The number one thing that I will not often admit to is keeping up with the Kardashians. Whenever I admit it, I cringe and feel the judgment of people condemning me for my “low-brow” tastes. To add to Sunday night’s pile of neglected schoolwork, I decided to include the Kardashian’s new spinoff series into my routine. Kourtney & Khloe take the Hamptons premiered, further preventing me from getting my life together.
It’s that time of the semester when we all just want to run away screaming from our lives. It would be nice to be on that yacht in Thailand with the Kardashian clan, far away from the soul-crushing final months of the semester.
I have followed the Kardashians since the launch of their reality show, and the dramatic narratives provide the ultimate mode of escapism. Keeping up with them is fun, but it diverts from what is important, and attainable, to me.
As a culture, we are turning more and more to the alluring escape we find on the Internet and our television screens. This trend, proven by the increasing Netflix subscriptions and prevalence of reality shows, is alarming, as what could be considered true reality has become exceedingly devalued.
A preoccupation with our television idols’ materialism perpetuates an unfulfilled attitude for average people. I will never be able to put a helipad in my backyard, nor will I be able to travel anywhere I like when I want, or spend thousands of dollars in one store. Shows such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians breed a certain sense of failure and unhappiness in our own lives. The Kardashians set the standards of living to such an extreme and extravagant level that it alters what we as a society value and sets a standard that average—and even way above average—incomes will never be able to actualize.
This form of escapism in our society raises the question: Why should we want to escape? We are taught to be unsatisfied with reality, but when I turn off the TV and decide to tune into the world around me, I see so much inspiration, opportunity and fun in my own life.
I see the accomplishments of the people around me; I interview people or talk to fellow classmates who have accomplished truly amazing and inspiring things as young adults—why as a culture do we overlook academic ambition and success?
The negative connotations associated with the word “reality” create an oppressive atmosphere. If I call my mom to complain about some asinine struggle in my weekly existence, she replies, “That’s just reality.” In a world where reality is all doom and gloom, it’s no wonder that we long to disconnect from it.
The Kardashians, through their reality show, insult the value I place on education, family and the simple pleasures of life. Instead of constantly complaining about the stress of schoolwork, I should be thankful that I live in a country where I, as a woman, have the opportunity of an education. Instead of fantasizing what I would buy if I won a million dollars, which I do on a regular basis, I need to appreciate the days of good weather, the taste of delicious food and even the basic rights I am afforded because I was blessed to be born in a democratic nation.
Escapism is an unhealthy way to deal with the challenges in our lives. Reality is underrated and underappreciated. Few are actually grateful for the comforts and rights reality has for most of us. We need to stop escaping and focus on building up a life and environment that is worth tuning in to.
