To Keep up with the Kardashians or not?

There is absolutely no reason why we should keep up with the Kardashians?

Are they even famous? How, what, when, where and why did they become famous? For how long are we going to revel in their revelry, and why should we?

What do sex tapes, professional athletes and meaningless fame have in common? The Kardashians, otherwise known as America’s most royal family. Kardashian became a household name when late Robert Kardashian, came to the aid of his friend O.J Simpson in a scandalous murder case, as his attorney. This was followed by their TV show.

Why does this family even deserve a TV show?

Cameras literally follow the family around for absolutely no reason. Everything seems “real” on the show, but whom are we fooling? Nothing about this show or their lives on the show is real. Most of it is staged, often scripted and only mirrors how a very small percentage of the population lives. It is mindless entertainment. It only shows us what money can buy and provides a glimpse into their oh-so-happening life. 

I will not deny, I have seen several episodes of their show and I follow them on social media too. Which is why I feel compelled to write their blog. I sometimes fail to understand why people are so obsessed about watching their shows, buying their products, constantly reading about them in the tabloids and most of all constantly following them on social media. I don’t see them trying to change the world or try to do something good for society. All I see is they promoting their lip-kits or contour sets on social media. They use their pseudo-fame to promote their own agendas by launching make up, perfume, clothing and/or even publicizing a 72-day marriage. as far as marriage os concerned, the three K sisters have failed miserable in the endeavor. Although I still truly hope that Kimye's marriage does not fail. 

Regardless of the reason, our obsession with them is important because it has changed the way we live. Their show occurs upon the backdrop of multi million dollar homes, couture designer clothes, private jets and fleet of range rovers, and exotic holiday destinations. This attention we pay to their covetous and wealthy lifestyles, is the main reason we are so obsessed with them: Jealousy. We want to be them, and look what they look like, and wear what they wear, and do what they do. We take on the success they gain from looking what they look like and doing what they do and try and incorporate that into our own lives. Remember Kylie Jenner’s lip challenge? If you were sane you wouldn’t have tried it. Or, you’ve probably regained your sanity after trying it.

I also fail to understand what they gain out of promoting such a materialistic lifestyle. Nobody has that kind of money anyway, unless we leak a sex tape or suddenly start looking like 25, even though you’re barely 19 (Kylie, again).

This brings me to one of the most important although negative, influences the Kardashian’s have on society: Body Image.

Our society has been so exposed to media in today’s day and age that body image has become a growing issue in the past decade. Young women and men across the world constantly compare their bodies to those that the media glorifies, trying to attain the “perfect” look/figure.

I still follow the Kardashian’s on Instagram and initially I would spend hours looking at their perfect pictures, with their perfect bodies in their perfect clothes. People like us, are obsessed with looking at these photoshopped, non-realistic images that are circulated in the media. The problem is that media has been linked to women’s body dissatisfaction, the internalization of the thin ideal, and disordered eating. The thin ideal that is set by the Kardashian’s in the media is simply unachievable, and yet this is what girls are looking up to.

Why did Kylie have to get botox injections? Why did she have to go under the knife? She’s only 19. Did the expectations of people(media) force her to look more like her sisters, or did she want to stand out? Does she stand out from the rest of her clan? All this is debatable. But the crux of this is that Kylie too is a victim of conforming to the standards of beauty in society and media.

Whether we like it or not, the Kardashian clan is a huge part of pop culture and our culture as well.All five sisters, Kourtney, Khloe, Kim, Kendall and Kylie have millions of followers on multiple social media platforms, have several reality series that are watched all around the world, and dominate entertainment media. Everything, from their homes, to their pets, the food they eat, their relationships are glorified on media, giving people “goals”. Thanks to them, their counterparts and husbands have also gained quite a lot of followers too and their kids too have come under the radar of paparazzi.

Some people may think I’m taking this to a different tangent altogether. I watch the show myself and follow them on social media, I personally can’t look past the unbelievably negative impact this show has on society and the warped values we adopt towards everything from materialism to body image that stems from the Kardashians. It cannot get any simpler than this - The Kardashians aren't just spoiled, they actually believe they are the center of the universe and the entire world revolves only around them and their nuances.

They could do incredible things with their fame and power, good things, but they choose not to. Why should we praise or support them? We would probably think of them differently if they had promoted themselves while trying to make the world a better place. Wouldn't we?

People deserve better than what they are witnessing and receiving from this so-called “royal family".