Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and Billion Dollar Blues

As a society, we have deemed billionaire status as fundamentally unethical. This is not to say that because you are a billionaire you are an awful person, but the means and societal tools used to become one are unethical by nature. Stars like Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian are among the many billionaires coming under fire as of recently. It seems as if the more money these billionaires get, the more morals they lose. Let me explain.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is an extremely talented singer, songwriter, and performer. However, one must acknowledge that she has ridden a wave of privilege to the top. She is a decorated artist who consistently receives accolades both deserved and undeserved. Swift has claimed to dislike the word “calculated” however she is exactly that. She and her team pump out low-quality, high-priced merchandise to her unwavering loyal fans, make several different variations of the same record disguised as ‘collectibles’, and even put her Eras Tour film up for rent only after being released by theaters for ample revenue. Swift is an incredible businesswoman, but to be a billionaire you must maintain a certain level of greed. After accumulating endless funds from fans, Swift jets off polluting the earth with her excessive travel in her private jet. And when a college student created a social media page dedicated to displaying her carbon emissions, the student was threatened with legal action by Swift’s team. The problem is Swift had no issue using parasocial relationships and fan loyalty to make money, but does very little to give back after receiving it.

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian in my opinion is the queen of cash grabs. She has had various businesses over the years from clothing brands to a video game. Many people who reviewed her products deemed them as low quality and half-baked. The reality star hit the jackpot with her brand Skims, however. The wildly successful brand has come under fire for alleged unethical practices and fast fashion. While raking in the profits from her various ventures, Kardashian decided it wasn’t enough and became an ambassador for the brand Balenciaga. The problem is, that the brand came under fire in November 2022, when Balenciaga released its holiday ad campaign featuring children holding teddy bears in bondage harnesses and costumes. The internet declared Balenciaga as canceled and discouraged anyone working with or buying from the brand. Although Kardashian said in a statement “As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images…” it clearly didn’t shake her enough. From not speaking on political crises, rarely using their platforms for good, and displaying a never-enough mentality, billionaires are not to be worshiped in our society.

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More billionaires have been criticized like Oprah Winfrey for her purchase of land in Hawaii as many have raised concerns about the potential impact of her massive estate on the local environment and culture. And of course, you have your hard-hitting offenders such as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg who continue to dominate society with their money and power.

There is a certain mindset that a billionaire must possess, that the average person could never understand. This doesn’t mean we should damn them for their wealth and cancel them. I have personally given Taylor Swift thousands in ticket sales, merchandise, and music over the years. I shop on Amazon from time to time. You can spend your money however you like, to whomever you choose. But to enact change, we cannot be naive to the situation at hand. Let’s stop acting like money doesn’t change you, your access, and your responsibilities. Because It does.

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