A guest blog artcle by Kristen Kuzanek (world citizen, student)
Growing up with a large family I know that life can be fun yet extremely hectic. However, I am not sure that I would want to have my life openly viewed by the world. There are many things in my life and my family’s lives that do not need to be broadcast on television.
Many of us I am sure have heard about, if not watched the television show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”, which airs on the E! network. If you have not heard of it, I am sure you have now if you have watched the news, read the paper, or picked up the latest People magazine. It is a reality show that follows the Kardashian/Jenner family around their daily lives.
I do not know what it is about reality TV that grabs people’s attention and leaves them addicted to watching the show season after season. I personally love to watch “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” but recently have started to question the true meaning being given to the audience; especially young girls.
Kim Kardashian is considered to be a role model for young girls all over. This is constantly seen on the show when she interacts with these young girls. They strive to be thin like Kim, try to dress like her; they want to be just like her. Celebrities are often considered to be role models for the younger generations. But are their actions sending the wrong message to young viewers?
This past season of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” showed Kim’s love life progress with Kris Humphries and ended with their engagement. They then decided to have their wedding taped and shown worldwide. Seventy-two days later, Kim Kardashian filed for divorce. She made statements saying that she married for love but rushed into it too quickly. So what meaning does this send to young viewers?
I believe that this gives young viewers the wrong idea of marriage and what it represents. Throughout the season viewers could see the differences that Kim and Kris possessed and the negative ways in which they dealt with one another. This sends out the message, that if you love someone you could marry them. That is not necessarily true! Marriage is a commitment on both parts and should not happen just because you love them. The relationship takes time to build, some people choose to live together, but in general it takes more than just love to have a marriage.
What celebrities fail to realize is how much the young viewers look up to them. Just a few weeks ago on Halloween, I was out trick or treating with my cousins and I saw three girls dressed pretty racy walking down the street. When I stopped them to ask what they were they replied “the Kardashian sisters” with excitement. It really took a toll on me because these girls could not have been more than 13 years old and were walking around with low cut shirts and very short skirts; it was appalling.
Mills (1959) would not really see this as a social issue but more of a social trouble. Yes, the actions of celebrities affect viewers but they do not affect society as a whole. These young viewers are closely watching their celebrity’s lives trying to be just like them. There is not enough evidence or longstanding past for Mills to consider this a social issue.
Some may argue with me and say that this is a social issue but I just do not see the effects on society as a whole. The whole wanting to be gorgeous and thin is strongly visible and effects many in the world but that is not what I am expressing this blog. I am merely stating that are there role models sending the right message to their viewers or are they sending the wrong message?
Bibliography
Mills, C. Wright. 2000 (1959).The Sociological Imagination: Fortieth Anniversary Edition. Oxford University Press.
E! Television website http://www.eonline.com/on/shows/kardashians/index.html
Social Evolution Reborn 
I totally agree with Kristen! After the 72 day marriage between Kim and Kris failed, I believe teens/young adults get the wrong message about marriage. With marriage, a few things are made with promises, like “sickness and health” and “for better or worse,” and for Kim and Kris, although we may not know the entire story, I feel as if they did not try to fix the issue. The majority of the 72 days was them going through a divorce right? That was what all of America saw, we did not see them actually try. I believe with marriage, you have to put in as much fight as possible until you decide there isn’t anything left. While I agree with divorcing for things like abuse, I do not agree with Kim and Kris’ divorce because it seems like it was for no real reason.
hey katieb
I really agree with this one being married 4 and ½ years myself I feel like it was very disrespectful to the vows of marriage, and just what marriage what meant and stands for. I feel like it was just a publicity stunt however it seems like Kris and Kim are masterminds of manipulation, and hey they are very good at it not knocking them. It is very unrealistic that things could change that bad within 72 hours I mean at least the first 48 was the honeymoon, and it just imploded like that? I think not. I don’t hate Kim like some people, but yeah this was a bad move for the people who might look at her a role model setting up a mentality that you don’t have to work in a marriage to make it work, and make it last definitely a false way of thinking.
I can see how many might not be a big of a fan over her after this, but I like to think the best of people in certain situations and I do believe she tried to make the marriage work. Many people have probably made far worse decisions than her and gotten divorces sooner, it is just unfortunate that she gets the worst of the criticism because of her name/title in society. I do believe that she could have waited a bit longer, but then again it is a learning experience and lesson for others to never rush into anything even if you are convinced you’re in love because waiting is always the better bet.
Rece G. I agree with you all the way. I believe it is up to the individual to want to look up to her or not. Now the decisions she made in the past shouldn’t matter anymore. Because most of us have made mistake far worst than her. Also, I agree with you that many of us do not know 100% of the story. It’d be pathetic if we just went ahead and question if she is a good role model for her viewers or not.
Again. In terms of celebrities, we cannot look to them for substance especially in terms of life choices. They are here for our entertainment. Whether they are married for 72 days or 20 yrs, its their personal life choice. We are to respect them for what they provide us on television, we are to enjoy them for their craft. We are not to judge.
I think it is so easy to judge women that are in the spotlight for the way that they behave. I even commented below about how I felt like her behavior was disrespectful to marriage in general. I love what Deshun said about respecting Kim’s personal decision. Society has a habit of judging entertainers’ mistakes more harshly than our own. Although I do not agree with how she handled her marriages, I think that everyone could do a better job of respecting celebrities as entertainers and not an example of how to live life.
Yes, I agree that a celebrities job is to entertain. However they shouldn’t use marriage as a form of entertainment. Their marriage was clearly a joke and was used to keep the audience hooked to the show. Mitchell, you stated ” we are not to judge” but the main reason people watch reality TV show is to judge…why do you think celebrities they make a fool out of themselves?
I completely agree with what you’re saying about the marriage. Teens look up to Kim Kardashian as a role model. Even though in my opinion they shouldn’t, but they still do. If you’re favorite celebrity can’t even be married for 100 days, then you’re going to start to question love and marriage and you may never even want to get married in the future all because of a stupid mistake your favorite celebrity made. As sad as this is going to sound, I feel as if Kim and Kris’s marriage was a publicity stunt and Kris made it a complete joke at the end which proved to us that he never truly took the marriage seriously.
Teens look up to Kim not just in her marriage life, but her fashion life. Sometimes it take a while to figure out the real person you’re into might not be the person of your dream. We don’t know the inside scoop, but what we do know is one of those two was faking it for quite a while.
I do agree with Deshun that those shows are for entertainment. However, I do agree with Sara that a lot of people (for some reason) look up to Kim as a role model. With Influence like Kim has, a line must be draw at some point that her publicity stunt or stupid mistake will have a great impact on the young audience. Sure Kim shouldn’t feel controlled by the audience but there are some things that she should take into careful consideration before doing.
Kristen makes a good point. There are many girls/young women that have practically grown up watching the Kardashian family evolve on tv. I believe that the way Kim Kardashian handled her marriage to Kris Humphries was not the way to set a good example for her young viewers. Considering that it would already be her second marriage, it would seem that someone as high profile as Kim Kardashian would be careful not to jump into anything too soon, but that was not the case. Marriage is intended to be a lifelong commitment to another person. One can only hope that with her third marriage around the corner, Kim will value marriage as it is intended to be. Handling this marriage properly could somewhat make up for the poor example she previously set and not have what is currently a social trouble turn into a social issue.
I think you make a great point to Kim might have been able to redeem her image with a chance to have her second marriage turn out better than the first failed marriage she had at an earlier age. I think even a few years of marriage would have sufficed at least giving the image that you loved each other and you tried to make your marriage work. Your second great point was the fact of one would think that how detailed they are with her image, and marketing they would have thought about the decision 72 hours before she said “I Do.” I think it even kind of speaks to making better decisions celebrities get married a lot, but not that often you see them toss in the ring I would have though Khole and Lamar wouldn’t have lasted longer than the week it took them to fall in love they are hitting a patch now, but this has been a four year marriage light years away from what Kim her sister did.
I think Kiana has a really good point when she says considering how popular Kim Kardashian is in social media, you would think she would be more careful of the decisions she makes. That is very true! Kim Kardashian knows she is viewed as a role model to so many younger girls, and wants to be looked at as one. I think if she knows this then she should be more aware and conscious of her decisions and not jump into things that can effect her image negatively.
Kim Kardashian is not a good role model in my opinion. Back before she became famous she was Branly’s stylist. She stole her credit card and went on a shopping spres. After a full investigation, Brandy’s mother who was her manager at the time was going to press charges but Kim went ahead and paid the charges and was fired. Meanwhile, she was messing around with Brandy’s brother Ray J and filmed a sex tape and went viral. I do not call this being a role model. She has done so many stupid disrespectful things that I don’t see how anyone would want to model that behavior.
All of what you said there should definitely hold merit when people consider what celebrities they want to look up to. I would argue that Kim did not realize how famous she was going to be at that time in her life. In my opinion, it was never Kim’s intention to become a role model and her show kind of forced the question of whether or not she was worthy of being a role model on her. I do not think her behavior is admirable or that it should be emulated at all. It is clear that she is not a good role model, but the fact that she is not claiming to be one should be considered as well.
