Play Nice

Clio Barnes and most of her friends are social media influencers, or SMIs. “Influencers, by definition, are individuals who have the ability to affect the purchasing decisions of others due to their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience,” and it is this sense of “community and trust” that contributes to their resonance with followers (“Influencer Culture and Authenticity.” On Board). Clio, who is 25, has spent so much of her adult life curating her social media presence to create a community that trusts her that she struggles to shift away from this “curation” mindset in her personal life.

Rather than actually being honest and authentic, Clio manipulates others to get what she wants and be perceived a certain way. This reflects a key tactic in influencer culture, as “The appeal of influencers lies in their perceived relatability and authenticity—qualities that traditional advertising often lacks” (“Influencer Culture and Authenticity”). Clio cares more about appearances, at least at first, than realities. She feigns helplessness to get her father to cater to her, and she “turns on” the tears at the counselor’s office to garner sympathy. She is likewise insincere with “friends,” talking behind their backs while publicly congratulating them on their successes. Ironically, she cultivates authenticity for a living but fails to achieve authenticity in her life.

Clio is unable to discern the disadvantages of her choices until the problem of authenticity threatens her both professionally and personally, which reflects one of the pitfalls faced by real-world influencers: “Authenticity in influencer marketing refers to the genuine portrayal of one’s lifestyle, experiences, and endorsements. If audiences detect inauthenticity, this could lead to a loss of trust and credibility” (“Influencer Culture and Authenticity”). Clio initially fears that showing herself vulnerably online will shatter her career, but it actually has the opposite effect. Though peers may judge her for it, audiences lap it up, and her emotional outburst on social media leads to a lucrative fashion deal. Clio learns to stop curating her entire life so carefully—an action she learns to associate with “playing nice,” a catchphrase echoed in the novel’s title—and instead embraces living more honestly and vulnerably.

Social media influencers have changed the landscape of advertising, marketing, and consumer engagement, but Clio’s experiences show that these individuals are not untouched or unchanged by their work. In fact, “SMIs gain recognition through social media platforms, often relying on personal branding and consistent engagement with their audiences” (University of Portsmouth. “The ‘Dark Side’ of Social Media Influencers and Their Impact on Marketing and Consumer Behavior.” Phys.org, 24 Feb. 2025). Almost the entire reason Clio decides to renovate her mother’s home is so she can mine her experiences to create new content that will extend her reach. Thus, unlike many other types of work, SMIs’ jobs require significant forays into their personal lives that can make it difficult for some, like Clio, to find the line between the two.