LONDON: Former social media influencer and “wellness guru” Belle Gibson first caught public attention after claiming she cured herself of terminal cancer by rejecting conventional medicine in favour of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Although Gibson’s story is seemingly unique, the narrative upon which it was scripted is common to lifestyle gurus. Lifestyle gurus define themselves in opposition to experts.Selectively, they combine elements from science, esoteric systems of knowledge, self-help and positive thinking. The advice given, which often comes at a commercial premium, appeals to common sense.
There is no commitment to independent testing procedures and results by objective, scientific methods. Rather, online metrics validate their status. The issue here is not merely about the risk of misinformation, but the techniques used to influence us to decide what information to trust and who to believe.Our trust in lifestyle gurus is a direct response to the crisis of confidence in institutions and professionals. We live in a low trust society where the very notion of expertise has come under scrutiny.