With the recent horrors facing Kim Kardashian and her traumatic robbery in Paris, I thought this would be a good time to speak out about the Kardashian family and their place as American icons and social media goddesses. I've spent many evenings with my roommate curled up with wine watching the newest KUWTK episodes. We've laughed, cried, tried our best to speak in that droning valley-girl accent, but most of the time sat and analyzed the relationships of how this family's fame came to be. Being an Economics major with a Communication Disorders major for a roommate, we love it. So for my first article as an Odyssey writer, here are the reasons why I love the Kardashians and why you should too.
They taught me to love my body
The first part of my adolescent days consisted of the Paris Hilton’s with their size zero frames and general whiteness. The Kardashian family came on the scenes with bodacious bodies that are now photographed, prized, and drooled over by fans all over the world. Even celebrities like Jennifer Lopez have come out saying how our culture is finally giving women with booties and curves the recognition they have always deserved. The Kardashians led this movement of sexiness that better aligns with the bodies of today’s population, proving that you don’t have to be a stick to break the internet.
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Motherhood doesn’t keep them from their work
I don’t know if it’s their ability to have as many nannies as they want, but it seems that the more children the KUWTK women have, the more Zen they become. Because their family means everything, motherhood seems such a natural part of these women that it’s almost sexy. The fashion and the personalities of these women have grown and matured as their family has grown.
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Addiction and depression are real issues that affect us all
If you’re a veteran viewer like I am, you’ve seen how Scott has dealt with alcohol addiction and depression, especially after his parent’s deaths. You've also seen the strain that this has put on Kourtney and the rest of the family as they try to support him and balance busy careers. There have been so many times when I've yelled at Scott from my dorm-room futon for continuing to party after he keeps abandoning Kourtney and their children. But it really shows the strain that addiction can put on a family. I don’t have an opinion on whether Kourtney and Scott should be together, but the love and friendship they share is beautiful.
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Wear what you want
I have often found myself clicking through those slideshows of “Kim K’s fashion transformation” that show her from the beginning of KUWTK to now with more of a post-Kanye class. The transformation that all the women have gone through with their fashion, makeup lines, and personal styles, shows the transformation of all their personalities. Watching them inspired me in little ways, whether it’s putting on nail polish to buying a new lipstick. Seeing them express themselves artistically has pushed me to better express myself.
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Family is family, even if they keep taking your clothes
I grew up in a small but extremely close family with its own arguments and pettiness, and KUWTK definitely has its moments. After stealing each other’s clothes, pregnancies, divorces, addiction, and even gender transformation the family has shown their support for each other, and whether it's fabricated for the cameras or not, I don’t really care. The idea of having that deep of a bond with your family is something I hope to have with mine.
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The importance of branding
The rise of the selfie has allowed the Kardashians to not only sell their makeup tricks but their brand as well. If you strip away the pop-culture and drama surrounding them, the Kardashians can be described in a few words: A group of loud, strong-willed, dramatic, hardworking, fashionable women who prioritize their family and their work. I’m sorry, but who the hell wouldn’t want to be that?
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Health and inner peace is a journey
This has always been the underlying journey for all the KUWTK women. Kim was married for less than three months when she divorced from Kris Humphreys. Khloe split from Lamar and then nursed him back to health after they filed for divorce. And we all remember Kris and Cate’s dramatic divorce and Cate’s relatively documented gender transformation. But those bad times led to Kim’s marriage to Kanye, Khloe’s health and wellness transformation, and Kris and Cate’s new found happiness. Though they had been through dramatic, stressful, and sometimes flat-out obnoxious situations, they have all come through stronger individually and as a family.
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Their imperfections make them perfect role models
You can love them or hate them. Sometimes I feel both at once. But in the end, they’ve greatly impacted pop-culture in the United States. Overall, I think it’s a great thing.
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