These Kids Are Skipping College to Be TikTok Famous
Vložit
- čas přidán 4. 05. 2022
- Young adults are shunning college and moving to Los Angeles to make some bank off of the hottest social media platform.
Help keep VICE News’ fearless reporting free for millions by making a one time or ongoing contribution here. - vice.com/contribute
Subscribe to VICE News here: bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News
Check out VICE News for more: vicenews.com
Follow VICE News here:
Facebook: / vicenews
Twitter: / vicenews
Tumblr: / vicenews
Instagram: / vicenews
More videos from the VICE network: www. vicevideo
#VICENews #News
I'm glad these people are doing what they love. I'm equally as glad that I don't need to worry about them coming for my job in 15 years.
Lmaooo they will because most of society or at least a large proportion wil have realized that these people are absolutely talentless and are the last persons life they want to be watching. we’re now as a society just starting to realize what social media can do too the ones who grew up w it and this is just it. it’s horrible watching people influence this behavior, we should actually be exposing them for their lies and waste of space here in our society. these people are ill man, they needa start booking some serious psych appointments because this so called lifestyle isn’t lasting more then 15 years.
Right!
LMAOO
You're probably going to be working for them in 15 years tho
@@rgr010 this is a severe cope lol
I truly feel bad for the millions of kids who spend their free time watching other people's lives on a screen instead of going out and living their own
Depressing future
It gives young people something to do. If school shooters were making TikToks instead of shooting people, this country would be better off
@@nkwari what? If school shooters did anything but shooting people, we'd be better off lmao. Being chronically online is a blight on the younger generation.
Hmm depending on the content in the internet, it might be a way of learning for these kids to navigate the society. But as far as tiktok is concerned, nevermind. 🙄
Damn I m offended
"We're the Beyoncé and Jay-Z of social media." bro I don't know who you are
I don’t think they were saying they were Beyoncé and Jay-Z, they were saying they were influencers in the same way Beyoncé and Jay-Z are musicians.
@@canadianboi326 I don't think they were saying that either. My point was just that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are household names around the world, and watching this video was my first time seeing any of those kids. They just have the mentality that they are icons in the digital world in the same sense that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are icons in the music world, which is not the case. Nothing against these kids, but they just seem to put themselves on a pedestal higher than where they can actually reach.
@@aj_deem08 I think the case is that they're feeling extremely popular, but they fail to understand that TikToks and Shorts doesn't leave a lasting impact on the viewers. They believe their followers or viewers care about their lives, while it couldn't be further from the truth. They are simply a 15 second glimpse in the hours of media consumption on any given day for people. Comparing that to someone like Jay-Z, who's laid out his own story, personality, trials, victories, and advice throughout years of a successful career is insanity. And that's what this kind of fast-food fame will drive you to: insanity; a disconnect between fantasy and reality.
This is a very interesting comment, thanks! I would like to add to it as it led me to consider the following thought: Is a TikToker with millions of views for sponsored content really different from the typical actor who dreamt big, but didn't make it in the long-run? On the short career path of the actor, there might have been role in an advertisement for teeth whitening or tooth paste, that was shown to millions of people on the tv, but nothing more ever came of the career. I feel that the traceability of view numbers might result in a false perception of reality. I don't remember the names and faces of all the tooth paste advertisement actors, just as I won't remember the TikTokers I just saw in this video by the end of this week. @@mrdavidsteen
@@mrdavidsteen I love this response. It's like I took my comment and was like "make this really really deep." 😂 Very well said 👏👏👏
This reporter is good at his job. He doesn’t really know anything about the subject but there’s something in his manner that allows him to get open, honest commentary from every interviewee.
He's not being judgemental. He's genuinely curious why they're doing this.
Terrible jokes though
@@GuyGamer1 thats fine. gen z likes dad jokes
Im not a fan of the excagerated reactions to their view and follower counts. He works for vice... Having millions of views or subs shouldn't suprise him. He plays the boomer, but I don't believe him
@@GuyGamer1 😂
being with these people would literally kill me
😂Same bruh
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Right 💀
😂😂😂🤣
Periodt 🤯
The marketing lady is terrifying. Those aren't people to her, those are moneymakers.
Machines
She really is.
I have a huge amount of respect for her, ingenious.
the crazy part is she can do this forever, with the next generation being her next "cash cow"
Is it scary because she’s doing this, or because you can put a face to the one orchestrating it. Because when you compare this to Fortune 500 companies, this woman is near saintly with how she treats her people.
As a first year college student,(Same age as the youngest in the house), I don’t see anyone younger or a bit older than me wanting to be an influencer. If anything they don’t think it couldn’t be successful or is “cringey.” I don’t blame the kids that want to do TikTok or are doing it as full-time either. It’s hard out here. Everything is getting so much more expensive when wages don’t rise fast enough. Also many are expected to go to college, it’s time and money. It’s so hard to buy a house too. Many lower class middle and so forth see our parents work tirelessly. It took 20+ years for us to buy a house since immigrating. We waited, so we could find the right priced house and save some extra money for stability. I don’t blame them for tying to find social media as an option.
Thank you for not blaming because it really isn't their fault. The blame falls on our government from not protecting us from this bullshit, and from our capitalist culture.
fr my family was only rlly able to buy a house sorta recently in their lifetime, we've always rented otherwise :/
😂😂Inserting "Capitalism Bad" into freedom of expression and the choice for who you want to be is literally the pinnacle of stupidity @@we8608
I know it sounds very "get off my lawn" of me to say this, but I truly feel like social media is destroying a generation of our youth. I'm thankful that it didn't exist for most of my childhood. It encouraged me to do important things like reading instead of incessantly scrolling TikTok. That algorithm is strong and gets me sometimes as an adult. I am fearful for what that is going to do to the development of Gen Z.
yeah very scary...