Yes her past was a bit crazy, but remember we all are human. We all want to see someone change for the better and it seems a bit hard for Kim. Especially knowing that she is a celebrity. There are so many people who saw her past and its agreeable that she is not a good role model. I do also think she wasn’t in the past, but now I do. She did everything the right way in this present day.
I never knew that Kim was Brandy’s stylist. That’s news to me. But that’s also really concerning that she played Brandy like that. Brandy you can tell is a genuine person and a genuine celebrity and that’s not ok for Kim to go behind her back like that. The sex tape is the only reason why Kim got famous. That’s not how you want to be remembered and that’s not a reason you should be famous. I completely agree about her doing disrespectful things. As time goes on she does worse and worse things and now she’s married to one of the richest people in the world Kanye West? It just doesn’t make sense to me how someone could do something so crappy and then become so famous from it. It shows how much society is messed up and it shows how much we value the things in life that don’t matter.
I can see both sides of the story. On one hand Kim Kardashian has made horrible past choices and the way she became famous, or maybe infamous, is definitely not role model material. I can see where people can say she didn’t know she was ever going to be in the public eye so she didn’t ever think her actions would be scrutinized by so many people. On the other hand, if everyone acted that way with the mentality of “oh I’ll never be famous so who cares?” people would never think of the repercussions of their choices. I think Kim Kardashian should not be a role model based on her personal actions or her living style, but her work ethic and business career would be a better option. Not only has she become a fashion icon, but herself and her sisters have created a clothing line, perfumes, and even created a video game based on Hollywood life. If anything, take her business life and see what she has done with it rather than her personal living choices.
Is Kim Kardashian Sending Her Viewers the Right Message?
It’s funny I after long debates with my wife who is pro Kardashian I have come to see some of the light I guess I can say. I do think that her rise to fame, and the marriage situation has been extremely messy and less appealing than other media darlings definitely, I also think that her and her family are just a money hungry opportunist that will pretty much expose whatever to get money, fame, and attention. With that being said I don’t think it’s worse than any other person in entertainment I think for modern times there is nothing wrong with Kim she is a very attractive women using what she has to make money, it’s not her fault that sex sells she didn’t decide that it was happening way before she was thought about. I do however think the marriage situation was very much a spit in the face to marriage itself I don’t think anything that you are willing to do for a life time should change in 72 hours definitely maybe it was a publicity stunt to try to increase her market or opportunities either way nothing to play with. I think she just gets a lot of bad press though I don’t see her any different from beloved sex symbols such as Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, Pam Anderson, and etc. they are just making money in a lot of ways, and it’s easier to not like them than to like them. I don’t think its many people out here who are setting good examples for the youth everyone has something they do that can be negative in some way.
I completely agree with Rece. I don’t think Kim Kardashian is this horrible person that people are making her out to be. I think pop culture has a way of taking peoples way of living and only showing the parts that will get the most hits or views. The thing about reality television is that there is a whole lot of editing that goes on that I don’t think the audience notices or even cares about. Editors of television are there to make the show entertaining; if Keeping up with the Kardashians was 100% real, no one would watch it. I do agree, that the idea of marriage in Hollywood has become as trivial as ever. Every day there is a rumor or “breaking news” about how this one cheated on that one, or how they split up because of drugs and half of the time it is all lies. I think anything that comes out of Hollywood should be taken with a grain of salt unless the person who it is about says it directly.
I agree completely! The sad part is it is not only the Kardashians that portray this false sort of image and poor interpretations of marriage as well as other aspects of life. The reality (no pun intended) of many reality shows as well as scripted shows is that they send out poor messages about important topics. We live in a society that is constantly changing. Teens now grow up watching shows—reality and staged—where premarital sex and flaunting your body is advertised and freely talked about. One of the most popular TV shows around is the secret life of the American teenager. This show revolves around a pregnant teenager and her conflict of two love affairs. A very explicit amount of Nudity is aloud in TV shows, movies, music videos etcetera. Are these really the messages our youth should be receiving? The list of true role models in the media is becoming slimmer and slimmer.
I think you can chalk the increase of sex on TV to the fact that sex sells, and media is in fact a business. This is where parenting comes in. If you believe you that shows, such as the one you mentioned, are not sending a very good message to your children, then steps should be taken by the parent to prevent the child from seeing the content. Yes, it may be hard, but being a parent is hardly ever easy in the first place. With research and determination, it can be done.
Yeah, I totally agree the more of a sexual presence you have the more you can sell, and more marketing value you seem to have in today’s world. I also agree that it is up to the parents to police I guess you can say what their children are exposed to, I know you can’t block it all out because you still have school, and other social institutions they can be exposed to it the fact is too limit the intake as much as possible. It’s easy to do in the home especially with the advances of technology giving options like parental blocking, ratings and things of that nature to keep kids away from anything unsavory.
I feel like I hear the statement “sex sells” more and more these days and it is 100% the truth. It is the reason that Kim and the whole Kardashian Klan are as famous as they are. Parents do need to be monitoring what their children watch. The bottom line is that if a young girl never has the opportunity to watch Keeping up with the Kardashian’s then the odds of her choosing any Kardashian as a role model are slim to none. Censorship by parents is probably the best way to avoid having children choose any poor role model, not just a Kardashian.
I agree sex does sell and yes, parents of younger children should monitor what their kids watch on TV. When I was kid my mom blocked certain shows and movies or anything rated R. She also told my how to behave in public and that my body was a temple etc. I feel like more parents don’t try as hard to prevent kids from seeing or acting a certain way anymore.
I am on the border of agreement here but I do not disagree. The way I see it is that parents shouldn’t have to monitor their children every waking moment. When I was 11 years old, my parents allowed me to play Grand Theft Auto. There was a condition though; if I were to say or repeat any negative act from that game the punishment was to have my entire console taken away and sold! I of course did not repeat any actions from fear of losing my Play Station; but that’s the point. It’s on the parents to control their children if their daughter dresses racy or if their son cusses. Parents, you have the power! I do not like Keeping up with the Kardashians but it is not entirely the show’s fault. I agree in occasional monitoring but it is more on the control of the parents.
I can agree with you that I don’t think Kim Kardashian is sending out a good message as a role model, but I don’t think she should really be look up to as a role model all together. She hasn’t done much, and yet she and her family get so much screen time on the news and everywhere else. It doesn’t make much sense to me. I feel like it’s a bit of a downfall on parent’s part. I’m not saying that parents should control who their kids look up to, but maybe it would be a good idea to encourage their children to look up to someone who is a better influence. I do not really think Kim should be responsible for how her actions look to kids. I think parents should be responsible for trying to show their children that there more worth people out there for them to look up too.
I agree with QB on the fact that it is up to parents on what they expose their children too. I agree that parents have no control over who children end up liking, but they do have a choice over what their children are allowed to do. I think there are a lot of parents out there who want to be their children’s friend rather than actually parenting them. As a parent, they should always be aware of what their children are getting into, especially now that everything is so accessible in today’s society.
I completely agree with QB. Kim shouldn’t even be a role model in the first place. Parents should be a guide in choosing the right role model. QB is also right to say the blame can be placed more on the parents. If these young girls mentioned in the article dressed racy, then the parents (who probably bought the costume) should have told them to dress more appropriately. I am appalled to hear the parents bash celebrities for their actions when they can’t stop their child at the door and tell them to dress more appropriately. It is the lack of control and punishments that parents have, not entirely the show itself.
I agree with QB I think that the parent should be trying to be the role model and not letting anyone else take the spot. I also think the parents should try to encourage their child to watch someone else who has actually done great things in this world. I also think there family does things just to be in the headlines. Some of the things they do people have already done or started and people in this world act like it’s so amazing just because they “started” it..
Unfortunately for Kim her entire life is turned into a t.v. show for the public. I do believe that she is a terrible role model for young girls but who appointed her to be a role model anyway? Her and her family are very wealthy and very successful is many different walks of life. Why should they feel the pressure of being or looking appropriate for young girls or people in general. It is not their job. When looking at Kim and judging her actions one must look at all the other celebrities who are acting foolish on national television. Reality t.v. is disgusting and extremely intrusive and should not be watched to find a role model but for pure entertainment. Maybe society is foolish for creating such a thing but the public is even more foolish for interpreting it the way they do.
I do agree with you that Kim Kardashian isn’t the best role model for young girls, but as you touched on as well who is? I don’t think she has done anything as crazy a Lindsey Lohan or even Amanda Byrnes I think on a scale of 1-10 a private tape that you leak to launch your career is a 5, and doing hard drugs none stop is like a 8 to me on the indecent list. I hear your part about being on TV loud in clear, but I definitely think that mostly any person breaking their backs working a 9-5 type of job would trade spots with her in an instance, or at least I know I would they can take all the pictures and spread all the rumors they want as long as it doesn’t slow down my money.
