And that's why I think numbers for the sake of numbers is ridiculous. It means nothing because half those people spam you, and the other half are amassing numbers for the sake of numbers. I could understand agents wanting a certain number of followers if having that number actually meant something. If, for example, they were readers, or industry professionals who could actually help you along the way, or who you could help one day, but that's not what is happening. You (collective you, not YOU, you) follow anyone who follows you, and on and on, even if all people do is re-tweet useless nonsense all day long.
I hear what you're saying, and I know agents want you to have followers, but what I'm unable to find anywhere or figure out is WHY they think this is important. Or did their message get lost in translation somewhere along the way, perhaps? I would think connections to industry professionals or fellow published authors who could actually do something for you one day, maybe, would be a lot more meaningful than amassing numbers merely for the sake of the numbers alone. And that's all I'm saying. That is should be meaningful, not merely a random number someone pulled out of their rear end.