Some people take on a variety of responsibility, or a lack of it, when they decide to become “influencers.” There are countless people boasting that title on social media, and not all of them are anywhere near as popular as our celebrities or politicians.
For those not in the loop, an influencer is somebody who posts content on public forums in an effort to draw a particular audience and/or steer those viewers toward a particular trend or behavior, or follow them as they exhibit those same ideals. The influencer stands in front of their cell phone in Selfie mode and uses the world around them as their stage or soapbox through which they tout their agenda.
Recently an influencer named Sam (possibly short for Samantha) Jones filmed an interaction she initiated between a mother wombat with its young and herself. She picked up the infant joey and ran with it, exclaiming, “I caught a baby wombat!” The distressed mother, naturally, gave chase, and Sam’s camera person (we’re unsure if she merited the extra person or it’s a friend or relative) is heard saying, “. . . .the mother (is) chasing after her.” Sam then returned across the road and released the joey to reunite with the mother.
She has since issued a statement saying that she was actually rescuing the joey and mother from the road to avoid being hit by passing cars, none of which is corroborated in the way she was acting in the video. No words or actions from her captured on camera indicated she was on any type of rescue mission other than that of her popularity numbers. She quickly left Australia after overwhelming backlash and negative publicity from people around the world.
It sounds like she was more of an influencer for bad than good.
Her misbehavior has added another checkmark in the negative column in the eyes of the world, as the reputation of Americans in general has been in decline. Our snootiness and entitlement agenda, as well as our lack of common courtesy, is making our appearance in many countries akin to an invasion of locusts.
Our freedoms, so flippantly taken for granted, are often well beyond what other countries tolerate, which is why tourists from America are so easily recognized in the wilds of travelers’ meccas everywhere. We don’t understand courtesy, dress codes, pedestrian rules, restaurant etiquette, or even how to treat employees at service facilities like actual human beings. We choose instead to be blissfully ignorant and pay no attention to what is happening around us when we are in a different place. We don’t know how to read a room, let alone how to appreciate another country’s scenery.
Also, other countries have residents. People have daily jobs to go to. Children go to school. And yes, animals are in their natural habitat, and you are a visitor. If you respect the space you are in, don’t interfere with daily activities, leave the wildlife alone and put your trash where it belongs, you can take a major step in being appreciated by the locals. This matters, from the people sharing the corner waiting for the light to change to the hotel staff and public servants at the buildings and transit hubs. Be courteous.
We don’t try other languages, either. Many countries have a go at English, but would they hold their own in our country? Probably not, but they will make the effort. We should do the same when we go elsewhere. Find out what words are taboo in the place you’ll visit, and make sure that if you use those, be conscious of that flaw and try not to embarrass yourself. Learn some basics such as “Thank You” in your host country’s language.
Another way to make yourself out as a fool is to disrespect monuments and memorials. Some tourist destinations are somber places, so don’t treat it as a photo op for a selfie of you making faces where people sacrificed their lives. Show respect. And I can’t stress enough; take your trash to the proper place.
Be quiet when people around you are quiet. Public transit may have quiet cars on trains, or talking loudly may be frowned upon on busses. Keep your music to yourself as well.
As you use your device to record things around you, have common sense. Avoid situations which may be dangerous or draw negative attention. Most of us are just normal people with cell phones. Don’t be a bad influence. Or a worse influencer.
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