I completely agree with the above comment. Although I do not agree with all of Kim’s choices, she is not the worst person to look up to and she is generally the type of person who does not deny making mistakes. I think I would rather hear that girls are looking up to Kim Kardashian versus Miley Cyrus at this point in her career. In agreement with Rece, Kim does what she does to make money and so being a role model is probably not the first thing on her mind.
I agree with the fact that you mention, “who appointed her to be a role model?” That is so true. Nobody told her she was required to be one, just because she is in the public eye people automatically assume that they are dedicated to setting ever good example because people look up to them. It is a parent’s job to set the example for their children and be aware of what they watch because if they don’t allow their children to watch it, they won’t have the issue of them being influenced poorly. Everyone makes mistakes, the Kardashians just choose to make them public so others avoid the same mistakes.
I mostly agree with Tibet. These celebrities should not have to “dumb down” because the show is for entertainment. However I disagree because even though the show is for entertainment, some people look at it as a guide. This is where Kim should realize that her actions could impact a mass of viewers. I wouldn’t expect her to change her life but she should keep her viewers in mind.
I agree with Kristen when she says that this is a social trouble rather than a social issue. Yes, I believe that Kim Kardashian is not that great of a role model, but many celebrities are not good role models. I feel that some of these celebrities that are labeled as role models do not send the right message to their viewers. On the other hand, there are celebrities who consciously send the right message to their viewers. This is definitely an individual problem because people choose to look up to the celebrities that they look up to. They choose to want to be like them and dress like them. Most people like having a role model or someone that they can look up to and share common things with. Kim Kardashian does not send the right message to viewers with her divorces which makes her not the best role model for her viewers, especially the younger ones.
I agree with Tiara when she says that it’s not just Kim Kardashian that is not the best role model celebrity. Many celebrities go through hard times and don’t have moments that they are proud of, and they cant be perfect just because they are always in the spot light. I also agree with her when she says that people choose who they want to look up to. Young girls see celebrities like Kim and decide they want to be like them, but I think that even though the girls look up to her as a role model and someone to relate to, they need to realize that not everything she does is something they should want to do.
Whoever said Kim Kardasian was a role model? She has become famous based on how many relationships she’s been in and exploiting her body. I personally don’t watch this reality show or any other for that matter because they make us believe the stuff isn’t scripted. Yes it’s true some young girls may want to be like her because she’s pretty and get lots of attention. But it is not the right kind of attention she is getting. And she’s pretty but constantly getting getting work done, which means she herself is insecure about her looks just like some of the girls who look up to her. That is the biggest problem in the entertainment world. There aren’t enough celebrities who are willing to be themselves.
Kim Kardashian is a role model to some girls. Girls find her very pretty and look up to her which means that they most likely try to dress like her. I don’t see why they look up to her, but they do. Another thing is that celebrities are pressured to look slim and beautiful. That is why they get work done to make themselves look “better”. This is actually with any girl whether famous or not. Also, everyone has something that they are insecure about themselves and would like to change somehow. We should also look at how it may be hard to be a celebrity and send a good message to your fans with constantly being judged and trying to be yourself at the same time.
Marriage is more than love, it’s a commitment, a partnership. Not a reality TV sensation but America loves sensationalism. Watching the rise and fall of celebrities is perceived as adoration.
I agree with you Deshun. Marriage really is more than just love. You have to be ready to be committed to this person for the rest of your life. Some people struggle with staying committed to one person. We see this quite often in celebrity couples. They get married and divorced over and over. For some reason people like hearing about this because it gives them something to talk about.
Deshun is right when she says this about marriage. I think that social media and reality shows, like Keeping up with the Kardasians, have made it seem like marriage should be taken lightly. But it should not be because being like Deshun said, marriage is not just being in love with someone, its commitment and working together. Young girls should not be looking up to things like this because it is portraying marriage to be not to big of a deal, when it is a bigger deal than they are making it seem.
Yes, American TV producers know what the audience wants so they produce that. I agree with you Deshum that marriage is more than love but they do not care about the message they are sending to the audience, all they care about is how they will keep their audience hooked and entertained.
When you imply that a celebrity is a role model, what is that saying about where the influence should be coming from? A child should mimic the behaviors of a real life individual that surrounds them in everyday life. You cannot put responsibility on someone who is not raising the child. It starts at home. The parents have to teach their child what is right and wrong. They have to be taught the difference between truth and characters. The parent should have such a presence in a child’s life that no outside influences can dictate their behavior is such a way. When you say a celebrity should be a role model you are expecting the children to be raised by television. If these thirteen year olds were able to leave the house dressed as adult women, then there is something wrong with the home life. As an adult I don’t believe these sisters dress provocative or overly exposed. They dress what is appropriate for their age, however it is not appropriate for a thirteen year old.
I completely agree with you. Parents should make sure that their children are not influenced by what they see on television because television today is really not the best thing to watch. They should look up to a person they know personally instead of someone they see on television. I also agree that the sisters do not dress inappropriately because it is appropriate for their age. If a child tries to dress like them, it is their parent’s responsibility to explain to them why the way they are dressed is not appropriate. That is only if it bothers the parents.
I completely agree with you Tiara that parents should make sure that their children are not influenced by what they see on television. However, there is only so much a parent has control of . They cannot dictate how their kids interpret what they are watching. The only way to avoid that would be to prohibit the child from watching the overall show.
I agree with Tiffany. Although celebrities are looked up to all the time, we can not expect them to be perfect and make all the right decisions just incase the girls looking up to them do the same thing. I think she is also right when she says it starts at home and what your parents teach you. If a younger girl is looking to Kim Kardashian as a role model, she should know that not everything she does is something that is okay for her to do. Parents should teach their kids right from wrong and when to know if something is not okay to do, that should not be a responsibility of a celebrity with their own life.
I completely agree with this article. I think that celebrities don’t realize how much younger girls look up to them, and how they will follow every move they make. Kim Kardashian does not put out a positive image for girls to look up to in my opinion. Younger girls see what celebrities do want to copy those things, but although the Kardashians are entertaining to watch, they make things that are a bigger deal to people, seem like its not. In the article when it said how Kim got married and they separated in 72 days, that is not something little girls should be seeing and looking up to. Some of the things Kim Kardashian does are not appropriate for girls to be looking up to, and she should realize her actions before she does them and think about people watching her and what she wants her image to be.
I agree with you Brianna on how her being married and separating in 72 days is not something that young girls should be hearing about or looking up to. I also think though that these young girls may not even be thinking about her divorcing after being married for a short amount of time. They most likely look up to her because they think she is pretty and has good looking clothes and don’t focus on her relationships. I also don’t think that some celebrities think about how what they do influences their viewers, especially the young ones. Personally, I don’t think she is that bad of a role model but she isn’t the best one.
Marriage is a tricky subject to argue. Each person views marriage differently and there’s nothing wrong with that. Lots of marriages get completely ruined within a short period of time. Even if it’s a view days or a few months, it’s all the same. I agree that marriage should be taken seriously. To add, no one really knows how marriages will end up. Some live happily ever after as they’ve been married for decades, and some don’t even make it to their first anniversary. No one should judge another marriage, due to the fact that they don’t know the entire story. Marriage should be kept private and no one should have a say in it except the two people that are married.
I don’t think Kim is sending the right message. She publicly displays her lavish caviar life to sign on endorsements, fashion lines and more. I recently passed through Sears and in their clothing line was “The Kardashians”. I can assume Kim has no idea what direction Sears fashion has for Kim’s image. It’s careless money investments she takes on. It’s her name on the label. Kim doesn’t want to work and uses the public to give into her fashion that isn’t even run by her. It’s managed by more interested members. Is she sending the right message? She doesn’t do anything but gets paid for it. No, not the right message to get by in life.
Absolutely sending the wrong message. This show has been one of many that have really bothered me for a very long time now. Why would you want young people looking up to you on national television when you cannot even comprehend the meaning of marriage or what it takes to be a part of and keep a healthy one. While I understand that this is how they make their money, it also bothers me that this entire family “prides” themselves on giving back and being involved with chairities that help the homeless or needy, however they cannot even figure out how to live a normal life as role models themselves, should that not come before trying to put a bandaid on what is wrong in their lives by donating money they make from being a mess on television? would it be such a horrible thing to become a reality TV show that teaches people morals and life lessons and ways to deal with “real” hence the word “reality” family and life issues?
I completely agree with you Katie. It bothers me that the entire family has a snobby attitude and just completely make fools out of themselves.They try to keep an image that portrays a superficial lifestyle and that by itself sends the wrong message to the young audience. They think that because they look good they can act however they please.
I disagree with the statement that Mills would view this issue as a personal trouble and not a social issue. With the timimg in our history, which is something Mills speaks about, the media has become a huge source of dipicting our cultures norms and values. Reality TV has become very popular and many who watch it want to be just like the celebrates on the show. An even scarey idea is that viewers believe that since it is a reality show, it is real life, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Many of these celebrates live a different life then the rest of society. Things are more glorified and they often live outside the normal rules of society. Its important to keep this in mind when watching reality TV, it is still just a form of entertainment, not a way of life. However, it is important for the celebrates on these reality TV shows to realize that their actions influence people. As one stated in The “Spiderman” movie, “With great power comes even greater responsibility.”