I’m a Gen Z, and I agree. I see how much social media can damage. I’m scared about the people in my generation and generation alpha.
as a teen who’s on tiktok a lot, it’s so bizarre seeing them actually plan out such simple videos 😭
whats weirder is that ive never seen this people on my fyp 😭😭😭
Omg 😭 😭 😭
esp since a lot of them are just them copying dancing trends😭
A lot of planning goes into production 🤔
When simpletons think they're changing the world with their stupid a$$ videos
I'm worried for people who are getting influenced by these influencers 😩
Bad!
You are too
These people are the the exact example of that . Unknown and only appeal to going kids
So do I 😬 and I just wonder who on earth watches content like that
they already made a video about that
- What's your niche?
- I blink
And they said the average Gen Z has the attention span and IQ above a gold fish.
@@KOK-sc8ez so… what? What is behind this ellipsis?
what they are doing is not easy and demands loads of creativity and perseverance. You got to give them props.
@@hello-vq2ud no
And the other guy that said “ideas” were his thing lol
US congress banning tik Tok thus ending these kids careers LOL
good lets see them cry to mom and dad for money
@@thatonebeoneNah mom and dad disowned them for being a college dropout.
When one platform falls another takes its place.
@@adrycough Exactly
No it will get struck down
Would love to see a life update on these young adults 10 years from now.
Would you like to upsize to large fries
I'd rather see them in 30 years from now, and how wisely they invested, or didn't, all the cash they made. We don''t stay young and beautiful forever. I should know.
lol, like seriously. this gotta be a joke lol
It would be ugly
There are already people like that. Only thing is, they've disappeared into the black holes of internet, desperately trying to "react to karens" and "giving $50 to a single mother and recording their reaction". You don't realize that because you too have forgotten. I remember Alex from target became a sensation, but it died as fast as it started. Some are at the stage where they did make a lot of money, but at the cost of losing their self worth. It's absolutely sad.
The most Dad journalist is actually asking the right questions and is amazingly receptive. Kudos to this dude
This! He comes off as a cool uncle , teacher.
I agree :)
Such a Dad....😂
What's his name
Michael Moynihan
Can you imagine watching these people in your free time? That's insane that people actually do that.
Watching paint dry is also quite fun so iv heard...
Tiktok ban incoming. These kids about to wish they stayed in school 😂😂😂
I wish it was banned here in the UK…
@@veebot75I'll give a two weeks to a month after it gets removed in America and the U.K. will follow suit. I'm sure they are watching how things will play out in America.
Haha good one but what about thinking a bit? Is TikTok the only social media?
at least they will be able to afford school
@@ImGeneralJAckson
They have to have the intelligence and ambition for school. I doubt any of them have any of those.
"Selling out is no longer an insult, it's the goal". Crazy to think that's the world we live in.
It’s sad man
😔
Really down bad, and they promote it.....
Hey everyone sellouts everyday
@@reycesarcarino4653 naw man, millions of people are honest hardworking people. You must be surrounded by/see some disappointing people or content to think that
HVAC technician here. To all of the people out there working diligently, thoughtfully, and honestly, don’t ever for a second forget how important you are. Even thought you’re not getting a constant dopamine rush from your 2.7m followers in your dms, always remember that you’re not alone. Myself and many others are grateful and humbled by what you do. You are the silent warriors that fight every single day with body and mind to keep this world going round.
right on
Well said brother ! Cheers from a fellow blue collared welder 🍻
Hell yeah. We keep this world going
That’s literally what my dads job is
Wait I just deliver food does that count, I wish I was a technician of something
Mid-range millenial here. It's just so crazy how adults my age remember what life was really like before any social media. Hard to really put in words.
AND how quickly the creation and evolution of technology and social media has occurred! I remember volunteering to setup Windows 95 computers in my elementary school classroom (no, it wasn't child labor, I enjoyed helping my teacher in this regard). Now we have multiple cameras inside our smartphones, which that can instantly tell us the temperature in Tokyo, which can "livestream" current events for all the world to see, and can notify us when [input pop singer or famous-for-no-reason female] shakes her @ss on an IG/TikTok video. It's insane.
But I also see the good usage of these technologies. So the mental friction continues :-/
It's sad how talentless performers get more fame and wealth while indie hardworking performers struggle but get by slowly...
Redditor be gone if TikTok gets banned so does reddit
I'm 23 y/o old as of recently and i feel alienated towards this whole social media influencer wave. It all seems so artificial and temporary.
It is people are already getting sick of tiktok and not using it as often, never installed it myself cause I don't want to watch short videos of weird people dancing or doing dumb voice over so they seem cooler but they ultimately look like douches, I rather watch large videos on CZcams such as cooking videos and callmekevin vids
@@KevinIsAMilitaryGenius I use tiktok only because I would watch like motivational videos, memes, cats, cooking, traveling, etc. Anything but teenagers dancing
@@Saki_Ramen it's quite the opposite of what you said the good tiktokers are leaving to CZcams and dance people are stayinh
@@KevinIsAMilitaryGenius Oh oof 😃
You’re not alone
When the "manager" talks about the genZ moving in to married life, childern etc. That got me really concerned over the kids that will be born to these TikTok personalities with a camera shoved into there face 24/7 and there life shared all over the internet. I can definitely see Vice doing a documentary on the damaged kids from this in 10-20 years. Its honestly sad
how is it a damage..they dont rob, they dont steal, they dont cause trouble, they dont beg for money on the streets..FYI human are the most adaptive creature..they will grow...this tik tokers are just part of that long cycle from the so called adults that has cause millions killed in war..people will move on
@@relaxchil5796 i don't think you quite got the point i was highlighting. I wasn't talking about the TikTok creators, and that what they do is physically damaging to other people. I was referring to the unborn childern that could possible be born to these content creators thats job is to constantly film and share their lives on TikTok. The child has no choice as to their lives being constantly uploaded and shared, so strangers can view and comment on their life. I think that would have untold consequences on their mental wellbeing. That's all.
Not sure if you are aware but this is nothing new, family vloggers on CZcams have been doing that for eternity.
Going into college debt/horrible 9-5 or working as a dead end minimum wage labor slave is way worst. As long as these “influencers” hire a financial advisor, & buy at least one real estate property they will be fine.
