In the news this week is Kloe Kardashian – a ‘celebrity’ who grates on me alone for the spelling of her name and before I even learn of why she is making headlines.
The Kardashians are in my mind of late because having just read and recorded Eclipsed as an audio book, there is a short section mentioning this famous family which has stuck with me and I think bears repeating…
This book was (first) completed in 2013 when The Impossible premiered in Los Angeles. I wrote then, that as a matter of principal, I would not update the book whatever happens to either Dad or son. I did not relish the prospect of being a parent putting his family life up for scrutiny. At this juncture, reality television had emerged but the phenomenal success of reality families like the Kardashians had yet to reveal itself. And no matter how much fame they have accrued or wealth they have banked, it is even clearer now that my instincts on this were correct.
I am miffed that the Kardashians are even in my head at all and taking up space on my finite hard drive. My memory is not one of my stronger muscles. Useful stuff I have acquired and worth retaining: principals, wisdom, arguments, theories, names, experiences… but have all been lost and I expect to make room for vacuous shite like reality stars.
There is Kim of course who everyone is familiar with – correctly spelt with a K – who kicked the whole dynasty off when her sex tape was released and in our internet age of celebrity, it was the making of her.
A sex tape being a career move, who knew?
And especially since there is no shortage of sex on the internet. The web literally groans with films of people having sex – and yet our Kim managed to turn her frolic in to a billion dollar industry.
Is there a worse indictment on our modern world?
Anyway, back to Qlo-ee
Who it transpires is not the raving beauty her online images suggest she is. In reality, she is merely a normal looking person just like the majority of humans on earth. And with an ordinary physique too. Not honed, toned, ripped and smooth. But bumpy, flabby and with wobbly bits just like the majority…
Which is why I feel sufficiently aggrieved to write about this airbrushed and manipulated ‘beautiful’ family and why their reality makes them ironically, so unattractive.
Flaunting their grotesque wealth which is founded on millions of people buying whichever products they endorse in the hope to emulate these frauds and their phoney lives.
The face creams, the cosmetics, perfumes, clothes, shoes, swimwear, underwear…
When all is needed is a software package and an editor – and accept that they must remain hidden and out of sight for the rest of their lives, so that no one can see them for real.
I feel this way because I know of a number of families with children whose lives are blighted with mental illness. Boys and girls with loving parents, nice homes, friends, good schools to attend and yet such trauma to contend with.
Kids with eating disorders who are hospitalised because their heart has stopped beating. Kids with counsellors for their suicidal thoughts. Kids prescribed tranquillisers for clinical depression. Kids prescribed drugs in order to sleep. Kids so paralysed with anxiety that they can’t even leave their homes, missing school and any sense of normality…
The internet cannot be un-invented and as useful as it is, why would we want to do such a thing anyway?
Streaming movies anyone? Online banking, shopping… and let’s hear it for the bloggers!
But we must also concede the pernicious realities of the greatest industrial breakthrough since the wheel.
The rise of the tech billionaires, more powerful than even our governments and more durable of course. Like Bond villains from their all seeing lairs, how telling it is they send their kids to tech free schools and don’t allow them smart phones…
We are all publishers now. The internet and social media has created a new world order in which we must all find our place. A new metric for gauging success and status.
But at what cost? Impossible to ever audit or quantify.
I note that Kim has just become a billionaire. How heartening?
Good for her, some might argue. But much of her gargantuan wealth is rooted in misery and broken lives. People spending money, often they can ill-afford in the hope of looking and living like a Kardashian. I venture, often vulnerable people who cannot see beyond the veneer of this family enterprise with their battery of venal lawyers, craven doctors, grabbing agents, PR’s, managers and all underpinned by an ever willing mainstream media, that cares only about its clicks and income and not a jot for the welfare of anyone consuming this bilge.
And it is not just the Kardashians of course.
How is that I know who Cardi B is?
Instagram is awash with people playing this card. Posting faux lives for their own gain and to hell with the consequences. Shame on them. So riven by avarice and with no moral code. The only metric of interest to them being numbers of likes and dollars – the world currency.