Although it has a huge effect, I do not think the media is completely to blame for these young girls acting like the Kardashians. The show is all about fashion and “girly” things like that. These things have been etched into the female mind. Gender roles have pushed women to focus more about how they look and not care as much about education. It was gender roles that effect the youth and consequently the media seems to emphasize the issue.
The media of today is full of things that can very negatively effect the youth. It will not change anytime soon, there is no getting rid of it. Instead of trying to isolate kids from the media, what we can do is actually spend time with your children and set a good example. With a parental role model, children will have no need to look on tv for a role model.
I could not agree more in the sense that I don’t specifically believe the Kardashian sisters have to be the blame for the cause. Yes, they are exposed to the world and some can take it that some of the things they do shouldn’t be portrayed to a younger crowd since they can take things differently. However, the parents of children have the overall say in what they do and watch anyways so they shouldn’t blame someone for what they could prevent. Gender roles is a big role played in this situation because girls naturally want to “look as pretty as another girl” or “as thin as another” so we shouldn’t blame anyone, per say for the female mind wanting to look a certain way. We just have to make sure our kids realize they are perfect the way they are.
As I write this comment I barely know who the Kardashians are and what their T.V. show is about. The reality that strikes me is how people in general perceive the Kardashians, frenetically following every decision and action this people make and treating them like novelties. If we think about it, who are these people and why is important to see their every action and mirror them. You might come up with a blank response or the idea that they are public figures, the fact that they have a T.V. Show makes it seem more likely to find an answer as to who they are. I think the perception is misplaced though, this people are very popular because we made them popular. The idea to even make them role models is a stretch, as long as we make a distinction between real life and television we should be fine.
I have not seen any Kardashian episodes, I don’t even have cable. I think the appeal of reality TV is it’s unique way of lifestyle. Most viewers don’t have anywhere close to the means of living such a lifestyle as the Kardashian’s do, and their lifestyle need not to be mimicked. Everyone has a different lifestyle, but lifestyles different from our own interest us. The Kardashians are on the national scale and very present in the televisions in the homes of Americans. As a result, celebrities try so hard to be good looking and thin to appeal to fans. As a normal citizen, my head isn’t inflated with such thinking and I don’t have to be a certain way to appeal to fans, let alone do I care. If Kim Kardashian’s idea of being recognized includes looking stunning and dressing nice, isn’t that the fault of the interpretation that we make as a society?
I would say I’m wishy washy about Kim K being a role model. I’m going to be honest I did watch the Kardashians for awhile. Then I was like why? They get paid to have their everyday life filmed and people watch it. The sex tape is ALL everyone has on her. It was a mistake. A stupid mistake, but still a mistake. She’s said many times that she regrets it. It’s such old news. Now, she’d be a bad role model in terms of marriage. She’s a hopeless romantic who rushes relationships, which isn’t what young girls should look up to. However, she’s a good role model because: She DOES work hard. She’s a business lady. She opened her notorious DASH stores in several locations, and works hard to maintain it. She’s very family oriented. The Kardashians stick together through thick and thin, and that’s something to look up to. She’s trying to improve herself as a Christian. Kim is an airhead, honestly, but she’s not as bad of a role model as some other celebrities out there.
I’m guilty as well. I have caught myself sitting down in the past and watching the Kardashians and then one day I asked myself the same exact question. Why? Why do I waste my time watching this show for people who didn’t do any work to achieve everything that they have? It’s really not fair when you think about it, but our society lives off of these types of people for pure entertainment. I would agree with you on her being a good role model when it comes to being very family orientated. But she would’ve never had the money to open dash or anything like that without becoming famous from her sex tape. Being very family orientated is a very good characteristic and that’s one thing I respect about the Kardashian family as a whole.
I have to say that I love watching this show with my family because it is entertaining and interesting to view how others live their lives. Seeing how different our lives are is also crazy to think because they are just normal people like us, just with a label. However, regarding your question, I think that Kim is a role model to kids because she doesn’t do anything negative (ex. crazy drinking, extremely provocative clothing) where kids would be getting into trouble. The way she dresses is high fashion and always making a statement in a positive way to show off the curves she works hard to get. If you see her now after her baby, she looks stunning because she puts in the effort to look the way she wants the natural way by working out. She does inspire people to realize that hard work does pay off and to never make excuses for yourself. I think after her having her baby, she inspires people even more to live a healthy life style and live the way you would believe your child would be proud of. She is sending a good message to kids to believe in their hard work with whatever it may be and you will receive positive feedback.
I can completely see where you are going with this. I believe that we as people are so focused on media and its portrayal of people like celebrities that it influences our perceptions and the true aspects of what is real and what is fake. I do believe you are hitting a few really good key points when it comes to whether we view celebrities like Kim Kardashian as a role model. After reading your comment, never have I even taken into consideration of this fact and this particular side. I believe that people tend to only look towards the one side of things rather than both sides from which we tend to have these misconceptions and misinterpretation of what in truth it really is.
I would agree with you that it is also a social trouble and not social issue. Maybe it would be a social issue if the show had a correlation with divorce rates or young girls dressing very promiscuous. I think its more up to the parents whether their kids choose to idealize certain people because if I had a daughter watching that TV program I would explain to her that its alright to watch the show but also explain to her that the way they live their lives is different than how we live ours. It is sad that young girls do follow these Kardashian girls that got famous through luck (sex tape). But until its starts affecting a majority of its viewers I believe this is also just a social trouble but I could see why I some people might see it at as a social trouble that is because they probably have daughters or someone close to them idealizing the Kardashian sisters.
The way society views the Kardashian/ Jenner family actually is a joke to me. I respect maybe 2 people out of there whole huge family which would be Brandon and Brody and they are the true Jenner children, there not like Kendall and Kylie where they have a little bit of both. I don’t understand why we obsess over these people who literally do nothing for a living but yet have more money then most of our country. Kim Kardashian got famous from a sex tape.. Yes, her dad was a famous lawyer but he’s passed away now and Kim was irrelevant until her sex tape came out and then she blew up and her whole entire family became famous from nothing. I don’t think she is a role model to anyone, I think she is irrelevant to society and she’s literally so famous and so rich for no reason at all. Even though, Kim doesn’t do anything inappropriate on the show. The way she got her fame is completely wrong and no child/teenager should look up to her as a role model. She does nothing and yet her net worth is 40 million dollars.. A role model for a child is someone who started from nothing worked extremely hard and earns EVERYTHING they have. Not someone who gets famous from doing something stupid.
I completely agree with you SaraPettit. I feel that the the true meaning of a role model is someone that has started from the bottom with nothing and has worked extremely hard. Personally, I feel that the meaning of a role model has changed when it comes to terms of celebrities for instance. I think that we as people within society tend to obsess over these types of people is because of the status that they hold within society. From seeing these people being shown and portrayed through media, it gives us some sort of perspective and view point that we cannot keep our eyes off of. When it comes to these apparent “role models”, it makes me feel very disappointed that these celebrities are able to influence people so easily that it leads for them to even consider to look up to them as role models.
I agree with some of the things in this article like how kids idolize celebrities and want to be like them. I think the Kardashians are a not a good family that should be followed because they all became more famous because of Kim’s sex tape with singer/actor Ray-j. The whole show Keeping up with the Kardashians was so Kim can tell her side of the story about why they made the sex tape. If someone gets a show because they made a sex tape I feel like a lot of people would have a TV show. Teens and kids should not want to follow someone that gets married just for a show then divorce him because she knew she didn’t love him. I’m not taking his or her side because I feel like they both knew they did for TV. I also don’t understand why people including myself will sit there and watch someone else life when I can be out living my own.
This article shows major points about why this can have a negative effect on our younger generation. Lately, we see “celebrities” that are not even famous for a specific talent being applauded just for them being recognized as a figure in society. I can see that it is a positive thing where an individual can be famous for more than just being an actor/actress or singer/dancer, but it is their responsibility to uphold their positive image. Kim is a business women, despite her poor decisions, she still continues to be a marketing genius. Her name is everywhere and it is recognized both in a negative and positive representation. The younger generation must be educated by their parents, guardians, teachers, etc. other than the media of this falsified expectation. Those three young girls who referred themselves as the “Kardashian sisters” are not educated and know the difference between what is the “social media expectation” and the “expectation of reality” meaning the self presentation of yourself as an educated individual who is aware of the influences of media.
Firstly, if you get your role models form so called “reality show” that should set a first red flag. Reality shows are not real! No self-respecting woman would such things unless she’s paid a lacking $10 million per season on average split. Second red flag should be raced if you though their marriage wasn’t arranged for the money and views. Parents should know better than to let their children watch that crap.