I get you, but I mean, that is if 8 year olds don't just become selfie addicts themselves. I've seen 5 year olds use tablets way quicker than 40 year olds. It is just the trajectory of technology. I mean, we still expect parents to use common sense and judgement of when and how to expose their children to everything. The same has to apply to social media - even apps like TikTok.
Honestly, I don't blame the people making the content. I respect the hustle. The problem is the audiences who are actually obsessed with this content, rather than experiencing life physically.
ALOT of the viewers live in places where there is NOTHING to do (the Mid-West for example or developing countries).
Lol developing countries have to hustle to feed their tummies. Don’t have time to watch sh*t content
"The transitory nature of a human billboard." THANK YOU!! This is EXACTLY, almost word for word what I have said for a long time now.
I love to dress up. I love to do my makeup and put on pretty clothes. I have been told by MANY people that I could be an influencer. I had someone say "There are influencers doing less." and I tell them that "I would rather die. I refuse to be a billboard."
I have used the term "human billboard" for a while. I am a musician. I want to be seen as a musician. Not some mannequin. I want to be seen as a living, breathing human being with value outside of the way I look, and the way I dress.
I actually was told I should work on boosting my socials before I release music, and I made an honest effort. I tried to stay true to myself and keep up. It just wasn't going to happen. It made me stressed so quickly because it isn't who I am. It was a betrayal to my own boundaries and values, even though I wasn't putting anything up that from an outsiders perspective, would go against who I am. It was all stuff I would have in my phones gallery, so why not? Because those moments aren't meant to represent me.
The way I dress is a form of art. I love it! but I refuse to be "The girl who dresses up, oh and she makes music." Once I release music and have something out there that DOES represent me, it may change a tiny bit... But I could never do what these kids are doing. I am glad they are making a living and enjoying themself, but I wouldn't want that for myself.
the ability of this man hurling insults across someones face and getting away with it as a joke is astonishing
They’re tik tokers very non confrontational
@@86kickass i don't really think that's true 😭 you wouldn't believe how much these kinds of tiktok houses fight between each other
@@cloudfairyz yeah but they ain’t aboutta start fist fighting lol
@@86kickass true, they'll probably do a dance off
@@nachodropkick7022 nah they’ll just make online drama and try to cancel each other and slander each other’s names it’s g@y asf
Imagine a kid introducing their parents, 'Yeah, my father does tiktok for a living' 😊
😭😭
Funny and depressing. Absolute embarrassing.
I love it lol
😆
But how would I know him? Can I see his stupid dance?
The TikTok industry reminds me of my first real relationship with a boy that I dated for 1,5 years during my teens. It wasn't a toxic relationship, but it was unhealthy as we both didn't really accept eachother for what we were, but wanted the other to change into the perfect partner. After we broke up, I realized I didn't know who I was, as I heavily relied on him to "tell me" how to behave. I spent three years having to grow back from that. I feel like if and/or when the fame of TikTok is over for these kids, they'll not know who they are, because someone else told them what to do to be liked. When they don't have that anymore, they'll go into an existential crisis. And I for one know how bad that can get, even though I had real and honest and loving people all around me to catch me after I fell. I just hope they will have that too!!
they're actually not doing what someone told them to do. they are doing what they LIKE and WANT to do and brands are capitalizing off of THEIR popularity. what you described is no different than someone going to nursing school to appease their parents... a lot of us millennials went to college because our parents instilled it so much during our childhood but it wasn't necessarily our deepest desires to go.
@@ptahsankofa and now we have insurmountable SL debt, no way of ever saving or owning a home, multiple degrees in fields most of us don't even work in anymore and were still unhappy. But hey we made our parents proud and got those degrees they brag to their friends about.
seriously i dont see the link, i started reading and then stoped laughing asking myself why does she talk about herself too much information haha
I love how the guy is like 35 and acts like he never even used the internet before
😂 its possible to use the internet for very specific things and therefore live a life which is almost like "not using the internet" by today's standards. Me abd my siblings are between late 40s and early 30s and between the 5 of us, istg we only use CZcams, WhatsApp and telegram for entertainment and communication, and we use normal email for other communication and search engines to research for normal work or day to day stuff. Personally, I'm online for less than 3.5 hours in a day which is usually a collection of minutes here and there during the day when answering messages and then an hour or two watching stuff on youtube before bed. I can say the same applies to most other people around me.
bed.
@@trefens5635 Lmao, do you even listen to yourself? "I'm only online for 3.5hrs per day" and you consider yourself a 'low activity user'.
Case in point, you can't be 35 in a developed country and not know about 'influencers'.
I’m conflicted about this trend, sure college isn’t for everyone and not everyone graduates, but that experience still seems healthier than exposing young people to the psychological harms of celebrity
They don’t realize that. I loved undergrad mostly for the life changing experiences I had and the mental/emotional growth. They’re not going to get that in a healthy way through social media. It’ll be like Disney stars
@@elafila6883 grades will still show up in one form or another. For people pursuing social media? Their worth will be based on the approval and and rejection of others. It’s absolutely more dangerous if they do not step into with a health grounded head on shoulders. Moreover… it is absolutely breeding narcissism or at least the “extraordinary” syndrome - and riding the high of relevance only to fade out if unable to keep up will be hard. SM isn’t inherently bad but when one’s sense of self is hardly formed, the chances of healthy curious exploration is far less likely when pursuing attention and fame.
@@elafila6883 yes, healthier than being valued by size of your following or being harassed, stalked or exploited by strangers on the internet
I hated college but I walked away w/o feeling any pressures of being influencer famous and all the BS that comes w/ it
@@tigermilk96 take my bows sir when you said their success depends upon others acceptance and rejection 🙏
college is in no way healthier at all, it’s a very unhealthy space.
The problem is the following:
1. TikTok will fade into irrelevance as did other platforms.
2. The fans of them will get older and will get disinterested.
3. They will get older.
4. Just chasing trends does not provide any value. They will become irrelevant it is just a matter of time.
Happened to many on Vine.
