Kardashian Kapitalism

Arguably the most watched family in the world, the Kardashian-Jenner family has one of the largest financial empires in country which extends to multiple clothing lines, apps, video-games, beauty lines, perfumes, hair lines, reality TV shows, and more. With a net worth of over $300 million, (according to Life and Style Magazine), they undoubtedly hold a global influence on men and women of all ages.

   The family was introduced to the spotlight when Kris Kardashian, formerly married to defense attorney Rob Kardashian, married Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner. After daughter Kim Kardashian’s sex tape was leaked to the public in 2007, their first reality show, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” became one of the most popular reality television shows.     

   Senior Sophia Ramirez recalls how her love for the Kardashians started.

   “Ever since their show started I’ve loved them. They have always been my favorite celebrities. I started watching them during Season 1, but my favorite season is Season 5 because the drama between Scott and Kourtney was really funny during that season,” said Ramirez.

   With their television show, the Kardashian name grew; Kim founded the successful women’s boutique DASH with sisters Kourtney and Khloe in 2006, and Khloe released her health and fitness novel Strong Looks Better Naked in 2015. The Jenner side of the family’s successes lie in Bruce Jenner’s (now Caitlyn Jenner’s) Olympic successes in 1976, Kylie Jenner’s beauty products, the release of Caitlyn Jenner’s reality show “I am Cait” in 2015 and Kendall Jenner’s modeling career. In addition to the family’s many accomplishments, sisters Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie launched apps which feature videos and tutorials of their personal lives in 2015 – all costing $2.99 per month.

   Sophomore Alex De La Torre explains the inspirational aspects of the Kardashian-Jenner fame.

   “I think the Kardashians and the Jenners are great businesswomen. They are great with their work and fashion and they inspire me in terms of entrepreneurship,”  said De La Torre.

   While the Kardashians’ loyal fan base continues to grow, many have differing opinions on the family’s fame. A man named Julio Castillo has even created a “K Blocker” app which blocks all content regarding the Kardashians or the Jenners from one’s iPhone according to businessinsider.com. Junior Tia Bentivegna expressed her feelings on the sudden Kardashian obsession.

   “I primarily hate the Jenners; many of them have what they ‘earned’ handed to them. They haven’t really done anything to benefit us,” said Bentivegna.

   As they constantly remain in the public eye, the Kardashians and Jenners both influence fashion and body image. They are known for their small waists and big hips; however, they are also known for body manipulation. For example, Kylie Jenner, the youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner family, got lip injections, sparking immediate attention on all social media. Bentivegna commented on her opinion of the false body image presented by the family.

   “They are trying to promote healthy body image, yet they get Botox and all that stuff all the time to make themselves appear more beautiful. Kylie is trying to get everyone to get her lips, but she gets injections for her lips. There are no injections in that kit! You aren’t going to look like her,” said Bentivegna.

   However, even with an altered body image, many people strive to look like them; their social media accounts are some of the most followed in the world. Knowing the power behind their social media, they each created their own apps focused on each Kardashian-Jenner’s interests. Ramirez enjoys their social media and the amount of attention they receive online.

   “I follow the Kardashians and a bunch of their fan accounts, so my entire Instagram is basically them. I also get ‘E! News’ updates and I follow their tabloids. I look at their profiles whenever I’m on Instagram, which is basically most of my day,” said Ramirez.

   De La Torre similarly spends a great amount of time looking at their social media accounts.

   “Since I’ve purchased all of their apps, I’d say I spend about 30-35 minutes a day looking at their social media,” said De La Torre.

  While there are many opposing views of the Kardashians, one of the most controversial topics is that of Caitlyn Jenner, as she has been in the spotlight recently due to her sex change in 2015. Like most of the public, students hold their own opinions on Caitlyn’s highly publicized transition.

   “I support Caitlyn and I also watch ‘I am Cait.’ It was emotional to see Bruce leave, but I love Caitlyn,” said Ramirez.

   Despite the Kardashian-Jenner family’s controversial fame and behavior, their success is undeniable and their public influence is unstoppable.

   “To people who don’t like the Kardashians, I’d say I don’t like you,” says Ramirez.