In 1995, the Kardashian name was first introduced to the media through the late Robert Kardashian, Sr., a close friend and defense attorney of football player turned actor Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson during his murder trial. However, in 2003, just eight weeks after his diagnosis, Robert died of esophageal cancer. What followed the patriarch’s death is considered even more infamous than the American Justice System’s failure to indict Simpson: his family’s empire. The Kardashian family is a group of materialistic, money hungry celebrities, who spend an extravagant amount of money funding insidious behavior. This, among other things, makes them unfit to be the role models that American society has chosen them to be.

Kim Kardashian, undoubtedly the most famous of the Kardashian clan, first caught the attention of the mainstream media through her friendship with socialite Paris Hilton. Kim’s relationship with Hilton was focused on the glitz and glamour of the lives of wealthy girls promoting flashy alcoholic beverages or name-brand fur boots. Over a decade later, Kim’s main business ventures are still rooted in the promotion of material objects. Some products that are graced with the Kardashian stamp of approval may even be detrimental to the health of her audience but that is clearly the least of Kim’s worries. For example, Kim, along with sisters Khloe and Kylie, has posted photographs of herself waist training, or using a waist cincher for a more defined body shape, numerous times. However, experts say that the elongated use of waist cinchers lead to ribs and lungs being crushed together to the point where the wearer’s breathing can be so severely altered that they can pass out from loss of breath. Furthermore, the cinched waist is only a temporary change, and it is not long before the displaced fat goes back to its original place. Spot reducing to eliminate fat in certain areas is a myth perpetrated by the Kardashians, and waist cinchers are harmful to wearers. Unfortunately, these ugly truths about waist trainers and other products that they promote are not something that you will hear from any of the Kardashians anytime soon, proving the fact that the well-being of their fans falls second to the amount of money they make.

With a deplorable amount of fame and fortune comes little room for consequence for equally deplorable actions. An example of this is seen in “affluenza” teen Ethan Couch. In 2013, Couch drove while intoxicated, causing him to lose control of his vehicle and kill four people and injure nine. His attorneys argued that he had “affluenza,” meaning that his wasteful lifestyle led to him not know or understand the consequences of his actions. Although the actions of Kylie Jenner do not match those of Couch in moral turpitude, Jenner’s habit of appropriating other cultures has caused the general public to grow weary of her insensitivity regarding her fashion choices. Some fans of Jenner are quick to say that she is just a teenager, and therefore people should be more lenient towards her. However, the fact that Jenner constantly appropriates different cultures in the name of fashion seemingly without any remorse, regardless of the criticism she knows she will face, goes to show that she does not care who she hurts as long as she gets to do whatever she pleases.

Perhaps the greatest criticism of the Kardashians is the fact that they have no real talents. However, this argument has been stressed and repeated so many times that at this point no one cares. It has been over a decade since the Kardashians first started shooting their reality television show Keeping Up With the Kardashians and their empire has only expanded despite their lack of talent. The real issue is not that they are not book smart or even street smart, but that the power they hold over American society is diverted from doing good to doing whatever one pleases, as long as they are making money to fund their shameful actions. While the Kardashians are sometimes photographed doing kind acts, such as visiting hospitals, the time spent visiting sick children does not even compare to the time spent filming their reality show or capitalizing on their image to make even more money. If only the Kardashians would put less value into name-brand objects, such as cars and clothes, and more value into helping change America for the better, a true difference could be achieved.

All in all, the Kardashian “klan” is the embodiment of the downsides of capitalism; they work only for their own gain. They push the mindset of putting forth minimal effort for big gains. Instead of preaching ethics, they preach materialism. The Kardashians will do whatever it takes to get in the spotlight or increase their already superfluous worth. They have no substance. They are famous simply for being well-known.