Like the Island Boys?
What they’re doing is perfectly viable. It just has to be part of a long term plan that factors scenario into account.
who care if the can make out the most money before it fades ?
@@heidiii1387 hey, many people from vine have had very successful careers on Wild n Out
The word 'influencer' is a desperate effort to artificially label a not so notable person as significant.
I hate this generation so much
Peepeepoopoo.
😅yea,
11 seconds into the video and I paused to see if anyone would point this out hahaha
I said this like 5 times while watching before seeing your comment 😂
Valid and OP 😭
Isn’t that the irony, the next gen who’s has been disenfranchised from the system, showing boomers who made money worthless…they will create their own wealth
What's lost on the majority of these kids is that their window of opportunity is tiny, but in the moment they think it'll last forever. Inevitably, life is going to hit them like a ton of bricks.
Just talk to a avg American student they have nearly 40-95 k in student debt
@@sharad7340
And? They have the prospects of a paying career. What career will a Tiktok "celebrity" have?
@@Pikkabuu better than a college student I have seen many students 😔 terrified after college with 50-100 k $ debt 🙂
@@hillybillyboi are you lame you want to graduate with 100 k debt from a university & struggling to pay student loan & unaffordable housing ☠️☠️ which many Americans suffer
@@hillybillyboi in. Reality 😂😂 majority end up in debt 😂 the overall debt is reaching trillions you may have never met anyone who have lot of debt I am a college student & my debt is extremely low but many fellow ones I know have extremely high debt
I need a life update on them now that Tiktok is banned😂
I can't wait when all the internet shuts down and TikTok gets banned in America.
That's not a positive thing. Do you realize how many things are connected to the internet?
The age of influencers has honestly given rise to a class of people who think they are entitled to fame and happiness by not doing anything. It seems idiotic, strange but most importantly it is dangerous.
Aren’t billionaires and multi millionaires sitting on there seats collecting checks pushing the same narrative? Aren’t you planning for retirement?
Don’t you believe hardwork will turn you into a billionaire, since anything is possible and not generational wealth & connections that leads to billionaire? 😂
These people are doing nothing, if compared to the grand scheme of things ,tbh.
And it's actually happening.
I don’t mind tbh… the powers that be fvck everyone over, and if these kids are getting rich off being influencers then they’re just smart.
i remember when survivor got big 20 years ago. One of the news stations did a story on reality tv, and someone said one day in the future we will all have our 15 minutes of fame being on our own reality show. I thought, oh god. I can now clearly see that that time is now.
@@Pyasa.shaitan billionaires and millionaires are not sitting on their but.
Honestly kierra made the most sense when she said "it's making people immature bc we're living like adults but we're not" I'm kinda sad at what our generation is gonna be known for
Nah.. you mean these young adults with no college degree and high school drop outs
@@D1LF-L0V3R lol the past generation? This generation is the one with the most high school grads and college graduates brush up on your history
@@matty9699 I meannnn.. bro.. you literally got teenagers n young adults dropping out of hs to become “famous”
@@D1LF-L0V3R as if that's never happened before tiktok existed /s
@@D1LF-L0V3R Matty is correct, just look up the data on the National Center for Education Statistics. I myself am a millenial. What you should understand is gen z's current opportunities in the economy far surpass what my generation and what gen x had when growing up. Times have changed and money making opportunities have shifted over time. The internet has by far been one of the biggest drivers for this. Millenials benefited from it and gen z is benefitting most of all from it from an opportunity standpoint and financial one. Gen z has the best advantage, being able to have such a large selection with a given starting point in the job market in todays current economy. Being the generation with the highest high school grad or GED equivalent helps in that regard too. We also have to acknowledge that gen z is by far the most PRIVILEGED generation out of the recent 3, because of the reasons stated prior. They "technically"(small margin) do not have to work as hard to get ahead in the market based on the statistics. So some advice, if you want to "own" gen z'ers, just call them more privileged lol.
as a sixteen year old who spends an unfortunate amount of time on TikTok... idk who these people are
As someone who has two Master's degrees, I think they're on the right path. Student loans are suffocating and there's no guarantee you'll land a job. They are learning a business model while doing what they enjoy. Nothing wrong with that.
I agree
For them, high school will never end. And that’s terrifying. Part of integrating into adult society by working and studying is maturing and being able to contribute civically to your community in order to better society and yourself. The income itself is not necessarily going to accomplish this, but socialization and mentoring can help you through life.
Exactly. You took the words out of my head.
Lots of celebrities and musicians have experienced this over the years. These guys are just part of a new way of staying as a teenagers forever
influencers are painfully immature
why wont you tell that to blk people?
@@arian6565 bro what, that's not racist at all.
This interviewer is 100% a comedian, he had me laughing through this entire segment.
- if I downloaded the app there would be an amber alert
- that’s the population of Ireland
- I have no idea what they are doing right now
😂😂😂😂😂
"Again, are you talking about me?" 😆
He's really good at being a journalist here. Getting an objective take with many interviews and sources and presenting it to us. And it's insightful and entertaining to boot
I feel like those jokes went over their heads too
I am a 36 year old dinosaur but I used Tik Tok and is pretty straight forward and easy to use. It is very similar to google shorts(in which is basically a rip off of Tik Tok).
Having said I have no interest getting in to Tik Tok. Back in my day I used MSN Chart, IRQ, Friendster, GeoCities, Yahoo, hot Or Not then eventually Facebook.
Bruh , that's like the first 1 min of the video
The best one “the things I’d do for $10,000”
They're not influencers, they're just models for selling products. Get off social media kids.
Why are they all wearing weird contacts 🤣
I can't blame the kids for going this route because they are in their young and attractive years and can make a ton of money. College does not always equate success and I know blue collar guys who made good money and bought houses in their 30s.
My problem is how a market like this even exists. The fact that so many people sit around all day and watch pointless TikTok videos that it generates this amount of ad revenue is more disturbing.