I agree a lot with this article and what it has to say about entertainers and the platform that they have and how they should use it for good and not just make irrational choices that are irresponsible. These choices end up being aired and kids are taking in what they see and do definitely look up to these celebrities. I think reality TV is big on making sales and drawing a crowd of viewers in. I watched the wedding with Kris and Kim and it was very elaborate and grand and was somewhat entertaining. I believe that with a big platform these celebrities or these well known yet talented(some) figures should be positive and should use their platform to to be role models. We are all human but when you are given alot much is expected from you, so I believe these celebrities should be a little more aware of their choices.
I agree with the article completely. When “celebrities” are given any form of public communication (television show, radio show, magazine cover) they need to realize they are setting an example for people world-wide. It is unfortunate that due to iPhones, iPads, televisions, and many more technologies, that children are getting their role models from reality shows. When I was growing up, my role model was Kelly Clarkson because I loved her music and I remember seeing an interview about her body image issues. She talked about how all girls should love their body and so on. Now a days, girls look to people like the Kardashians to be like them, which is very scary. I don’t care if Kim likes showing her narcissistic, selfish, unentertaining personality on TV. If you are in front of a camera, act appropriate for girls you want to be “role models” for.
It troubles me that people look to entertainers to raise their children. Entertainers are meant to entertain and have zero responsibility to our children or the outcome of their lives. I think that it is much easier to blame the Kardashians for creating a certain platform than realizing we are really the ones that set the tone. Furthermore, just because someone looks up to you does not make you a role model. I believe a role model is more self- entitled because the person makes the conscious decision to be a mentor to a child. Kim never deemed herself a role model and lives her life accordingly. A parent however, is to guide and protect by definition, and parents should remember that the next time they want to cry wolf about celebrities being bad role models.
I’m not a huge fan of this show but I do consume a lot of media and see very similar trends in other forms. Honestly I just don’t see the harm in this, I don’t see girls looking up to the Kardashians as role models and aspiring to be like them, even if it is just for the looks and the money. I really doubt young girls at a developmental age will sit down and watch something like that show while there is other programming targeted at them that they can get enjoyment from. Granted, I think the show is as brainless and vapid as television can be but at the end of the day it isn’t going go change society from showing two rich girls trying to understand how money works.
Please let’s not forget how she became known in the first place? Anyone who knows Kim kardashian is aware how she got recognition,that alone doesn’t send the right message. She gained her celebrity status by a sex tape and yet she’s seen as an idol. Now I’m not judging but, is that the right way to gain a high rated status. People often like to imitate their role models, and this imitation can either be positive or negative. Kim’s relationship with her mother at times can be appalling, how the woman who carried you for 9 months,raised you from childhood to adulthood could be talked to in such an appalling manner. And America today see nothing wrong with the way Kim talks to her mother. And this act of behavior is most likely to be imitated by other young girls which isn’t making the American culture any better. Parents Should be more vigilant In what their kids watch,and people in general should know not everything that not everything that glitters is gold.
I completely agree with what you started your passage off with. Kim Kardashian should have never been glorified from making a sex tape. That is never ok and if you make one that should be kept within private matters between you and the other person. Kim Kardashian’s sex tape became viral though and then the next thing we knew she had her own show. I am not judging her either on making a sex tape, but no one should ever have that go public or be considered a role model because of that. People can do what they want but sometimes it’s just better to keep certain situations private. I firmly believe Kim treats her mother Kris more as a friend then a mother. Which isn’t right in my eyes. Kris is Kim’s mother, her mother brought her into this world and helps her with everything and for Kim to view her mother as one of her friends and doesn’t give her the respect she deserves confuses me and also leads me to believe Kim isn’t a good role model.
I too am an addict to reality TV shows and I am not ashamed to admit that Keeping up with the Kardashians is one of my all time faves. While watching the show I never take it seriously seeing as their lives are so over dramatic and completely opposite to my life style. I think this too is why millions tune in every sunday. People like to see how the other half lives and get a taste at that fame and see what it is “really like” to be famous. Now whether they are appropriate role models is up for discussion and I am torn. on the one hand, they were launched into fame based on a leaked sex tape by Kim and have stayed in the headlines each week with their variety of relationship issues throughout the family. These actions may not be something kids should model their futures off of, however, I think its good to see mistakes. Kids need to realize that life is not perfect, and that you are going to make wrong decisions and seeing “role models” mess up could be a way to let them know that its okay and that they can be a learning experience at times.
I used to love watching Keeping up with the Kardashian’s. I love reality TV and I’m a total sucker for it. But then one day I realized how dumb the Kardashian’s TV show really was. Their way of life is completely opposite of the way we live and the way we go about things. People tune in every Sunday to get a good laugh from the Kardashian’s I completely agree with that because people like to laugh at how ridiculous they are. You made really good points about why they aren’t good role models for children. Life really isn’t perfect and it will never be perfect for anyone and kids do need to realize that. Realizing that when it comes to the Kardashian’s is not the family to base that off of. There actions are too extreme for children to understand. But, watching the Kardashian’s can definitely be a learning experience.
I would not personally say that I have ever looked up to the Kardashian sisters. They are simply entertaining to watch because we would not want our lives to be that way and because our lives are NOT that way. And I do not think other girls idolize them, either. True, it is nice that a girl with a big butt can be such an icon and inspires the rest of us curvy girls to accept ourselves but that is about as far as Kimmy K has any influence over me. Making a sex tape is not cute and neither is getting divorced in less than 3 months. If anything, she is a model of how not to live your life.
I agree that many people don’t look up to them because they believe they do nothing. They do have an amazing business they run with a variety of products on their line. I don’t agree that it’s right how they got famous, however, they have been working and keeping their name in the media because of all the publicizing they do for their business. I would say they influence people to continue to work hard and success will come their way.
I don’t agree that the Kardashians are scrutinized more because they are in the public eye. They chose to live their lives in front of cameras and are always trying to find an angle to keep their name in social media. Lets remember Kim secretly rushed into a marriage when she was 19 years old. If she was really ready to settle down she would not have made the same mistake she did over 10 years ago. It should be made clear that she should not be a role model for young girls but just an entertainment figure. Her track record for sketchy decisions i.e. sex tape,secretly eloping, and continuously putting her love life in the public should not warrant any young woman to follow in her foot steps. Lastly, she is planning to marry Kanye West on her reality TV show during sweeps week to further her shows ratings. If she really cherished the relationship she would not make her marriage a public spectacle again. If she’s only playing a part to hold onto her fame I feel bad that she is so out of touch with what really matters in life.
Reblogged this on kailonifurlough and commented:
I think that certain celebrities send wrong messages to their viewers but it is up to the viewers/normal people to set a standard in their own lives. In my opinion, reality TV is just entertainment for me. I have watched the show several times but I also watch other reality TV shows. I used to question myself about why i watch them but i came to the conclusion that it is mainly entertainment and that is where I leave it. It has no affect on my everyday life. Some people let things and or people like celebrities consume their lives.
I think when people are behind the camera they play a different role. if someone was to tell you to do your daily routine but they will film it you will act differently. T.V is nothing but entertainment, its the viewers choice to do what they should do.
I think what we see of Kim’s life is not real she plays a role to keep views attracted into watching her T.V show there is nothing real in it. She is a bad role model which I think for celebrities like her that are in the spotlight and have effect on what teens do they should be better role models. It is sad what money and fame do to you but she asked for it. Her getting married and getting a divorce so fast just proves how far she will go to keep her views on the TV show no matter how sad that is. It’s the life she choose in life. Sadly it’s all over the media, we have to see it. I feel although one day she’ll regret this she’s basically living a life for the public none of it is real and money in life does not matter what matters is that your life happily and the way you want.
evaG,
That is very true to what you are saying. I believe that we as human beings cannot help but be selfish creatures at times that we fall for the fame, status, reputation, and fortune and consequently because of that it leads them to think of these as something that we cannot live without. I think celebrities for instance, believe that this is what shapes them and who they are as individual people from within society.
I can completely see where Kristen is coming from. It is scary to think that kids in this age are growing up on the computer and with reality television instead of playing outside. We live in an age where social media has a huge effect on how people live their lives. When it comes to the fashion industry and the idea of “what is beautiful”, people used to only be exposed to that through magazines and television. Now, with the technology boom in the past couple of years, the idea of how someone should be living is smashed in our face 24/7. Whether it be Instagram, YouTube videos, or even pop culture news shows like Extra, celebrities are constantly in the eye of the public, especially the Kardashian family. Sadly, when it comes to pop culture news, it’s mostly the negative side that is shown and sometimes even blown out of proportion. With Kim’s wedding it essentially became an online joke around the world. Hollywood and pop culture has turned into a big competition of who has the biggest scandal instead of appreciating actual talent. With this mentality, it is difficult for anybody to find a role model in Hollywood how has a 100% clean background. Personally, I don’t think anyone in Hollywood should be considered a role model based on their personal life or choices, but rather for their work ethic and talent.
