i found it weird that this person has multiple friends that were able to "make bank" by having polarizing opinions. i know a ton of folks with polarizing opinions and none of them are monetizing it.

what kind of world is this author living in where their social circle includes so many influencers that are cashing in on social media?

I assume it was the author ratting on themselves and their para social relationships. I'm guessing "friend" here is a person the author follows on Twitter and occasionally exchanges a DM with

And the influenced are rewarded by the influencer that is validating their polarized views.

You also might be putting too fine a point on "influencer". A relative of mine on Facebook might be a kind of "influencer"—at least with regard to his small cadre of family and friends that follow him.

You can look at it it this way, but why your small circle of family and friends would reward polarizing opinions? If anything, I have seen people losing real life relationships by not knowing when to stop in online arguments

That's for sure. Sure think a lot less of some members of my family and a coworker or two thanks to SM (can we just call it SM?).

>most people are not influencers.

Perhaps, but many are. They just don't have much reach or don't use a digital platform.