The Rise of the Community Leader (and the Fall of the Influencer)

Why belonging — not visibility — is the new currency of influence.

A TikTok experiment just proved what many of us have felt for years: the influencer era is ending.

When artist Sophia James uploaded seven videos — each claiming to assign viewers into different “groups” — one in particular exploded. Group 7 became a viral identity overnight. Within days, over 55,000 people had declared their allegiance, brands joined in, and real-world meet-ups followed.

Here’s the truth: people didn’t care that it was made up.
They cared that it made them belong.

That’s the cultural shift we’re living through.
Influencers built their empires on aspiration — look at me.
Community leaders are building movements on participation — come with me.

It’s a shift from the patriarchal performance of visibility to the matriarchal practice of connection.
From metrics to meaning.
From the commerce of attention to the economy of affection.

The influencer model was born of a capitalist reflex — commodify the self, monetise the gaze, turn relationship into reach.

But that model is losing traction because it leaves us lonely.

Now, people want to be talked to, not at. They want co-creation, not consumption. They want to feel part of something real.
In the Affection Economy, that’s not a trend — it’s the future of leadership.

The most influential people today aren’t selling us lifestyles.
They’re helping us build lives.
They’re facilitating trust, shared values, and spaces where people can participate and be seen.

Matriarchs have always done this — weaving belonging through every home, community, and conversation. They were the original architects of social infrastructure, creating meaning through connection.

And as the old systems crumble — institutions, hierarchies, even algorithms — the matriarchal model rises again.

Community leaders are the new it-girls.
They’re not asking for your attention; they’re offering you a seat at the table.

Author’s Note:
This piece was originally published here on The Story Maker.
It is available for republication, syndication, or editorial adaptation.
For commissions or licensing, please get in touch with Jet Swain.