MorganP,
I absolutely agree with you on some of your thoughts and opinions. I also feel the same way on how kids in this age are mostly influenced by the different things going on and revolving around in social media. In fact, I feel that as social media and the effects that it has among numerous individuals but particularly with kids seems to continue to grow and expand with the rate that it is at right now at the moment, it will lead to more changes in trends and ideal views on what it will further become. In other words, each individual person has different perceptions on how they view these celebrities like Kim Kardashian. I agree with you that from the way that media tends to portray celebrities in the spite of either positive or negative sides could affect whether people will look up to these celebrities as role models. I also think that because of the reputation that they hold and are viewed by other individuals within society, they are somehow expected to continue to portray these certain roles.
I completely agree with you Amy. I didn’t even think of the fact that once celebrities get a certain “role” in Hollywood, they are expected to play through with it. Whether someone is named the bad boy or the good girl, if it is not who they really are, they still are expected and judged on how their role would act not them personally. With their new identity, they have to act a certain way that may not be true to themselves. Paris Hilton did this when she had a reality TV show. She acted dumber than she really was because it got higher views.
I absolutely agree with you. From a viewpoint, it really is upsetting to see how celebrities are put towards these pressures and the expectations of the people and of society. Personally, I believe that just because of the status and reputation that they hold which may seem to be different from the others within society, does not mean that they should have to go through this. I believe that celebrities are just like any human being within society and that the media is just showing them as a form of entertainment by putting these celebrities in the spotlight in either a positive or negative way.
I
That is very true. They are, after all, only humans. The other side of the coin, though, is when they start to let the fame get to their head and start to believe that they are this great, important person. Some celebrities have gotten so conceited from Hollywood that I think they start to believe that they are a gift to the world. I think it is those celebrities who give Hollywood and actors in general a bad reputation.
I absolutely agree with you on every level. I believe you are absolutely right about fame getting to their heads. It makes me so frustrated to see how some celebrities tend to put their fame and reputation as their first and main priority rather then show care towards anything that is going on in their surroundings. Fame does change a person and that is the only thing that occupies their mind from which it is a difficult sight to witness.
I completely agree with this article. Role models are not sending the right message to their viewers. For starters, I wouldn’t want to have my life openly viewed by the world either. I personally dislike watching “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. In that matter, I dislike watching any reality TV show. I believe that most reality shows send the wrong message to its audience, specially the younger audience because it is harder for them to differentiate between reality TV and factual reality. Needless to say, celebrities need to realize how they affect the young viewers and try to send a more positive message to our society.
I can see this articles point completely and I have thought about this before. I watch “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” but i don’t believe it has impacted me. However, I can see how it impacts society along with the many other social medias like it. I think it sends the wrong message but I believe it is merely a form of entertainment that it is taken for much more. Children who watch this need to be informed that it is okay to watch it, it causes no harm but that they need to be themselves and they are great the way they are. That they don’t need to strive to be like what they watch on TV or like what they see in any form of social media. Kids are going to be surrounded with social media their entire lives, it is simply how they are taught to perceive it and themselves. What I see that needs to be changed is what social media focuses on. Everyone is not the same. So why deem one type of better than the others?
I completely understand the concerns of this entry, but I don’t believe that the Kardashians are a societal issue. I have, personally, never finished an entire episode because of my views of the show and their way of life but I don’t think it is a concern of society. I believe that if a child is subjected to be influenced by poor role models that is a parental issue not an issue concerning a reality television show. If a child or teen is raised with good morals and self respect, watching a television show for entertainment shouldn’t effect the way that person acts or looks. On the other hand, a child/teen who is not raised with good morals can easily turn to poor role models and subject themselves to look up to people who set horrid examples on the way to live life. Basically, I think it falls more on the parenting of a child, rather than what they watch on television.
I don’t bellieve she’s sending the right message to her viewers but no one is perfect. Her mistakes and/or flaws can not be judge by other humans. Although I still would be upset if I found out my little sister looked up to her. I would shut that problem down instantly. I don’t want any examples given from her.
I definitely agree with this article especially with the fact that celebrities aren’t aware of how many young people’s lives they are affecting. In this case, many young women look up to celebrities like Kim Kardashian. I personally don’t see why. My sister and some of my friends consider her as a successful, independent woman. This may be correct, however I don’t approve of how she became successful or how she became famous. Her actions and the way she dresses are certainly affecting girls my age, or maybe even younger. When I read this article, I was shocked to read girls with about 13 years of age dressing up in low cut shirts and shirt skirts trying to be like the Kardashian sisters. When I was 13, I wasn’t allowed to wear anything that didn’t go past my knees. But that is not the point. The point is many celebrities have very little awareness of how their actions and how they dress affect others. With that being said, celebrities should think twice before they do what they do and dress how they dress.
In my opinion, celebrities don’t really focus too much energy on what message they are sending to their young fans which are vulnerable and believe because they are celebrities they are good role models. Many young fans believe that if you have a beautiful body you will be successful in life. This is so far from the truth. How can someone’s looks and how they dress or behave be more important than intelligence? If you think about it your looks are not going to balance your checkbook or enable you to make wise decisions in life matters. What many young girls do not think about is that looks do not last forever and eventually everyone gets old and no longer looks as good as when they were young. Getting a degree and being beautiful on the inside is the best tool to being successful in life. Celebrities need to promote education more than fashion and looking beautiful, for it is through education that a beautiful mind can blossom. Intelligence does not get old or get wrinkles. Intelligence is priceless!
I think that the show does not provide a positive message for anyone. Honestly, do we really need a T.V. show that follows the everyday life of someone that we’re not? People should be concerned with their own life and not Kim’s. I think the reason that young girls are starting to take after Kim is because near the age of the girls mentioned on Halloween, is near the start of trying to find their place in society. While these girls are trying to find out who they are, they are also watching Kim. Young girls see Kim as popular and that is what they’d like to have at that age. Looking at Kim they try to be just like her because if they follow Kim’s path, then they think they could achieve popularity. Whether it’s a social issue or not, people need to realize that they should be themselves and not strive to be… that.
I agree people should be themselves and not imitate public figures at least not Kim or any of the Kardashian since they don’t give their followers a positive message. I have a younger sister that is only 16 years old. My sister is always watching the Kardashians reality show and she looks up to Kylie Jenner. This might be due to the fact that they are a couple of years apart. She cares a lot about the way she looks and is constantly saying that if she could she would change many things in her body, like Kylie. I understand this is not social issue because this only affects the people that watch the reality show not the society as a whole. However this is a social issue since it is affects many young girls that do not realize that some of the things these celebrities are wrong. Kylie is only 18 and has gotten so many things done in a short period of time. Young girl should not be influenced by the actions of the Kardashians/Jenners at the end they actually benefit from the things they do by gaining popularity which increases their income but young girls looking up to them can negatively affect their lives.
Personally, I don’t think that a reality show should base others way of life. In my opinion, the show should be kept as entertainment and not as a blame for others behavior. There’s many other people that young girls see and observe each day, so the Kardashians shouldn’t be the ones to blame. These girls should look at the positive things this show offers, like beauty advice and fashion tips. Also, the show is mostly based on how the family solves their problems. Therefore, these young children can learn from the Kardashians and take that into their own life. People focus on the negative aspects of all things way too much.
When you’re as famous and influential as someone like Kim Kardashian, you have a major responsibility to set a good example for those who idolize you. It is common knowledge that many people, specifically teenage girls, now have a low self esteem because they don’t meet the standards of beauty portrayed by celebrities. Not everyone should be expected to be thin or drop dead gorgeous. In many other countries, weight isn’t really considered an issue when it comes to beauty. Heavier women are regarded as healthy and fit to have children. As for the image of marriage that Kim portrayed, it’s not a good idea to marry someone simply because you “love” them. Until you’ve been with someone for a certain amount of time, you probably don’t know everything there is to know about them. As time passes, people will act differently around you. Plus, the lovey dovey phase of a relationship will only last so long. Once the infatuation runs out, what’s left? How will your spouse perform as a father? Will he be a good influence on the children? Will he be faithful? These things have to be taken into consideration. Until you know someone inside and out and are sure that they’re responsible enough to support a marriage, it’s foolish to blindly jump into a life long commitment with them. On the other hand, I don’t think you should not marry someone just because you haven’t been with them long enough. If you know the person well enough, it should be safe to marry them.
I agree with this article because not just Kim K is giving a bad message but other celebrities also are giving bad examples to teens. It’s not just showing girls that its okay to wear clothes that can see your underwear/bra or Kim K is the ideal body but it also shows the boys that there is only one kind of beauty which is how Kim K looks. Which makes girls insecure about themselves and feeling that no guy will like them because they don’t have that “ideal” body… Which is kind of sad of how teens have ended up thinking this things about looking like others instead of loving themselves.
