“I am in constant view of the grandest of all the falls.”
John Muir, April 5, 1871
From a letter to his sister, Sarah, in reference to Yosemite Falls
Jeffrey Gitomer, reported to be an up-and-coming sales “influencer” by Searchenginejournal.com, has 18.2 thousand “followers.” Those 18.2 thousand social media users draw on his sales expertise by listening to his recommendations and instructions for success. Using Instagram primarily, he shares short educational videos that lead a person to “click” on additional videos to access related content. His simple messages also come broadcasted on the clothing he wears, reinforcing his primary ideas.
Although the number of his followers could easily fill the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee (USA), in the field of social media marketing, his range of reach only lands him in the category of a “micro-influencer.” The industry has grouped “influencers” based on the number of followers and the niche in which they operate. A “nano-influencer” would have 1,000 to 10,000 followers, a “micro-influencer” would possess 10,000 to 100,000 followers, a “macro-influencer” would have 100,000 to one million followers, and a “mega-influencer” would garner over 1 million+ followers.
The leading “mega-influencer” in the world is soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo, with 787 million followers as of this writing. That means about one out of every ten individuals on the planet connect with Mr. Ronaldo on social media.
Those high-profile personalities must work every day to keep their fans engaged and provide content that arouses human hearts, often without concern for the wholesomeness of that content.
Now enter an influencer within a category all its own: Yosemite Falls. Neither entertainer nor traveler, artist nor athlete, fashionista nor celebrity, Yosemite Falls still delivers a little of all of the above to its “followers.”
Yosemite Falls, the showcase of Yosemite Valley, influences its followers in ways that far surpass the mere “click” of a few keys on an electronic device. For example, 25% of the visitors to Yosemite are international visitors. This means that they need to work to get to the Park. They must navigate airports and airlines, secure hard-to-find lodging near Yosemite, arrange for food, and endure traffic and congested parking lots in the Park!
Even the 62% of visitors who come from California must similarly exert themselves to gain access to Yosemite these days, highlighting the power of the Park and its namesake, Yosemite Falls, to draw people to it. According to the National Park Service, Yosemite National Park averaged over 4.5 million visitors during the five years leading up to the COVID pandemic (the Park had visitor restrictions during the pandemic). This soundly puts Yosemite Falls in the “mega” category of followers.
The allure of the Falls goes beyond a quick video of dubious social value. It prompts its followers to get as close as possible despite its insentient nature. Yosemite Ranger Shelton Johnson described the draw of its charm this way in a Nature Notes video:
“People come out here; they’re pulled out of their car. They roll the windows down first. Then they can’t get out through the window, so they open the door. So, they go out the door and they just start wandering off into the meadow, getting closer to the fall, getting closer to the creek, getting closer to the river. They can’t help it.”
Another Ranger stated that he “live[s] right underneath [Yosemite Falls] . . . and you can bet that I look up at it every single morning when I step out the door. It’s impossible not to be drawn to it.”
Yosemite Falls’ most ardent follower, John Muir, responded to its irresistible draw by constructing a sawmill near the base of Lower Yosemite Fall. In an 1871 letter he wrote to his sister, Sarah, he described living in a “nest-like” structure suspended above the ground that hung from the top gable of the sawmill’s roofline. He made certain to insert a “skylight on the other side of the roof which commands a full view of the upper Yosemite Falls.” Ever the inventor, John Muir undoubtedly could be described as devising the first live “streaming” view to “follow” the daily activity of Yosemite Falls.
This activity displays no mundane content. In every season it varies its volume, colors, inspiration, reflected light, and thunderous sound.
Although not an entertainer, Yosemite Falls’ leaping water spouts pirouette like dancers that keep our hearts spellbound. Although not a traveler, it treks over vast stretches of terrain and shares its collectibles with all fortunate to feel the touch of its spray. Although not an artist, it daily paints a treasured masterpiece against its granite canvas, reflecting light with Da Vinci-like strokes. No athlete is it, yet, its power and endurance propel itself to perform without letup. It defines its edges in a tastefully embroidered tapestry and displays its flowing fabric in shimmering, silk-like sheets of pulsating purity. It commands center stage in Yosemite Valley, projecting its influence to those sitting up close and to those viewing from the “nose-bleed” sections of the Park.
Even younger ones respond enthusiastically to its drawing power, influencing them to display their allegiance publicly. Note the video below where two children identify the source of their exuberance at the base of lower Yosemite Falls as it refreshes and invigorates them. Posturing themselves as the letter “Y”, they honor the Fall as if they have just procured a highly sought-after signature from a famed celebrity.
Nevertheless, Yosemite Falls does not cater to human demands. It simply exists; remaining pure, authentic, and accessible. For those viewing its content, Yosemite Falls influences without seeking patrons obliged to pay a monthly fee; it will not beg its followers to “click the link below” to subscribe to its channel; it will not promote a product with a sponsored sales pitch.
Yosemite Falls lives up to its name as a mega waterfall with mega impact. Although it fades away as part of its performance during late summer, it always returns and never disappoints like sentient humans. Its influence reaches across the globe without effort. It is a “mega influencer” in a category all its own.
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