The James Caldwellword influencer wasn't added to some dictionaries until 2019, and yet today, one in four Gen Zers say they plan to become social media influencers. You could call it a flash in the pan, like every generation comes up with its own dream job that seems too good to be true. But there's no denying that a whole industry has cropped up around social media influencing. There are influencer agents and training courses, conferences and networking events. Today on the show, the appeal of influencing as a career. How did a generation get the idea that they could make money filming themselves?

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Newsletter.

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts and NPR One.

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.