Regular readers will know that this blog is usually a more gentle read. But this week, I had something to exorcise and that done, I will now conclude with some levity.
For the record and regarding my Instagram….
I do not edit my photos and nor do I use filters. How I appear is the real me. It is who I am. I just happen to be beautiful.
Furthermore, my Instagram is an accurate depiction of my life…
I love my family and my dog – but in fairness and I think this comes over, mainly my dog.
Well said!!!!!!
Great blog dom ,It is true ,qnd love tessa
And you correct,se you ver for my Instagram,vai ser que sou mais eu .i love you and family .fiquem bem .have a Nice week.yesterday vi paddy no vídeo do the brothers trust ❤️ and love receita .
this was very wrong of you to write. you’re a middle aged man and you have no right to comment on a woman’s body. I don’t see how it concerns you or why you felt the need to write this article. You also misspelt her name twice which is a sad attempt of a joke to say the least. Khloe has suffered from an ed for the majority of her life and has finally hit her goal weight. For you, at your big age, to be writing a whole article bringing her down, bringing up photos that she doesn’t feel beautiful in and taking the mickey out of her name is disgusting.
You are a good writer! And you are totally right! Keep going 🙂
I love your blogs. The inspiration I get and thoughts I receive. You write about anything you want and your thoughts whether you are right or not is really amazing.
This is one of the best pieces of written work I have ever read.
Hey Dom, just wanted to say that, although I appreciate you touching on this subject as it is indeed an important one because of the damage it has created, I believe you should have been more careful with the way you approached it.
Take into consideration the fact that you have a platform, conformed in part by young people (mainly because they’re fans of Tom) that may take the message of this, especially the comments about Khloes body, the wrong way, and could end up being counterproductive.
A worthy read!! I know that this is very different from your regular blogs but it really is something that needs to be said. In this internet age, we have let ourselves be defined by other people’s view of beauty and success ….. and the part about the mental trauma this causes is also very true.
Thank you Mr. Holland for putting this out there for everyone else to read.
A worthy read!! I know that this is very different from your regular blogs but it really is something that needs to be said. In this internet age, we have let ourselves be defined by other people’s view of beauty and success ….. and the part about the mental trauma this causes is also very true.
Thank you Mr. Holland for putting this out there for everyone else to read.
I’m afraid I’m happy with the way I look, no filters, no faux riches, just me and a few choice photos of my hamster and I. And maybe a few outdoor photos too. It’s refreshing to find an island of reality and real talent in a roiling ocean of fauxity (is that even a word?) and mediocrity at it worst. Love your blogs. I await your next one with eagerness, and tramped down trepidation.
The fact that you had to mention this just shows how much this family has penetrated our lives. Good or bad publicity is still keeping them in the lime light. I am not jealous of the beauty, the money, or the lifestyles of the Kardashians…but I would sell my soul to have the loving, close knit family of the Hollands!
Strong words, that’s exactly what’s needed to wake people up. We run around wanting to be like the famous and coveted ? We are good the way we are! Most of what such “famous” people post or sell is unnecessary and fake. Suffering from this are those who scroll through social media daily, beating the thought into their heads, “why am I not like them?” be it rich, pretty or slim. It is wrong that such a thing has become a permanent part of our world.
Thanks for that and best wishes.
Eh, bad look when you trash other celebs considering who your son is. And Cardi B is actually super talented.
At least start leaving Tom out of your blogging so he doesn’t start looking bad by association too.
Oh well said! I think our collective IQ must have dropped 50 points since the Internet was invented. Fake, virtue signalling, PR relationship promoting, bearding, woke, imbecile celebrities are too normal now.
