The KOL game has lost its appeal. What was once seen as prestigious now feels like a losing bet—risky, exhausting, and frankly, not worth it anymore.

Here's the frustrating reality: intention doesn't matter. You push quality content and genuine analysis? You still catch heat. Make a bad call despite good faith? Threats roll in. Yet somehow, the ones cutting corners, the ones who don't care about accuracy—they sail through unscathed, racking up followers and endorsement deals.

There's a weird inverted morality happening in the space. The people actually trying to build credibility and educate get crucified by a mob that loves to hate. Meanwhile, those operating without conscience get away clean. It's not just unfair; it's demotivating. It removes any incentive to actually care about doing things right.

When the system punishes integrity and rewards shamelessness, the smart move is stepping back. The juice isn't worth the squeeze anymore.