“I have the best advice for women in business,” Kim told Variety. “Get your f—ing ass up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days.”
As simple and straight-forward as Kim Kardashian’s statement may seem, it is her positioning that has made this statement so controversial. Her message to work hard and be driven in order to achieve success is not one that is uncommon or unheard of, but because it is coming from a person of extreme privilege and supernatural success, Kim’s advice has been very rousing to those who may be struggling.
Kim Kardashian was born into a secure household, a rich network, and inherited wealth, which provided her with the foundation to succeed. Kim was able to capitalize on things that most others would not be able to based on her level of fame and notoriety that was already established (*cough* *cough* the sex tape). Therefore, Kim did not even need to graduate from college and get a degree, because she already had the connections and following to propel her further in business, without working as hard.
From this position of privilege, Kim Kardashian’s advice is tone-deaf to the working class of America where many women have had to go through twice as many hurdles as Kim to obtain even a fraction of her success. Kim’s statement is also offensive in that it implies that people who are not as successful as her in business are not working hard enough. Every business takes work, and there is no denying that building the Kim Kardashian empire took significant time and effort, but from the standpoint of the average American, it would be nearly impossible for us to achieve her level of success without her already gifted means.
Writing this from the perspective of a female college student who previously majored in business, working toward a degree is one of the most difficult stepping stones, and it is usually the only avenue for women to reach the status and credibility needed to network and be taken seriously in business. Kim Kardashian did not have to go through many of the usual challenges that it takes for women to become established in the business world, therefore, she has no credibility to offer the advice that she did.
In addition, hustle culture has recently become a trend that has created a pressure on college students to make money through numerous different avenues whilst juggling school. Although this is achievable for some, being pressured to manage all of that work at the same time can also lead to significant burn-out and feelings of inadequacy.
My advice to all women pursuing any field is to not listen to Kim Kardashian, or any other people telling you to get off your a** while they sit on a pedestal of privilege, but to continue to do your best given the opportunities you have available and use your strengths to your advantage. You do not need to hustle to the point of draining yourself trying to achieve what any celebrity has, instead, focus on how you can use your resources and skills to get to the success you eventually want to achieve.