Kardashian Kool

When you search up the word “Kardashians” on Google, two main things pop up. The first is their television show, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”, a reality TV show that documents the Kardashian family members’ lifestyles and the drama their family goes through. Then, there are the many webpages in which people devoted the time and energy to hate on the Kardashians. Yes, people apparently hate them so much that they actually wrote essays on essays about how the Kardashian family “sucks”. Some say that they’re fake and attention seeking. Others claim that they are talentless and have done nothing to give themselves credibility and are already richer than most of America, let alone the world.

So first off, who are the Kardashians? I would hope you know by now, but just in case: Originally, Kris was married to Robert Kardashian, and they had Kourtney (married to Scott Disick), Kim (who is marrying Kanye West), Khloe, and Rob. Then, Kris married Bruce Jenner, who brought in Burton, Brandon (married to Leah Felder-Jenner), Brody, and Casey Jenner from a previous marriage, and together Kris and Bruce had Kendall and Kylie Jenner. You probably were just like, “wow that is a lot of people”. Personally, I watch the TV show and LOVE the Kardashians. They definitely have their flaws. Everyone does. But they also have their cool sides. First of all, despite popular opinion, they do work! Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe started a clothing line called “Kardashian Kollection”, a designer fashion boutique called DASH, the online footwear site “ShoeDazzle”, among other products such as signature fragrances, self-tanners, and accessories. Kendall and Kylie have their own clothing line, “Kendall and Kylie for Pacsun”; Kris runs her own production company, “Jenner Communications”; and Rob started his own sock line, “Arthur George”. To be honest, if I could create a clothing line and make millions off of it, I would in a heartbeat. The Kardashians are extremely entrepreneurial and successful at their work, and many people continually buy their products and watch their television show.

The second thing I love about the Kardashians is that they are not afraid to be themselves. In today’s world, with so many people spreading hate, the Kardashians have stayed true to themselves. They are entertaining, stylish, and love to have a good time. Despite the criticisms people say about them, the Kardashians keep their cool (Kool?). They know they are not perfect and strive to be the best they can be. Physically, they all struggle to keep their bodies in shape and maintain a fashionable appearance (remember this?). Emotionally, they all have had problems to struggle with. Kourtney has had her fair share of problems (her mother’s open affair, her father’s death from cancer, her husband’s drinking and behavior problems) and has understandably shut down emotionally. Khloe has gone through her difficulties as well, such as growing up on camera, getting criticized for her weight, dealing with her past husband’s drug problems, and getting accused of not being a “real Kardashian”. The Kardashians have gone through so much turmoil, but have largely remained true to themselves and even thrived off of overcoming their obstacles and making their own business ventures.

Finally, the thing that stuck out most to me about the Kardashians, which I believe is one of their most admirable qualities, is their pack mentality and ability to stay together as a functioning family. When you watch the show, you see how the family functions together and supports each other through the ups and downs of life. They spend a lot of time together, and it is rare to see an entire extended family remain so physically and emotionally involved as the Kardashians are in this day and age. And somehow, the Kardashian clan (Klan?) has been able to stay united and connected with each other. As someone who comes from a rather small and disconnected family, I wish that someday my family would be as close as the Kardashians are, and I am not the only one. As E! President Suzanne Kolb told The Wrap, “At their core, the Kardashians are an incredibly bonded, loving, large family who live an incredibly large life. And if you look at the history of television, there’s a pretty large number of families with that blend that resonate with viewers…I think there’s something emotionally aspirational around that family dynamic and visually aspiration about the way that family lives.” Kolb even added that from every piece of research she’s seen about the Kardashians, viewers “aspire to be them or to befriend them”.

In essence, while it seems that the Kardashians are “suck”, they are quite the awesome family. Nobody is perfect, and that includes the Kardashians. However, they are able to take their imperfections and make something out of them. The Kardashians have started multiple business ventures and have been extremely successful. They stay true to their Kardashian name despite the media criticisms and personal struggles they have all been through. And lastly, they are a clan (Klan); they stick together, support each other, and stay involved in each other’s lives. The Kardashians love each other and live life how they want to. So, by now, if you still don’t like the Kardashians, then that’s fine. There will always be differing opinions about them. But the one thing that will remain constant is that the Kardashians will always be the Kardashians.