Influenzas

Dear Urban Dictionary, 

I would like to suggest a new entry for your consideration: Influenzas (a.k.a influencers) defined as an acute contagious disease caused by a virus which rapidly spreads around the world. I recently had the opportunity to observe about 20 instagram influencers in action at an Antiguan resort and was shocked, awed and entertained by what I saw. They primped and posed from morning till night to sell themselves so they could sell a product, which in this case was the #hodgesbayresort. Suddenly, the resort’s instagram was going viral, brimming over with photos of young, bikini clad women touting the virtues of the resort. Like Where’s Waldo, I would spot the influenzas among the guests, in the bushes, on a boat always posing, posing, posing (which is the part that kind of made me sick). BUT, my view on this is completely at odds with that of the younger generation. Young women, as my daughters informed me, should be free to express themselves as they choose even if it appears very shallow to me. For good or bad, Influenzas are here to stay and so I submit to you, Urban Dictionary, a new word for 2021.