Who’s Really Influencing Us? Social Media vs. The Influencer

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about influence. Not just in a marketing sense, but in a personal one. When college students feel pressured, inspired, behind, healed, or inadequate, who is really responsible for that feeling? Is it the influencer we follow, or is it social media itself?

As I started developing my research topic (for school lol), I originally thought I wanted to focus strictly on influencers. They are the visible faces. They share the advice, the routines, the healing journeys, the aesthetics, the “this changed my life” posts. It feels natural to say they are the ones shaping us. But the more I researched and reflected, the more I realized something deeper.

Influencers create content, but platforms create environments.

Social media platforms are not neutral spaces. They are designed to amplify what performs well. Emotional stories, dramatic transformations, visible healing journeys, glow-ups, and life resets tend to spread faster than slow, quiet growth. That means we are constantly exposed to narratives that frame healing as something visible and measurable.

For college students already navigating identity, ambition, faith, relationships, internships, and leadership, this creates pressure. You are not just trying to grow. You are trying to grow in a way that looks impressive. You are not just healing. You are subconsciously comparing your process to someone else’s highlights.

So, the question here becomes more complex. Are influencers powerful because of who they are, or because the platform continuously rewards and repeats their messages? If the algorithm pushes certain types of emotional narratives, then the environment itself may be shaping our expectations more than any one individual.

I am not writing this to villainize influencers or social media. Both can inspire, educate, and connect people. But I do think we need to be honest about how easily our perceptions are shaped by repetition. When we constantly see content about becoming “emotionally evolved,” “fully healed,” or “high value,” we start to measure ourselves against those labels.

Maybe the real conversation is not about choosing between social media or the influencer. Maybe it is about understanding how they work together to influence us. And once we understand that

we can start consuming more intentionally.