I totally agree with you, right now as you saw it its a social trouble. Now in 2015, I can see it as a social issue because when you are on sicial media such as instragram you can see it. Not only Kim K. but her sister Kylie Jenner plays like a role model (not a postive one) on younger generation girls. Kylie has had gotten many surgery and implants only at the age of 18. With pounds and pounds of make up on her face this is sending a bad view. That you need to have a lot of money like her to be happy or to fit it. Those are not what it is a bout. There was a debate who is a better role model for young girls kylie jenner or malia obama (which i think malia is). Kylie isnt acting her age she is living a life as a mid age with her buisness and the negaitive view she is portraying to younger girls.
Even though there are aspects that are seen that each girl in the Kardashian family might be perceived as a bad role model, people around us are much worse. I actually thought that young girls like Kylie that have tons of money would act much worse and have crazy actions. Everything is different in the world of fame, due to the huge body of people watching your every action and worry about you. To me, Kylie is simply living her life and making herself look the way she wants to. She doesn’t really do anything that is labeled as negative. To add, she cares about her fans and even raises awareness if her fans have a story that is meant to be told (Refering to her Instagram). She’s seen as a caring person that inspires her fans through fashion and beauty.
This article is significant in my opinion, because it’s true that people like the Kardashian clan should not necessarily be looked up to as role models. Although, they can be entertaining to watch at times, a lot of the messages they portray through their shows are not sufficient for young girls to look up to. For example, the origin in which Kim Kardashian received her fame, as well as the modifications much of the family has made to their appearances. This gives young adults the idea that if they don’t like something about themselves they can change these things cosmetically if they have the proper funds to do so. It also gives off the idea that you don’t have to do much to gain fame, apart from displaying every single aspect of your personal life as well as those of the people around you.
I agree with you that some of the Kardashians aren’t seen as role models, due to their bad behavior. But, I think we should look at the bigger picture and realize how many adults around us aren’t the best role models either. Lots of adults didn’t earn their money or buy their house or car themselves either. Most of my friends parents own a huge million dollar house because they’ve been handed down money through their rich relatives. To add, they barely make more than twenty thousand dollars a year and still get to keep all the luxurious things around them. Life is unfair and people should realize that sooner than later.
People tend to see the negative aspects of things in this world, even though they offer so much more that they choose not to see. A person who is simply just observing Kim’s life through this very popular show, he or she can pull out lots of negative things that Kim should change. To add, their missing the other side of the her life. We see that Kim has been though a lot in her life. Even though she has lots of money, we can clearly see that money doesn’t solve everything in her life and that she has very similar problems that we have. For example, she has a failed marriage and people always point that out and complain that she can’t keep a relationship. But, how many couples are divorced in this world? A lot. In my opinion, Kim Kardashian gets too much hate for small things that she couldn’t change. Maybe people should look at the macro other than look at just one person. Kim is just another human being that is going through life problems just like everyone else is.
I fully agree that Kim Kardashian is in no way the best role model for young girls. But there are many other people that young girls look up to that are much worse than she is. Kim may dress a little racy, but she is an adult and can dress however she pleases. You can take your kid to the store, and see plenty of people dressed worse than she is. Also, she may have made mistakes with her marriage, but in all honesty it isn’t that bad of a lesson to teach young girls. It shows them what heartbreak is like, that they shouldn’t rush into things just because it seems right at the time, and that sometimes even if you love someone you need to do what is best for yourself. In my eyes these are all wonderful lessons that I would want to teach my kids. It is very clear that she made a mistake, but by doing that she taught many girls that growing up and falling in love isn’t as easy as it looks. If that is the worst thing my children will ever experience, I would be very happy.
I do agree that public figures like Kim Kardashian and others may not be sending out the right message to young children. I also agree that these celebrities don’t realize just how much these young children are looking up to them, so they don’t take in account that they may or may not be letting these fans down. However, I don’t really agree with your statement about Mills and this not being a societal issue, it very well is, because people all over the world even in different countries are idolizing these people. For Kim Kardashian this probably isn’t an issue or trouble for her whatsoever, but to society when they follow in the foot steps of these celebrities and they make bad decisions because of them it becomes a world wide issue because so many people within society are partaking. I do believe that these celebrities don’t really care what they are portraying to the world, they just get some sort of high off being on TV, and being famous. Although shows like Keeping up with the Kardashians, seem real a lot of it is scripted and purely made up for people’s entertainment, and the family does it solely for the money the earn from the show.
I agree that I wouldn’t want my whole life to be public. I think sometimes they just put on an acct ad do what people what want them to do, but in actuality I really don’t care and most of the things they do aren’t even that good. I also think they do things for attention but most people don’t even care and after a while it starts to get annoying . I honestly don’t know why younger girls look up to Kim, I think she is sending the wrong message to younger children. Your not suppose to tech young children to be naked most of the time or to wear really skimpy clothing. Your also not suppose to teach younger children to take provocative pictures. Kids these days pick up on the simplest things.
I agree. I wouldn’t want my life myself and with my family to be public to the world to watch and judge. However, most of them have grown up being around the cameras and in the eye on the world. They do know what there getting into with having their life be seen to the whole world and it can be stressful and put a lot of pressure with their actions they want to take. Just because they’re visible to the whole world doesn’t mean they will always do the right thing they will mess up and make mistakes in THEIR lives. You’re watching into their lives for entertainment. I can see how young viewer’s can get the wrong idea by watching the Kardashians and it’s true. However, it’s not just them but as society in whole. Society and all of the others alike are embedding in our brains with the “right” clothing to wear, views, ideas, and things of that sort.
I don’t know why this family is on TV in the first place; these women seem to do anything for attention, which then leads to more money. So much drama that the average viewer wont ever relate to. These women are in the public eye, and young girls do look up to them, so they see them dressing racy, and doing things, so they mock them. Even the younger Kardashians are following in the footsteps of their older sisters. Racy photo shoots, thinking you are above the law. They will see that they will end up just like the rest of the family once the fame gets too crazy. So much better TV out there that can benefit a young girl growing up but instead society made these women so famous, and girls feel like they have to be like them to be accepted.
stirthepot1017, totally agree with you that they do things for attention. I also agree that their younger sisters are following in their footsteps. I think that they all look up to each other, which is aa good thing but sometimes it could be a bad thing. It could be a bad thing because they could be doing things in a bad way or a at that it isn’t suppose to go.
I personally do not watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians and I can tell you I never will. They are so fake it drives me crazy. Younger teen girls should not look up to these girls as a role model. They are a horrible example of a role model. They have done so much plastic surgery to themselves that I am pretty sure they are now made completely of plastic and silicone. But then they tell you to be happy with yourself and who you are. It makes no sense to me what so ever. They weren’t happy with themselves so they got plastic surgery to fix themselves. They are paid to do things, they are paid for everything. I don’t understand how they got so famous they literally do nothing! They have no talents! They are just a nuisance to society. I would never want my family or myself to be in the lime light like that. It would corrupt my life and my friends lives. They are also always taking half naked pictures and making a huge deal about it, that is not the message you should be sending to younger teens. So therefore I think that they are the worst role model for younger teens.
I had recently started watching this reality tv show to see what all the hype was about, and no doubt it was addicting. I watched the episode where the couple got married, and the episode talking about their break up. They could’ve handled the situation differently so that it wouldn’t have had such a negative look to the whole 72-day-marriage. She was turned into a world wide joke. Many youngsters, and adults consider at least one person from the Kardashian-Jenner family as a role model, be it Kendall-Kylie, or the Kardashian sisters. Kylie dating a rap-star, when she was underage was a huge controversy too, but that’s a whole different topic. They do all these dramatized scenes to catch attention, and they are good at that, so they turned it into a living. They do good too, donate to charity and help the ones in need, but they keep the drama in them alive as well.
Alisah, I think that they do way too much. If a girl was dating a guy that was older than her the guy would be arrested so fast. I just want to know why nothing happened to them, why they didn’t get any type of warning or anything from the police. I also think that they do good things to keep their so called “status.”
I agree, it’s sad to see how the police couldn’t care less about their relationship and all the procedures that should’ve taken place were waived just because of their status as celebrities. They set out a horrible example for all the young-adults that idolized them. Treating these things as if they’re ok because they’re not ok. But they don’t have a choice because if they stop doing it they won’t have any income. They earn from the drama, and that sucks because the young-adults won’t understand that fact and they want, and try to, follow their foot steps.
Alisah, I agree if they stopped with the drama and all the crazy situations they won’t get paid. What happen if the kids want to follow everything they do, then what? Is that really what we want the world to come to? I also agree that They are setting a bad example for young adults. That goes back t hem looking up to them, their going to think that they can do the same thing but in actuality they can’t.
My family would never make it on a reality television show, there is just way too much private information my family would not want publicly aired for the world to see and hear. I completely agree that the Kardashians are not the best role models for young adults. The Kardashian’s do not even realize that they are negatively impacting young adults. No thirteen year old girls should be prancing around on Halloween night wearing low cut shirts and very short skirts. Yes, children and young adults should have role models, however some celebrities act far older than any young adult should be acting. The Kardashians are usually who the younger generation tend to look up to, but if they do not act age appropriate the outcome is typically negative. The Kardashians may not be acting older on purpose they probably do not realize that children look up to them and want to act like they do.
