What do Kylie Jenner and President Donald Trump have in common? It’s not just the fact that they both get spray tans, they both were born into wealth and expanded that wealth into billions, and they both are part of the most powerful families in the country. Jenner is a part of the Kardashian clan who seem to turn everything they touch into gold. Trump was born into a wealthy real estate developer and profited by literally putting the family name on stuff in gold.
Jenner recently was named by Forbes as the youngest self-made billionaire in history. Like the president, she too has faced skepticism over whether she is really self-made. Forbes has difficulty defining what self-made means. For their annual “Self-made Superstars,” they have a ranking system from No. 1 to No. 10. Ten is represented by someone like Oprah who was born into poverty and faced extreme life struggles. One is represented by someone who inherited their wealth and has not done anything to grow it. Sitting at a ranking of five is our very own country’s leader. This ranking denotes someone who inherited a small- or medium-sized business and grew it into a billion-dollar fortune.
It’s difficult to define what constitutes as starting with nothing. Most people start with something,even if it’s just a college education from their parents. Still, it’s easier to turn a small loan of a million dollars into a billion than to turn student loan debt into a livable income.
Jenner and Trump can’t be blamed for what they were born with. What they did with their privilege is redeeming, but it doesn’t make them geniuses.
The Kardashians all collectively respond to claims that they have no talent, arguing they have done a lot for people with supposedly no talent. While true, this doesn’t disprove that literally anyone else in their position could have mustered the same amount of success given the same conditions, especially when the added value of their family names alone is worth thousands. Trump has evaluated his name alone as a brand worth millions.
Trump benefited from his wealth during his campaign, using it as evidence of his capability. Countless supporters ignored his controversial language, choosing to believe in his ability to stimulate the economy based on his ability to bolster his own bank account.
I think Trump and Jenner are both successful results of their environment rather than of their own merit. Neither are people who I would consider business savvy or even standardly intelligent. This is not to say that both aren’t wildly entertaining and likeable (to a particular demographic).
It’s unwise to uphold people like this in society as idols. They aren’t in positions that can be mimicked. We only talk about them because we’re fascinated, not because we’re inspired. As someone who wasn’t born into wealth, who has horrible luck with lotteries, I think I’ll stick to Oprah’s advice.
Layla Soboh is a UF advertising junior. Her column comes out Tuesday and Thursday.
