I know they are hellsites etc. but Twitter and YouTube have been good at exposing the desperate narcissism of people wanting to create and maintain public profiles or personas.

This includes politicians, political commentators, journalists, writers, professional opinion-havers, artists, creators, sportspeople and anyone who stumbles across any kind of fame.

Before these sites existed, people were happy with public figures as long as they seemed nice. Now that we’ve given everyone an avenue to reveal their true personalities and gain our attention a lot more often, that arrangement has started to erode.

We’re starting to hold all kinds of famous people, from micro-influencers to global celebrities, to higher ethical standards than we used to.

There is now a steep price to pay for being famous AND a total shitlord, and we’re learning that the two often go hand in hand.

It’s also shortening the lifespan of a public persona. It seems you can only be famous on social media for so long before you cave in to your own narcissism and start treating other people like they’re below you.

Some people were like this well before they became famous. Some seem to suffer this fate after being thrust into a spotlight they didn’t ask for and were unable to stop chasing the dragon.

It’s all absolutely fascinating and I’m terrified that it’ll happen to me.

One day, I might do something that people think is good. They’ll want more of the good thing. I’ll give it to them, regardless of whether I really want to do it. The dopamine rush will be too hard to turn down.

Three years later, I’ll be videoed telling a six-year-old to fuck off at a bus stop in Lewisham and it’ll all be over. The power of having 10,562 Twitter followers will have gone to my head, just as it went to everyone else’s.

TL;DR: If your favourite public person seems genuinely lovely, they’re either faking it or have a limited shelf life as a normal human being before they’re consumed by fame and sell their soul to the devil.

Twitter and YouTube will give you a front-row seat to the meltdown.