Just look at the replies on some of the top comments. Rambling messes of broken english and niche slang that basically all boil down to either "we like it so deal with it", or the classic, "you just don't get it." The public education system completely devalued introspection and critical thinking skills in a vain attempt to make people more obedient and now we get this brainrot.
@@XSpamDragonXand private education teaches this?
@@Alexander-wq7qo I have no personal experience with any private educational institution and was merely criticising a service I help pay for and expect to be held to a higher standard.
Q. Why does a market for this exist?
A. Tik Tok and youtube rely on engagement metrics to guide people to content that will keep them engaged. The end goal is to put the viewer into a zombie-like scrolling state where they see ads (and ads get the platforms money). Short format is more effective in creating zombie mode than traditional youtube because youtube has a recommended video list where you actually have to think for a split second between videos. In short format, you just have to scroll down one.
This is electronic heroin where the incentives for viewers and content creators have been carefully crafted by data scientists. Similar forms of control are being implemented in modern microtransaction hell videogames, only you are being subtly trained to give the videogame companies real world money.
---
As for content creation as a career, it's slightly better than being in an MLM scheme, but you have to move so many views to make money that only the top 1% break even.
@@hypothalapotamus5293 I'm almost never anti-capitalist but I feel like we are almost too late to regulate this issue.
Unfortunately the things these kids don’t learn are skills like critical thinking. A part of me admires their desire, sometimes talent, and drive but a lot of it seems very juvenile and immature. It’s bad enough during these times we’re dealing with so many adults who are ignorant uneducated with no critical thinking skills. I’m not saying all these kids have this problem but it does seem to be fertile ground for mindless materialism. All they seem to care about is making money and being famous. Sounds like the mental health industry is going to be booming in the coming decade.
Spot on and they’re already talking about funding billions into it
All kids their age are juvenile and immature, just like you once were. The difference is these kids are making money and being famous, what's wrong with that?
Tru
I would actually disagree... they are clearly shown using critical thinking skills to develop content. They are developing teamwork, communication, and know how to tracking data and trends. Maybe it's not the kind of traditional CT that people think of, but it would certainly translate if they applied the effort.
I am not saying this is a good lifestyle and career choice, but they are learning skills that can help them in the future.
@@BEABEREAN10 I think I agree with what you are saying. Those are the aspects I do admire. The obsession with fame and money and materialism however are the other side of the coin. I think there’s a level of maturity and life experience necessary to cultivate the former. The level of obsessiveness is concerning. Even the individuals in the video say, they never turn it off. Time will tell.
I love how they thought this would last. THANK YOU CONGRESS!
BAN TIKTOK FASTER
I'm an architect and I promote myself on Tik Tok. You don't have to skip studies to use technology, you can study technology and use it to improve as a professional and as a human being. Life is not just dancing.
👏👏👏
Life isn't just dancing but just dancing is life!
Apps are just tools for people with lives
@s ahaha
some of them can't go to college because they can't afford it and is raising money some of them are using it to provide for their families not all of them skip it just because don't want to be professional its your choice
I like how the manager is the one that went to college. And actually understands marketing concepts
And is the one making the real money - 50% of the income of all of her clients right?
Helpful cause these kids are too young to understand and makes them easy to manipulate and control.
@@h82failyeah crazy
Correct, she was impressive. These young adults are never going to develop an interest in learning. They don't have to go to college but they aren't being challenged to think about the wider world. They don't have time. Some actors go on to work in production, direction and management but not many.
This is true, but the value of her college education is probably overstated. If she went to business school, let's be honest, she didn't learn anything of value there. Most business schools are endless brainrot and busywork. It might have helped her critical thinking, but that's really it. You don't need a degree in marketing to understand marketing, since it's a concept anyone can learn over the weekend from a textbook.
Essentially, these kids are the bottom-line "employees" for marketing agencies and "social media managers". It seems like a brand new business model, but it's really just a new flavor of the same corporate structure. You have the influencers (bottom-line) that are managed by managers, the managers are at the beck and call of marketing directors and VPs at multinational megacorporations, who are at the beck and call of their own supervisors and c-suite executives. If these kids want a stable career that is likely to last longer than their fifteen minutes of fame, they'll have to become managers. And guess what? That all leads back to the 9-5 office grind, which is so ironic.
This has been around for years and I still had to stop, watch and my mouth dropped open. These are lucky young people and I hope they are saving some of this money. I don't think that meeting was so "impromptu." They know who VICE is and any PR is good PR.
1 year later and I’ve never seen these kids on tiktok
The word "influencer" exists because these people cannot pinpoint their skill or contribution to society. If they could, they would be called writers, painters, architects, composers, filmmakers, scientists, professors, doctors - i. e. the people who actually influence the world and better the life of mankind.
“Content Creator” and “Entertainer” could also be used though. At least today, serving free entertainment to people is greatly appreciated and is just like creating a TV show.. Sure a lot of it is garbage, but you still can contribute in SOME way
@@tallsz559 yeah i agree there is some nuance there...there is a lot of bullshit useless content but there is also phenomenal entertainment which is subset of art.
I don't know about that the Contributors to the society is adapting to social media nowadays they're just being dominated by these so called "Influencers" who really got nothing to contribute to daily lives but only entertainment and narcissistic traits.
@@richardk2495 exactly whether we like it or not they "actually influence". They indirectly contribute . Brands do deals with them because the influencer generates far more money for them than they pay them usually in the tens of thousands. Which in turn grows businesses contributing to the GDP.
These guys are just consumers getting high off our our supply. We own them for life.
I'm so glad I was born and grew up in the 90s. I could not imagine having these kids mindsets and thinking what they do is cool.
The 90s had bad asl kids too doing crazy shi teaching y'all crazy stuff but ok go off oldie
@@jamangel Better than doing stupid little dances for attention.
Don't forget the kids who watch this junk and create the opportunity for them to do this thing.
