out for myself.

“The Hucksters” – movie with Clark Gable from 1947 about the crooks selling things.