Comparing the 1950s, an era of elite Hollywood starlets, to today’s measure of stardom — where everyone has a real shot at their fleeting 15 minutes of fame — makes it hard not to wonder just how far people will go for a few likes. 

You don’t have to look far to understand our society’s new system of fame. Picture this: once-adored YouTubers or celebrities now make bizarre noises and plead for “roses,” sacrificing their dignity for virtual currency. Some eat absurd amounts of food or drop to their knees, hands clasped in a prayer-like pose, begging for diamonds on TikTok Live.

How did celebrities and influencers fall so far from grace that they are now essentially begging children — kids who, unfortunately, have saved credit card information — to unwittingly spend exorbitant amounts of money on these streams? Watching the demise of celebrity culture, recently highlighted by the TikTok ban, only elucidates the lengths people will go for fame and money.

Consider influencers like Alix Earle, who, alongside her team, strategically incentivized followers to migrate to Meta platforms by telling them to “follow me on Instagram so you can see when I get engaged,” as a transparent attempt to maintain relevance amidst new regulations enacted by the Supreme Court. 

Other TikTok creators with larger platforms point to the censorship that banning TikTok will cause. The app is said to be a space where everyone’s voice matters, largely through the video documentation of poorly faked sobs as influencers see their bank accounts depleting.

Ironically, their “voice” often includes recommending a new moisturizer that one NEEDS in order to produce collagen. This is particularly perplexing given that the target demographic for this ad is young twenty-somethings who are already at the age of peak collagen production. The collective verbiage pumped out by these creators around the ban is interesting, especially considering the political implications.

Another narrative pushed is that TikTok is a place where women can finally make their voices heard, given that many CEOs have emerged from the app. While it’s true that the more women in every field, the better, was it all sunshine and roses on the platform before the ban? No. These creators consistently exacerbate overconsumption due to the nature of their jobs. This not only impacts the environment but also contributes to climate change caused by the constant whispers of “the next best product.” 

The smoke and mirrors provided by these influencers hide their true motive: to encourage the average TikTok user to retaliate against the ban. Why, might one ask, would they be so opposed? The truth is that in today’s world, anyone can become someone with the infinite content produced, and these creators know that with the app gone, they lose their fame as well.

History repeats itself, as is seen with the “death” of apps like Vine and Musical.ly. The top creators on those platforms slowly faded away as the apps became less relevant. While TikTok does have a lot to offer, these influencers aren’t scared about the censorship or whatever narrative they are pushing–only that they will lose their money and fame if the app is banned.

The chance for Hollywood to perfectly orchestrate the star of tomorrow is over, and now the beauty of social media is that everyone can become someone—a fact that is the biggest fear of those who rose to the top on TikTok.