@@jamangel no offense, 90s people truly lived peacefully and eventually everyone gonna get old , thats life
Nah bro, I'm born in 2008 and this is the last mindset I agree with, these kids are clowns
This sh*t is cringe. Im so glad i got addicted to drugs instead of tiktok.
good for you
dude....😭
After tiktok ban they will be homeless
Refreshing journalism. Great how he showed up as a curious, imperfect person rather than as a generic storyteller.
I also enjoyed it. I have mixed feelings about Vice in general, but this was a good piece.
I am so glad Vice's reporter speaks and behaves the way he does in this. An adult concerned with the reality of the world in a room full of 'large children'. This is madness and he's right in his assessments. None of these people have any notoriety in the world for anything meaningful or useful to the benefit of mankind. They're just vessels for advertisement and that type of pseudo hidden advertising is the chief reason to avoid social media 'stars'. They're always selling something, even if you don't recognize it. Avoid it at all costs. Avoid people like this at all costs.
Wow this is so good you made me check and realize I was watching vice 😂
He has an outdated view of the world and what’s important. These kids are making art.
@@theduke7132 I could smell you from here, go away adults are speaking!!
@@theduke7132 they certainly aren't making any art, it's petty, cheap, junk entertainment fit for kids.
@@theduke7132 lmaoooo !!! China is literally using and collecting this data for who knows what. What you see as “art” will one day be used by companies and governments to know what we do and don’t do. It’s scary. Data is the new gold rush of our time
"To be honest I don't like working hard - I like just being myself, to an extent, even though you kinda have to fake it"
This is true happiness.
This guy is me!!! His facial expressions and questions are hilarious!!! I love it😂😂♥️
He makes a good point. What happens to you at 60 if you wasted your 20s making tik tok videos? Maybe you could use it to launch a business, but realistically how many of them are really going to have built up the skills and experience to do this and succeed? It already sounds like their "agent" is exploiting them, and they don't even know any better. I'm not saying they're all naive, but it's easy to loose your way in a status driven place like that.
I think they’ll be filtered out.
And the most capable will succeed in this environment.
At some point the game will evolve or wash out because the platform is based on trends.
And trends die as we all know.
Most of these kids don’t have the skills to evolve and market. Some will be willing to learn. And some will already know.
A lot of people 'wasted' their time to be athletes, models, singers, etc. If they fail, they can just do other things it's not the end of the world. Most people who don't aspire to be athletes or entertainers also don't really have much skills or experience when they go out of college if they don't actually take medicine or science or tech etc. But they are all just fine in the end.
@@aesyamazeli8804 exactly, these young adults are shooting for the stars and even if they miss they'll still land on the moon. Why not try something extraordinary instead of following the basic beaten path if you don't have to. I hope they all make a fk ton of money and invest/save it properly. gl kiddo's
@@Numb_ I think it’s because of the exponential risk of starting young which is when you can make the most progress.
I’m not saying follow the beaten path as I find it rewarding, and can say I am capable of a hard one. But there were only two kids that were willing to throw that cash into a backup plan if things didn’t work out.
Right off the bat there were kids you could tell do not have mental discipline to learn technical, or creative skills to propel them.
They just have “I want to be famous”
Not only that but a lot of businesses don’t succeed and need serious knowledge. What happens when the “business” they’ve spent most of their money on fails and they have no steady stream of income? Good for them they’re making more than I currently make but then again I know over time i’m just going to make more and more… what they’re doing is a gamble… and also they don’t have benefits lol.
as a 17 year old , i can say one thing, never in my life ever will i choose to be someone like this
same
Not to burst your bubble, but as you get older you wouldn't care as much. Like the interviewer said, what wouldn't he give for a 10k. Granted some lines are drawn, like sacrificing your loved ones for the money is usually still a no go, but believe me a lot of adults will do things they say they wouldn't do on their younger days. The pressing bills, the want to give better life for your kids, the fact that most jobs don't provide for you as much as you needed, bankruptcy, etc will push you out of your comfort zone so much beyond you initially thought. Stupid dances and skits will become nothing, as long as it isn't illegal people are usually up for it. Though sadly, adults are not that marketable, unless they go the onlyfans route I guess. Even then the older you get, the less audience you have, while conversely, the less you care about keeping up image.
Ok be poor then
Good.
😂😂😂 it’s just their culture. Their way to live their lives. They are not doing anything wrong. Just choosing to make a living doing tiktok.
No need to compare yourself or your life to others. Someone might say the same about you and say “ god, I never want to be or live like THIS person ( you). And who cares? If you like it, I love it. No need to compare.
With the cost of tuition... I don't even blame them. It works if you guys actually hit it big, live below your means, and KEEP REINVESTING!!!
I don't blame them one bit! Make your money while you can, life is short. Just be responsible with it because when all of this ends, you will have that money saved up or invested wisely.
Out of every 1 TikTok success story, they don’t tell you that there are millions of kids out there who are not successful and who put off college and education, with the hope to be semi-famous. Get off of the Internet, and get outside, save humanity🙏🏾
True but that is in a random job also
Virtue signaling lol. Just be happy for them, theres worse stuff on the planet to be focused on.
right on
Nah this isn’t a thing
@@lamThinker Well I mean in about 5-10 years when all these people realize they can’t live off being an influencer any longer, there’ll be a crisis of unemployed, low skilled people in need of care. That’ll be one of the worst things to worry about then.
But that’s only in a few years so Y.O.L.O amirite my fellow influencer?
As a Gen Z, I'm disappointed at my own generation. It's sad, honestly
Be a ray of light in it young friend.
I am shocked that you even consider them humans
@@asifishan1221 they are not humans they are sick monsters, that should be burned like communist books in 1935 Germany
Don’t worry. There are still many out there in your generation who are hard working and determined.
@Séamus "generation alpha will save the future" 💀
I'd love a 1 year, where are they now video.
Tik tok being banned will be funny af 😂😂😂😂
We need fabricators , engineers, warriors , architects , and more. Not “influencers” influencers is a danger to society
So sad to our society crumbling to social media and not getting real skills what so ever am not bashing this kid for doing what they love but not all of them are going to be millionaires by age 40 what are they going to do then ????
