Do I personally know the Kardashian clan? Nope, I sure don’t. So, I’m not here to bash them or call them bad people. Do they deserve some credit? Absolutely. They’ve capitalized on their circumstances and have created an internationally recognized empire and brand with help from the E! Network. If you’re living on this planet, it’s almost a guarantee that you know who Kim Kardashian and her sisters are. With that being said, however, there are a number of individuals around the globe whose hard work is outside the realm of reality TV, hair/makeup products and mobile games, but deserves more credit and recognition than what the Kardashians get on a daily basis.
1. Maya Varma
The 2016 first place winner of the Distinction for Innovation Award at Intel’s Science Talent Search is only 17 years old and breaking science ground in huge ways. The teen developed a “low-cost, smartphone-based lung function analyzer that diagnoses lung disease as accurately as expensive devices currently used in medical laboratories.” Not only was Varma the innovator of such an incredible project, she managed to produce it with only $35 worth of hobbyist electronics and free computer software. Her first place win gave her $150,000 to continue research and development. Maya Varma, and all of the teens participating in Intel’s Science Talent Search, deserve an applause, a thanks and greater recognition from the world outside of the science community. Imagine if more young girls looked up to one who was creating lifesaving technology instead of one creating lipstick.
2. Julia "Butterfly" Hill
So Julia Hill isn’t completely unknown. She has her own Wikipedia page and is a best-selling author, but this generation likely wouldn’t recognize her. The “Butterfly” is an American environmental activist known for living in a tree for just over two years to save it from being chopped down. I’m sure I know what you’re thinking: “Why does this crazy hippie lady deserve more recognition than the Kardashians?” Well, regardless of your beliefs and opinions on the topic of saving planet Earth, Hill has something that every one of us should strive to have more of every single day: dedication and devotion. The amount of energy, sacrifice and humility it must take for a human to live in a tree for 738 days is immeasurable. After moving out of the tree, Hill is now the co-founder of Circle of Life, an organization dedicated to the education of how to live a more compassionate and eco-friendly life. Hill teaches us the beautiful lesson that material items like Range Rovers and Bel Air mansions aren’t always what make us happy. Find what you love to do, do it every day, and that will be enough, even if it’s living in a tree.
3. Dr. Bon Verweij
If you're a fan of real life Grey's Anatomy stories, this guy will be your new hero. Dr. Bon Verweij, a Netherlands neurosurgeon at University Medical Center Utrecht, was the first doctor to transplant a full 3D-printed skull (yes, an entire skull!). The doctor's 22-year-old patient suffered from a condition that thickened the bone structure of her skull and put too much pressure on her brain, impairing her severely. The best part about this story is that the surgery was an incredible success, and Dr. Verweij should go down in history for it. He deserves recognition on a number of levels, but most of all for dedicating himself to saving a young person's life. Again, it's dedication like Dr. Verweij's and his team that what make incredible and meaningful things happen in the world.
4. Leonardo DiCaprio
Okay this one is different, given the fact that Leo is one of the most famous human beings on planet Earth. And while the man is an incredible actor and deserves all the credit he gets for his award winning movies, I believe his recognition should emphasized greater in other areas. Leo is utilizing his fame and fortune for the greater good, and that greater good is the effort to save the planet. His organization, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, is "dedicated to the long-term health and wellbeing of all Earth’s inhabitants," and has been since 1998, before going green was even the cool thing to do. Along with that, DiCaprio has also been appointed the United Nations Messenger of Peace for Climate Change. Famous people who use the fact that they're perpetually in the limelight to promote positivity and the greater good deserve recognition for that before anything else.
5. Tim Berners Lee
If you've taken a history of media class or something similar, you probably know the name. But if someone asked who invented the World Wide Web, how many people would know the answer? I probably wouldn't. The internet is something we all use literally every single day, and Lee is the man who gave us access to it. And in this age of technology, it's very simple to take for granted those little w's, not to mention the man who created them. Even the Kardashians owe a thanks to Tim Berners Lee, as their fame wouldn't be a quarter of what it is day without the web! Lee is famous in the realm of and community of technology, but most of don't typically study technology or even thank it, we just use it.
The list could go on and on and on, but to keep your attention, I've only listed five human beings who are doing their part to make the world a better place. My intent is to not bash or bring down the Kardashians or anyone similar in order to bring others up. My intent is to remind people that credit and recognition is due to people outside of the celebrity world. It's owed to people who are not only capable, but willing to spend their time helping others in huge ways and who further the intelligence and good of the human race. Reality TV and makeup and clothes and Instagram selfies are important, too— heck, they practically define this generation— but I like to believe the world would be a better place if the media recognized people and things other than those for a change.