I really did enjoy reading today’s blog. I think that it is important to talk about this topic because it basically does destroy people. I am very happy that you mentioned the problem of social media because I guess especially younger people try to be like “them” and I just hope that many people will read this blog, because i felt good after reading this blog as I was comparing myself to those kind of people when I was younger just because I’m not one of those skinny girls and I needed time to understand that everyone, even me, is beautiful . (Sorry if my sentences don’t make sense, I’m German and I hope people can understand what I mean with this little comment haha)
You’re wonderful the way you are and I’m glad you’re in this world. I totally agree with you. The subject should also be addressed in school to make children and young people aware of it.
Besteht wishes and stay safe.
Spot on Dom. This must be my fav blog of yours yet!
I’ve seen a few episodes of the Kardashian’s but that’s because someone else is watching it, and I’ve never been interested in them. At all. They say they work hard, and I’m sure they do. But I also work hard and is still poor, so I don’t wanna see them flaunting their houses, wardrobes, jewellery etc hahah. Anyone, I can keep going on about them so I’ll stop now. Hope you and your family are keeping well and safe. 🙂
Thanks for the sanity.
Dom I totally agree with you. I think young people have so much they feel they need to keep up with. The Kardashians – in my view are an abhorrent media machine that puts unrealistic goals on young people trying to find their own way through adolescence and beyond. The world is so relient on media to satisfy needs it’s sad. On the other hand, your Insta like mine is more dog than anything else. Roxi is much better to look at than me and might bring a smile to someone’s face – if ever seen. Love to see your blogs and posts with beautiful Tessa on any media, she’s much better than the Kardashians any day. Hope you have a good week ahead ☺️
Thank you for this blog that I wish all kids could read and understand! I have fought an eating disorder since the 8th grade and still makes an ugly appearance daily… These shows or edited pictures help no one! The world just needs to be honest especially in these times but we all know that may never happen. Great blog! Oh….. and staying with my title of “Spelling Police” for you FYI.. the way she spells her name is Khloe not Kloe. Ha! Your awesome Dom! Keep up the great work!
I think it’s worth questioning why people feel the need to emulate celebrities in the first place. What is missing that we feel the need to compensate for with face creams and other branded trivialities? And more importantly, why is it that our society rewards people who exploit this vulnerability, rather than, say, those who seek to heal and empower people suffering from mental illness?
Personally, I can’t blame the Kardashians and other reality tv moguls entirely for their behavior. They’ve behaved exactly as one would expect given the incentives dangled in front of them. I think it’s more important – and interesting – to ask who is dangling these incentives. Why *are* profit and likes the currency of the world?
To me, the Kardashians are a symptom of a larger problem, and not the cause.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! The internet, while helpful, can hurt our children in the easiest ways. These “celebrities” boggle my mind as to how they’ve become so popular. Young people are so impressionable and believing this is what they should aspire too sets unattainable goals. As the mother of a 21 year old son with severe social anxiety, I feel celebrities such as these are more harmful than helpful.
This blog reflects most of my own thoughts- I rarely use Instagram but when I do, I attempt to post realistic photos rather than pictures that are innacurate on reflecting my life (if that makes sense)
And the main reason I’m barely on social media is because I can’t stand it for the same reasons you just wrote about. I myself used to struggle with severe insecurities and mental health until I took a step back and realized that social media doesn’t mean shit!
Thanks for writing this blog, it is really well-written and speaks on an issue that I hope more people are able to realize
What a great read! Excellent points made. So tired of the faux realities the internet creates 🙁
While I agree with every word in your blog and love to read your blogs, just because you don’t like the Kardashians doesn’t give you the right to post the photo of Khloe that she has asked people to remove from the internet. I don’t like any of them either, what they do or what they stand for, but that is her body and no one has the right to share it or any other woman’s body without consent.
Hello Dom, This subject goes far, well in the first place the great fashion industry and Hollywood has been dictating what is beautiful for a long time and now we have social media, famous people have used this medium to post their fake lives and their fake relationships , know that i was very happy that the siblings trust account was verified, i see so many mediocre accounts being verified (tik tok girls and an example) with no Pleasant content. It was time for recognition The Brother Trust
♥
The saddest part of all of this? Klohe is a beautiful girl already, without all the other crap. When I saw this untouched photo, my first thought was ‘there she is, that’s the real person. That’s who I’d prefer to see.’
