The Moral of the Stories: Can Influencers be Moral Exemplars?

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to propose a distinction between ‘morally conscious influencers’ and ‘moral influencers’ in order to explore the distinctive risks and potential advantages arising from the interaction that these two categories establish with their followers when they decide to publicly support a moral project, and so become candidates to act as a moral role model. The purpose of this analysis is to assess the value in elevating people who enjoy different degrees of influence to the status of a moral exemplar within educational setting.