Old people were saying the same thing about rock bands and pop stars in the 80s. Society will be fine
Then pay people more.
If you guys are still hiring for interior designer graduates from the philippines i would help design whatever you need for your home. I need a job. I became jobless when I graduated university. I dont have any debts tho my parents just threw me out after i graduated and expected me to take care of them 💀💀💀
@@paigelovette8156 being an engineer or an architect would pay you oh, so much more than what 90-95% of these influencers would earn doing their dances in a few 4-7 years.
They can't stay young forever, nor can they do their little dances forever. They can't remain popular forever; We don't even know how popular they'll even get! Haha. Only the top 0.01% earn millions.
Being someone who is in the 1st year of Med-School i actually feel at ease that I won't be unemployed in the future nor do i have to worry about getting old & unpopular.
I would be earning thousands of dollars if i become even a specialist, let alone a super-specialist. [Ofc i have to read and put in the work too]
So play your cards right, don't take unnecessary risks, don't be stupid, and stay in college.
Honestly, these so called "INFLUENCERS" are influencing the society into wrong direction. Education is important not just for a person's benefit but also for the society's benefit.
SHUT UP MOM
Omg like totally
Do your research on how the education system was made u find out it's not that important remember what comes first in the world $£
Yup, and this is exactly what China wants!
Good point 👉
The future looks grim
As a 15yo girl, I'm genuinely worried for our future omfg- like, this kind of lifestyle practices artificial mindset and ignorance which CAN BE DANGEROUS
I really hope that social media will not corrupt me and end like them in the future ://
I'm gonna be honest, I think this is the worst possible decision a young adult could make. You are placing your livelihood, your basic needs, in the hands of an uncontrollable algorithm. You may argue, "Well, CZcamsrs do basically the same thing, how is that any different?" With CZcams being longform content, creators cultivate and nurture a community that flocks to them for their specific niche. If CZcams somehow crashes or shuts down or changes, these creators can very well move to another platform while maintaining the same audience base. With this type of "content", you are making nothing of your own. None of your own dances, songs, even showing off your personality. No community is created around who you are besides maybe your looks, which will fade with time. What are these kids going to do when they're 27 and start to get wrinkles? Or aren't the next newest, youngest, prettiest thing? What are they going to do when the advertisers at TikTok and their marketing teams refresh the platform, and change the algorithm to suit longform content, or original creation? This lacks foresight entirely, and is a decision that could only be made by those who are doomed to never fully mature. The people who are really smart, who really SHOULD be doing this, are those in the documentary who are using TikTok as supplemental income, actually creating original content of notability, or as launch boards for secondary careers.
edit: if you're about to comment "who gets wrinkles at 27": www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/skincare/types-of-wrinkles
Agree, most of the well known creators also diversify their streams on different things. If they work soly on content creation, there are also Patreon or other streaming service like Nebula. Plus being CZcamsr means you also have more chance to be sponsored because the sponsor know and understand what type of niche or content you produce.
Couldn't agree with you more!
not true at all, avg viewer wont follow the creator, they'll find a new one. youtube isn't shutting down but channels die all the time here too
By that time the Chinese government would have all you information.
@@cloudynguyen6527 patreon is for grub chikes. worst attention prostitutes on the planet. if you make content for money might as well open a liquor shop and strip club. soulless behavior
As a millennial I feel like such a boomer right now.
As a gen z I feel like a boomer lol
@@silverwoodmeadows9877 yeah, cant belive my generation has fallen this badly. there is no hope lmao
@@silverwoodmeadows9877 Your reply and the original comment are hilarious for totally different reasons lol
I’m a gen Z and I’m just envious of them. I hate college.
Right😂😂😂.
Blame in the proper order:
1) Their parents for failing
2) the idiots for watching their garbage
3) the greedy investors for propping up this garbage app
i'm surprised but relieved to see many ppl of the new generation aren't getting sucked in by social media. Streaming is a lot more widespread in asia, and I've seen the endgame of those who don't make it.
I’m not into TikTok but from what I’ve seen, the best content is from people who have careers and share their skills on the platform, like cobblers, or chefs. I’ve never understood the appeal of generic people just being good looking and making posts of themselves…existing…
The last part is triggering to me, like damn.....what happened to growing up by living in reality?
Can't people look good and make post's about themselves? Why does that trigger you so much?
@@beejar9737 yeah they can but I think what OP was trying to say is that people with skills and talents deserves more recognition than just a pretty face.
That's just my take on his comment.
I think as humans we gravitate towards things that are beautiful. Just like appreciating beautiful flowers
@@xiquai good point you got there mate
I honestly can’t blame myself for being an introvert and not wanting attention.
Social media is trippy.
Yeah, I was thinking that as an introvert, living in such a place would be a complete nightmare...
As a fellow introvert I hella agree to both of you!!
Megaaasa
I dont think its just introversion. I love being around people, but this all seems uncomfortable.
@@bluerabbitjeevs that’s good for thought. I guess you’re right!
"I like being myself, to an extent, even though I kind of have to fake it".
Ok, makes sense.
This whole social media TikTok creator house looks like a real life Disney show.
Glad that my education will be even more valuable in 10 years 😂
Ahhh yess 😂🤣
Same 😂🤣
Depends if you know how money works.
@@Azulla1 so i just go to business and econ school?
There will be no jobs in 10 years tho. AI would have already taken over.
vice should do a follow-up about these kids in 5 years. I wonder if social media propels them to new success and new heights of fame or destroys their mental health. I am guessing the latter.
They'll all be flipping burgers or working retail.
Have a feeling several will end their lives. Not trying to sound cold or funny. The rest of their lives will never compare.
@Trey give it 15 years. It's like a contemporary version of child actors exploited in 80s. Extreme highs lead to extreme lows.
@Trey not while there is still money at least.
It would be a mess
Getting this in my feed when there is news of potential ban on Tiktok in US.