I’ve got to say, I was certainly surprised with seeing “Kardashian” at the beginning of this blog, but was obviously filled in moments later, and I agree. Personally, I don’t care what they do as long as they aren’t harming others, but apparently they sort of are…
Which brings me to my inquiry on your view of mental health? What do you think of people suffering at the hands of thoughts and feelings they cannot control? I find often the generations before me (no offense) prefer a “pull up your bootstraps” approach to the younger generation of the mentally ill. Does this strike you in a particular way? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic, should you have time to relay them. Lovely blog, as always. Hope you and the family (including Tessa) are well. Cheers!
I don’t know too much about Kim because I sort of steer away from celebrities like that now. She really did that with her sex tape?! I don’t know why people are so obsessed with sex scenes though. I tend to avoid watching them as much as I can since they give me anxiety and the awkwardness of it. Anyway, I agree with you about the photo edits. I think the natrual beauty is something we should show or see more often in the internet and social media. Escpecially if its young teenagers who constantly take selfies and post on insta.
I don’t know too much about Kim because I sort of steer away from celebrities like that now. She really did that with her sex tape?! I don’t know why people are so obsessed with sex scenes though. I tend to avoid watching them as much as I can since they give me anxiety and the awkwardness of it. Anyway, I agree with you about the photo edits. I think the natrual beauty is something we should show or see more often in the internet and social media. Escpecially if its young teenagers who constantly take selfies and post on Instagram.
Not sure what happened this week that you needed to exorcise, but the blog post is a bit too self-righteous. And scoffing “how is it that I know of so and so”, meh. Hating on celebrities just because they are famous (i.e. we know of them), knowing nothing of their actual lives, is neither kind nor particularly creative.
You really decided to go full boomer here don’t you? Huh
I really enjoyed the blog this week!
You’re preaching to the choir! Everyone needs to switch things up and go on a rant every once in a while too, and I liked this rant. Good on you for keeping it real.
Looking forward to next week’s blog!
I agree COMPLETELY, Dom! I get so annoyed seeing how people and industries are encouraging society to change themselves so that they can reach these unattainable standards of beauty. I even wrote a paper about it’s impact on young girls while I was attending university.
Dom, you and I are close in age so I know exactly what you’re talking about. I knew the Internet alone was going to be a disaster for human beings, especially children during the late 90s when everybody had to have a computer in their homes. It became an addiction to the point of people calling out of work and skipping school, etc… just to spend entire days in chatrooms and on websites.
When “reality” television was born, it glamourized it ten fold. The Internet destroyed obedience and parenting skills. It became the babysitter and the be all for children. And when those like the, Kardashians and Cardi B hit headlines, it set fictional bars for the average youth and young adults to want to become -rich off being talentless and become popular from fake beauty and personalities.
Remember back when there was an invisible border between working class and “celebrities?” We only knew about our favorite celebrities through tabloids and television shows. Approaching them in person were limited and a huge deal. Now, it’s nothing to cross that border and speak one on one with your favorite celebrity without limitations or rules.
There’s a high level of expectations from celebrities and the gullible must die trying to reach those expectations from their favorite celebrity. I miss that border that we couldn’t cross. I miss the illusions that celebrities were some kind of magical beings that deserved our admirations and desires. It’s gone now. And it was placed with admired celebrities raising and brainwashing the children while the parents are powerless and are no longer in control. And because of the Internet and reality tv, I have also lost respect for my own once admired favorite celebrities. When we find out the truth about them, it ruins the effect.
The featured image has been removed in view of comments about Khloe’s hurt and request that it is not shared. Already published worldwide I hadn’t considered this. I am mindful of her feelings and therefore have removed it, but my arguments in the piece remain. That too much of what is presented on-line is fake and the tangible harm that this has on so many people who consume it. The arguments pro and against are valid and worthwhile but I am unlikely to be persuaded that altering images to create what is considered to be beautiful and attainable is ever a responsible thing to do.