I definitely believe not only the Kardashians but many reality tv shows have a way of portraying a union between two people by placing importance on the wedding, not the actual marriage. When I was younger I definitely envisioned my wedding and what it would look like; the dress I would wear, decor etc. but I never focused on the marriage aspect of it. I do believe that the Kardashians showing how in love Kim claimed to be when she got married, to seventy-two days later getting divorced could have been beneficial for young viewers. Marriage isn’t always a walk in the park, and sometimes, two people aren’t mean’t to be no matter how much they love one another. Personally after watching that play out on tv made me second guess what marriage is truly about and rushing into something with a person just because “you love them” can lead to negative outcomes.
It is of no question that many television viewers pronounce that their idol is some television actress that many people admire, but you have a good point. The questions is, do celebrities, in general, send the right message and, on the other side of the spectrum, do their viewers perceive the right message that they were meaning to say? It’s difficult to pinpoint who is on the wrong side, but if you were to ask me, I would have to say that celebrities do have to pick out their words very precisely for they are the one’s being heard through millions of glass screens with an audience of a wide array. Often, their message is very clear, but there are many times when their message is fogged up when standing behind the camera lens. Television celebrities have a big impact on other individuals who strive to be like them someday, good or bad. Not everyone knows what’s going on with regards to politics, but I can guarantee that a majority of society can point out the latest engagements, celebrity’s children announcement, movie announcements, etc. With that being said, living as a celebrity often means that the words and actions that the celebrity commits is viewed by millions of eyes and with the help of technology, it all happens within a matter of seconds.
To answer your question simply, no she is not sending her viewers the right message. However, I think that it is important to consider that she is on an adult network reality show and on these reality shows, it is not a happy, peaceful marriage that gains viewers. It is pure drama that captures the attention of those watching. The Kardashians have built their entire empire around exposing their personal lives and for them, it has worked. It is very plausible that getting married was more of a business decision for Kim, rather than a personal one based on being in love. Is this wrong? Absolutely. Does it send the wrong message to viewers about marriage? One hundred percent. But when was Kim Kardashian ever proclaimed a “role model” for our youth? Mind you, she got her start from a sex tape. Therefore, it can be argued that yes, even though her and her sisters may send a negative representation of women to young girls watching, what are these young girls doing watching this show anyway? It is the responsibility of their parents and guardians to step in and instill into them their values, not the Kardashians.
I agree with you saying that it’s their parents responsibility to check on what their kids are watching, but the youth rebels. Even if the parents did everything in their power to stop their kids from watching it, little funny clips get around on the internet, which intrigues them to watch the show against their parents will. You can’t lock them in a room with no internet, and no tv. The Kardashians are famous for drama, young people love drama. They maybe didn’t intend the “reality” tv show to be for young audience but now that they are aware that many youngsters do follow them, some may go to an extent of idolizing them, maybe they could be careful of what example they set out for them .
Celebrities are people too. Yes she made a mistake that she has even admitted herself. She rushed to quickly into marriage. Everyone makes mistakes, just because she was unhappy and did what she did doesn’t mean she has to suffer for it the rest of her life. There is a ton of people that rush into marriage when their young and I get it she should be a role model but without her mistakes it wouldn’t make her to who she is. Hate her or love her she’s a person too and her mistakes shouldn’t define who she is.
There have been a lot of celebrities that have started out with having their own reality shows whether it is English or Spanish speaking artist. Now I believe that in a way it is a little wrong to let people know their life, but I don’t think that what is put in the show some scenes are a little more acted on what it should actually be. It does perceive a bad point in thinks case because it makes fans want to sometimes follow into the wrong steps instead of the artist actually perceiving the right things. Celebrities should be making reality shows, but should perceive something better for the audience to learn from. The reason being would be because then it will help for better of the effects of the society depending on the thoughts. This is the way that things should be thought of depending on what really wants to be perceived in social media.
I watched “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” when it first aired. I think the more famous their reality series got, the more they cared about their appearance. They shouldn’t tell their viewers that the skinner you are, the more guys would want to be with you. Nowadays, every celebrity you see is on some kind of a diet. So I think that Kim K. is sending the wrong message to her viewers.
Celebrities are people too. Yes Kim made a mistake, but that didn’t let that ruin the rest of her life. She is happily married with Kanye West and has 2 kids already. Yeah she rushed into things but people rush into things all the time and somehow always find a way to go around the problem. She is a role model to young girls because she finds a way to get back into her regular routine because nothing can get in her way, people get right back up from their mistakes.
The reality show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” is meant for entertainment, not education. It is not meant to teach women on how they should run their marriages or how they should dress. Girls are looking up to Kim, which gives her so much power. Kim K. needs to take notice of the big influence she has on many people, and become a better role model.
Personally, I Love watching the Kardashians. I don’t totally agree with what they let the world see and that some things should be kept private but their very entertaining to watch. I feel parents should supervise what their kids especially if their not of the age to be watching shows like keeping up with the Kardashians. I feel it’s not All Kim herself who is negative influence it starts with first the individual and how far they let media influence them and also the maturity and mind level of the person. Yes their are naive and gullible young girls who love to mimic what they see but as parents of a household I feel as parents should be more involved with what their kids are watching because a lot of what kids see and mimic is due to lack of authority given by the parent/guardian.
Parents of younger children should monitor what their kids watch on TV. When I was kid my mom blocked certain shows and movies or anything rated R. She also told my how to behave in public and that my body was a temple etc. I feel like more parents don’t try as hard to prevent kids from seeing or acting a certain way anymore.
I also don’t believe that Kim Kardashian and the whole Kardashian family are showing their young viewers the right message. I have personally seen girls who are actually in middle school around twelve-fourteen years of age on Halloween dressing up in very questionable costumes saying they are Kim Kardashian or even Kylie Jenner. Not only that I feel that the Kim Kardashian is showing these kids that it is ok and good to show off and not be humble with certain things you may have in life that others can only dream of having. I just don’t think that is a positive message or a positive thing for these young girls to see now a days. I know I personally would not want my daughter if I was a parent to be seeing some of the things that Kim Kardashian or the whole Kardashian family does.
This article is very analytical and interesting and I really like the central message: really the celebrities are getting a message contructive to all their fans and viewers? Or are they simply getting a message of personality changes and attitudes in their fans? This type of shows the only thing that generates in people is to want to live a crazy life, without restrictions, without limits, and this really is not the message that our young people should be, divorces, family problems, fame for plastic surgeries?
Media has forgotten that the people watching are heavily influenced, which affects the way people make decisions which can be a real because it can lead to voting for a stupid president, getting married at 18 because of “love”, getting pregnant at 16 because it is a trend. Keeping up the with Kardashians is a waste of time to even watch. If you want to watch someone’s life, watch your own life. Be cautious of choices you make and be smart about it. Don’t copy someone’s life. Your life is your legacy not society, not your parents, no one except you.
I definitely agree that MOST people watching the media are heavily influenced. I will admit, that is how I was when I first began watching “Keeping up with the Kardashians.” However, I came to a realization of what life is really about, and began living to be myself, not to be like any of the Kardashians or Jenners. I still watch the show because I find it comical, but I do not live to be like them. I still watch my own life, very closely actually. I am in a great place in my life, and just because I watch the show does not mean I have too much time on my hands or that I am trying to copy their life. As long as you know who you are and what you want in life, and what your morals are, I think it is OK to watch the show.
Now this is a topic I have spent a great deal of time trying to analyze. I used to be a huge Kardashian fan and spent hours looking at their social media accounts and trying to base my own personal style off of theirs. I then realized that I disagree with a lot of the things they do and say. I think that it is hard not to keep up with the family, considering that they are all over the news and media. My favorite social media app is Instagram, and the Kardashians are all over the app all the time. Then, there are other make-up moguls and stylists that are just like them. Seriously, there are people that look like a Kardashian or Jenner sister. It honestly freaks me out that people take such drastic measures to try to look like them. I’ve come to the realization that it is OK to watch the TV show or follow them on social media, as long as you do not forget who you are. The point that it takes over your life and you realize you are trying to be like them, is the point where you should take a step back and look at what you’re doing. I really believe that is what happened to me. I tried so hard to copy their outfits, and their make-up looks, and I had people telling me all the time that I wore too much make-up and I did not look like myself. I did not listen for the longest time, but I finally did, and I realized I was so much more beautiful as myself rather than trying to look like a Kardashian. As for if Kim is a good role-model or not, I do not believe that she is. As much as I love her style, and think she is a gorgeous and funny person, I do not truly believe she is a genuine person. She has always been very materialistic and self-centered. And what does she do that is a good role-model for girls? People praise her for flaunting her body- but what good is that doing? That is only showing that she does not have any self-respect. It is horrific that people post half naked pictures on social media just to try to be like Kim Kardashian. The Kardashians could potentially have such a good influence on the world, but all they do is flaunt their bodies and money. What good does that do? Absolutely none.