I'm Not I'm not a vlogger A travel blogger A paid for promo A marketing slogan I'm not an ad I don't feel sad Or wallow in pity That a million don't follow I'm not looking for likes From panoramic hikes And photos on the gram Aren't part of a plan To make me rich Or famous, a person to pitch An idea, a product, a place I'm not just a front, a face I'm not a vlogger A travel blogger Or a walking ad Just here for the smiles And for that, I'm glad. _____________________________ I just saw a TV advert on Indonesian television for a smartphone. It featured two young Indonesian 'travel vloggers'. My brother in law explained that they have millions of followers, and are very rich as a result. They are paid to travel, complimentary stays in hotels, in return for promoting a location, place, area so others pay for themselves to visit and thus boost profit, profile and economic status. How bloody shallow. Pay your own way, you privileged few. Promote, but don't bathe in your 'success', the glow of recognition in what is purely and simply, NOT A JOB. I loathe the inexorable, insidious rise of the 'influencer..the YouTuber'. That so many young people aspire to this path to a 'career'...getting paid for doing bugger all, is telling. Am I jealous? No, not in the least. I am not a puppet. I wouldn't take the money. When I am able to travel, it is on my terms, not at the behest of a marketing / ad agency. "Let me work with you. DM for details". Bugger off. Yours, slightly curmudgeonly.