I've been using TikTok for over 4 years and literally haven't seen a single video like those showed here.
There's something so undeniably sinister about this lifestyle... especially from the perspective of these "managers" and people like that woman who recruits and runs these houses. The way she talks....ugh. like a "prison warden" like he said
It's adults grooming kids. It's weird and disgusting. Tik tok is bizarre.
And people are like oh that’s how jobs are and with sports and other industries, but like these ARE CHILDREN?? Like wtf this is exactly that: sinister.
And when they dont perform well they will be kicked out.
And self absorbed
@@anyone1111 They are all in their 20s lol and the youngest be 18
people like kiera are refreshing. speaking honestly about the lack of love and passion she has for her job, and having further goals outside of social media. good for her, im glad to see some people being extremely realistic towards the life they live now.
I agree. I was happy when she said being a tiktok influencer isn’t her main goal in life.
@@tindee3052 neither being artist or music can make you famous
@@Brandonhayhew she said real estate
@@Brandonhayhew did you know some of the actors and singer are graduating from college.
@@josiesbaby551 if they have degrees that is demands like Engineer or it, medical business and designs, financial or technical. That certainly gives them jobs
Here for the comments after TikTok ban.
before* goof
@@ahski6 the bill is passed
@@abhidxs6121 still isn’t banned
@@ahski6 😂 Its banned in Montana! Also on any devices linked to the us dept of defense and their subcontractors! Canada and India have already banned it outright and Austrailia has banned it on all government devices and is moving toward a complete ban as well. 😂😂😂 Enjoy while it lasts bc its about to be gone... and good riddance!👏👏✌️ 🤣🤣🤣
The harsh reality is that the reason they get so much followers and views is mostly ppl are attracted towards their looks and mostly sexual attraction.
Anyone who grew up in LA can tell you this has been happening since the myspace days even. So many kids at my high school dropped out because they were going to be a rockstar or a dj, or they were popular on mypsace for being attractive, or they wanted to be a movie star and we were right by Hollywood. Very few of them have had lasting careers. Although I do know some exceptions.
(An LA native) Yea I’m 25 now and see people I went to hs with trying to be rappers or entertainers and haven’t made any progress since we left school. Sometimes you gotta hang it up or atleast make it a hobby because it’s a waste of time to try and become famous for years and have no real life skills/experience
better to have tried and failed than not tried at all.
@@meditationandhealthyliving9602 That quote is non-sense, it's easy to fall into a bad crowd pursing unrealistic things or get taken advantage of
I am surprise everyone forgets the Myspace era
I’m born and raised in LA and not just even the kids here but seeing so many flock to LA as soon as they turn 18 baffled me. I mean I get the whole I wanna be an actress/musician thing but a TikToker???? Even if you are doing this you should have a plan b because it’s so temporary.
Definitely a short term plan. They'll make a ton of cash when they're young, but like all child stars, they'll likely fall into irrelevance. And from there, they'll either find a new purpose or spiral into depression.
Sounds about right.
I came across a fb famous person who was fb famous during their peak, they’re now a drug addict with I believe a Schizo affective disorder
lol well that escalated very quickly
You’re probably right, not to mention the next big recession could very well bring down all their careers
@@mick9red recession already happens during the pandemic and it acutally boosted allot of peoples careers but we will see
Why do they have to move to LA to do this? Isn't part of the whole internet celeb thing that you can do it from anywhere?
To make connections with celebs
a follow up in 2 years would be great. with the same people
I mean.. lets be honest.....Will college really help these people in the first place?
Like are we all gonna pretend these people were gonna become lawyers and doctors if only they stayed in college instead.
In my opinion this is just freeing up space for people who actually wanna go to college to make something of themselves
😂😂
Wise words 👌🏽
Lol. Didn't see it that way. Valid point
That’s a bit harsh imo. The way they talk about numbers and business, they could totally make a career in economics, business and finance industries.
@@osamabindiesel3389 exactly if not they could actually use their expression through of dancing and fashion sense or just acting skills to get a degree on any field in the entertainment business rather than work on tiktok which has a terrible monetization system compared to youtube, and trends don't last forever people might move away from tiktok but theatrics and televised media is forever
Kudos to the interviewer for being non judgmental, charismatic, and asking the right questions. It felt more like a dad being genuinely curious about what his kids are doing which was refreshing to see and was the right approach for this video.
Yeah! I was worried he might be a tad too old for an interview with the kids in the video, but no, the video went perfect.
I agree.
Way too staged by looking all surprised by the gatrillion amt of follows or views. “I, I I’m srry wut? That’s the size of planet Mars!” 🙄
17:54 what on earth are those eyelashes hahahahahaha
This is what narcissism looks like kids
This interviewer has really good charisma, he’s connecting with each person and getting them real comfortable. Super friendly
it’s refreshing to see an interviewer not be condescending towards influencers, it helps us get a better look into their lives.
I'm not gonna lie, as a grad who felt like I had to be fully educated to the max only at a young age or I was worthless... I only now realised, education is a lifelong thing. You can always pick up studies, they will not run away from you.
What does run away from you is your youth. If they can have this pit stop in their life where they can make a loads of money, academic opportunities will always welcome them at any point they want to resume.
Kind of disagree with that. Went back to school in late 30's and wasn't easy. Had more responsibilities. You can do it but is just easier when not much other responsibility. Plus companies prefer hiring new grads in 20s than older grads.
@@user-uc9fx4ru7p My father is similar, he studies all throughout his adult life. I mean, if this tiktok money is something they can only do for now (it seems quite temporary for most of them)...all I'm saying is that I understand why they would choose to do this first at this current stage.
Picking up their education will be challenging but not as impossible as keeping this social media presence forever.
So well said BRAVO 🙌
@Sky Blue you’re part of the problem 🙄
Imagine people asking you "what's your job?" And you answer "I dance on tiktok"... it sounds stupid.
"Selling out is no longer an insult. It's the goal..."
Excellent opportunity to get the insider's perspective, great documentary, thanks!