Why You Should Stop Hating the Kardashians

Talentless. Plastic. Undeserving. Spoiled. Stupid. This is just a fraction of the insults thrown at the Kardashian-Jenner sisters everyday.

Since 2007, when their reality T.V. show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (KUWTK) began, the Kardashian-Jenner family has been simultaneously revolutionizing the beauty industry and stirring up controversies through their online presence.

The Kardashians are quite the confusing bunch. At one point, Robert Kardashian Jr. (yes, there are brothers in the family) was having a child with Blac Chyna, who already had a child with Tyga, who was in a relationship with Kylie Jenner, who is Robert’s half-sister. If you didn’t follow that, don’t worry—most people don’t.

The first time we heard the name “Kardashian” was during the O. J. Simpson case, in which Robert Kardashian Sr., an attorney and close friend to Simpson, became a crucial participant in the trials. Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian Sr., already divorced by then, were the parents of four: Kourtney, Khloe, Kim, and Robert Jr. Kardashian. Kris remarried to Bruce Jenner (currently Caitlyn Jenner), an Olympic gold medalist, and they had Kylie and Kendall Jenner.

Growing up in Beverly Hills, the Kardashians created a stepping stone for themselves by building high status connections. By 2007, Kim Kardashian became locally known for working as the personal assistant of Paris Hilton, the stylist of Lindsay Lohan, and as the co-owner of DASH (a clothing store she began with her two sisters Khloe and Kourtney). However, the creation and maintenance of this entire empire should be rightfully credited to the iconic “momager,” Kris Jenner. Kris Jenner contacted Ryan Seacrest to create an E! Series documenting their life after realizing the potential her family had. Willing to take a risk on this ambitious woman, Seacrest signed the Kardashian-Jenner family, marking the beginning of an empire.

Though tedious to comprehend, the start-up of the Kardashians is a crucial part of bettering your understanding of why each member of the family continues to succeed today both as an individual and as a collective. Each sister owns her own business with immense success. Notable moments include Kendall being the top paid model of 2018, Khloe releasing her “Good American” jeans line, and Kylie being the youngest billionaire through “Kylie Cosmetics.” With over two million views on each episode, the family is still thriving 16 seasons into KUWTK. In 2016, the sisters renewed their contract for five more seasons, in return for $150 million. So why has this immense success come with hate?

The Kardashians have undeniably had many controversies in their decade long careers. Kim Kardashian has constantly been attacked for cultural appropriation because of braiding cornrows in her hair. In 2017, Kendall was part of a Pepsi advertisement that glorified the Black Lives Matter movement. Just a few months ago, the internet was torn apart after Forbes recognized Kylie as a “self-made” billionaire—though, it’s worth emphasizing the fact that, yes, Kylie had a leg up due to her pre-existing fame, but she was not given any money from her family to start the business at only 18 years old. As CEO, she creates, designs, and sells all units independently, so we should not discredit a young entrepreneur for being born into wealth, a factor uncontrollable by her.

The hate and anger the Kardashians receive is almost always in unjustifiable amounts. Besides Kendall, all of the sisters have started their own families and desire to provide their children with a healthy childhood and environment. However, every time one of them encounters a personal problem, the whole world is there to provide its input. Imagine getting told you deserved getting cheated on—Khloe had to face just that after paparazzi caught her now ex-boyfriend Tristan Thompson cheating on her the day before she gave birth to their child.

The Kardashians are among the most consistently hated, yet misrepresented celebrities in the industry today. The Kardashians might not represent our stereotypical definition of intelligent, but perhaps it’s time to recognize that success can be obtained by being more than just book smart. Yes, the Kardashians were lucky to grow up around celebrities and have Ryan Seacrest’s investment, but that doesn’t erase the fact that every single sister had to work hard to build their own empire, whether it be gaining respect in the modeling industry or selling out a lip kit in minutes.

There’s a reason people keep coming back to watch a new episode, buy their latest makeup product, or follow their Instagrams. Not only are the sisters modern day figures of beauty, but they also motivate fans to push forward and ignore the weight of the rest of the world. We are mesmerized by this luxurious family living out their days and conquering the same problems all humans face, but on a much larger scale. These sisters are not just faces behind a screen—they are humans. When you comment something demoralizing, someone is on the other side reading it, and that is true for the Kardashians, no matter how famous they may be. The confidence and strength of the family is clearly shown by their ability to not show weakness and hesitation every time they are hurt. As siblings, they get into arguments but they settle their differences. As workers, they get into fights with their employers and coworkers, but they resolve their issues. As humans, they face backlash, but they handle it with poise and elegance, even though they have billions of eyes criticizing their decisions.

The Kardashian-Jenner family had a goal, and they achieved it. No matter your personal opinions on their lifestyle, we shouldn’t hate on them for living their dream.