Set in Motion : Narratives of accelerating into digital influencers

In this paper I analyse the career narratives of Swedish digital influencers through the lens of Hartmut Rosa’s theory of social acceleration. I describe how influencers use metaphors of motion, speed and acceleration to make sense of how they became able to support themselves financially on their digital work. As a prerequisite of their career development, they describe an acceleration curve with a slow starting distance that was suddenly interrupted by a powerful acceleration, which then decelerated into a plateau of continued high speed. With Rosa I argue that technical acceleration in the form of rapid changes in digital media platforms and algorithms have opened up an acceleration of working life changes. More specifically, neoliberal ideals that advocate individuality, flexibility, entrepreneurship and passion as a basis for the individual’s choice of profession are facilitated by technology, which, in turn, accelerates the pace of life. Narratives about high-speed work as influencers demystifies the feminized entrepreneur and discloses the cruel optimism of the ever-accelerating neoliberal society. They reveal the precariat’s paradox that influencers’ luxury lives can actually lead to depression