On Keeping up with the Kardashians this past week, the family had a group therapy session. It all got very dramatic when Rob Kardashian burst into tears and had a bit of a breakdown on camera. Since this is a reality show, we always have to remember that it could be manufactured drama. However, if it is real, I think it suggests certain themes that are universal with regard to human nature.
One of the themes is comparing your level of achievement with those close to you. We all have someone in our families who is smarter than we are, more physically attractive, kinder, etc. God spread the positive attributes of humankind among us all, so no one should feel better than another. But Rob Kardashian does feel insecure (this article is going to assume that everything on the show was real, which is obviously debatable) about the higher profile of his sisters. A lot of people look down on the Kardashian girls, especially Kim, as being vapid and empty, but they do have strong work ethics, especially Kourtney. Khloe does too, but she seems more focused on the domestic front. Kourtney has almost singlehandedly run their famous Dash stores, and Khloe has been a solid support for Lamar while he has been going through his NBA problems this past year. Kim’s work might seem glamorous, but a lot of work goes into looking that playful (a play on Dolly Parton’s famous quotation to the effect that it is expensive to look that cheap!). So Rob, who does not have the glamour that his sisters possess, since he is male (women inherently have more glamour, which is why they sell more magazine covers), does not have the same potential income his sisters have. He is going to have to find something more on the business-related side of life.
Another of the themes can be in the form of a question. Do the rich have an obligation to work even if from a financial perspective they do not necessarily need to? I think it’s different for men and women, as sexist as that may sound. Men have a biological need to prove themselves to society, to take their part in it. Women have a biological need to build a nest in the private sector and nurse those within that nest. So a rich woman does not have the same biological pull to still have a job that her male counterpart might. Rob does not have to worry about money because his family will always be there to help him out. However, a man does not feel complete if he does not feel like he is achieving something and that is what apparently what led to Rob’s breakdown this past week on the show. Rob has been working on a sock line, but in the area of fashion, he is not going to be able to be competitive with his sisters.
He should take advantage of the asset that he does have. He has a college education from a great school, the University of South California, and can leverage that to get a good foothold in the business world. He seems smart, based on what we have seen in the show, and so if he applies himself, I think he will go far. He just needs a good starting point, and his family name and resulting connections, as well as his own self discipline, should provide plenty.
