Under the Influence

Life in New Normal, we ask ourselves, are we being influenced? Are we the influencers, or are we simply disinterested?

Somehow, I feel I may be all of the above, at given times of the day. But hey, why we boring? I was contacted recently by a newspaper, asking if I would speak about the subject of Influencers, having been something of an “original influencer”, back in the day.

It’s not the first time I’ve been asked to comment on such, as I used to frequently receive requests to promote various luxury items in my Sunday Times column. From the latest phone, to first class travel, to wonderful cars. The PR firms were in touch with my management teams weekly. It was like a frenzy, as to which products or places would make the grade. At the time, as an early twenty-something, I saw the whole thing as silly, but fun. These days, however, it’s clearly big business. Therefore, I am not the right man to discuss the career choice further.

However, one thing I have noticed on Instagram, certain Influencers driving whilst capturing videos. Dangerous, to try pout and change lanes, one can imagine. Then the money shot-cute kid in the rear seat, on his way to school. Eyes on the road, or eyes to the stars, springs to mind.If you’re going to attract followers, be sure to influence them correctly. Endless photos of your lunch, your new shoes, even paid for partnerships, but please be smart and put the phone down when driving. Be a good influence, not a reckless one.

Thankfully, a fantastic lunch party lifted mid-week. One of the most beautiful villas in Marbella, was the setting. The main attraction-a considerable art collection. From Picasso, to Pistoletto. From Renoir, to Rothko, all there. A feast for the eyes. Followed by a real feast, a proper Andalucian lunch, that rolled on for hours. From there I was due to meet friends for drinks at Puente Romano. My friend Eduardo offered to collect me in his brand new Ferrari- I think he would have picked me up in Madrid, if it meant he could have the excuse to drive. Anyhow, we had something of a mishap in the centre of Marbella town, as the electrics of the car went into meltdown, leaving us blocking the traffic at rush hour. I slid as far down into the seat as I possibly could, not so easy at 6’1”. As the other motorists screamed at us, and car spotters photographed the scene, Ed ordered that I hop out and push the Italian machine to the side of the road. So that’s just what I did, laughing, red faced, with pedestrians as they cheered. You see that’s the thing with real world versus virtual, when funny things are actually happening, we don’t have time to post them online, we are simply too wrapped up in the moment. Or in some cases dying of embarrassment.

So perhaps, put the phone down, engage with the world, look your family and friends inthe eyes when you speak. You may just be reminded that the real world is the place that counts. Have a super week!

Thank you for reading this article, “Under the Influence”. For more columns like this one, be sure to visit the Euro Weekly News website.

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Written by

Gavin Lambe-Murphy

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