A dad coins a new phrase: “Kardashianization.” Here is why he feels the concept is destructive to those he loves the most: his daughters.
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The Kardashianization of our society could derail the self confidence of a whole generation of girls. It’s THAT serious.
We have spent so much time recently talking about broad backsides and exaggerated assets and oiled-up photo shoots. We have prized false beauty over true beauty and it needs to stop.
False beauty is born out of photoshop and magazine covers and rises to stardom out of reality TV, web clicks, and stage moms. It seems shiny and glossy and indeed it is popular. But even the shiniest car eventually rusts away. False beauty is no different.
True beauty is born in the smallest of details — a confident voice — a hopeful demeanor — a willingness to make the world a better place. True beauty can be brains. True beauty can be brawn. True beauty doesn’t make headlines on magazine covers or centerfolds. But it should. True beauty glows bright and never fades.
The worry for me is teaching my girls the difference between the two. In a world where we are seeing a steady bombardment of one and not nearly enough of the other.
It’s time for a reality check. My kids heard talk about the Kardashian photos on the radio the other day and asked “Who’s she?”
“No one” I said — and I meant it.
Too idealistic? Maybe so. It’s a pretty perfect idea in my mind.
And it didn’t need any photoshopping either.
Originally appeared on Dadmissions.
Photo: Flickr/miamifilms
Beautiful essay! Thanks, Pete!
I could not agree with these sentiments more. The Kardashians are not doing any favors to women in our society, and are certainly damaging the self image of our girls. I have only one daughter, and I can assure you that Kim Kardashian or whatever women becomes the new Kim in the next generation, will enter my house without a fight. My daughter needs to know that she is smart, inquisitive, friendly, loyal, protective of her siblings AND beautiful. No single quality represents her entirety. I want nothing more than for her to know her true worth and can find… Read more »
amen Seth… thank you
I’ve absolutely no taste for celebrity narcissm and do feel very concerned about the female chauvenism which abounds in that adoring Cult of Celebrity. However, I have seen THAT photo and do not see anything pornographic, only a happy, smiley naked woman. Comfort in nudity and smilingly so. I would controversially assert, despite my feminism and loathing of salacity, that a happy naked woman is a positive image.
Maybe a happy naked owman is a positive image..maybe not. There are many other components to any image that create healthy images or unhealthy images. In the photo your refering to, lots of young females will see that picture and say, “Why doesn’t my skin look like that”, “why doesn’t my butt look like that”, “why can’t I look like that”, “maybe a boy would like me if I looked like that”, “maybe there is something wrong with me because I don’t look like that”, “Do I need to show off my body to get boys to like me?”…..and a… Read more »
never said pornographic… and i’m not talking JUST the butt pictures..
i’m talking the whole package… the entire event that is her life… bad image for my girls to see
Yes, I understand you’re not just talking about one picture. I even agree with you about Kardashian culture. It would just be nice to see men turn this same critical eye on the media they support that may also damage girls self image.
She is smiling because her dimples and cellulite are erased. She is smiling because that extra fat buldge is removed. She is smiling because she knows her team will see to it that everything looks perfect because after she had her baby and had lots of baby fat she went back for another lipo/fat transfer to enlarge her rear even more because her sister had it done and is getting some of the attention……she is smiling because her husband has convinced her she will “break the internet” with all her beauty and booty.She won’t be smiling when her big booty… Read more »
I am totally on board with you Pete. I am so tired of the Kardashians and the popularity of them among both women and men. But why didn’t you add pornography to your list of what harms the self-confidence of girls? And while you point out stage Moms, how about men that drool over the Kardashians?