“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts”(Shakespeare,1623)
In the era of new media, developed social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Weibo, Wechat etc. provide us with a comprehensive platform to present our self-identity. The digital world has generated a fascinating phenomenon – the ability to create and cultivate our online personas. These personas can be carefully and delicately crafted, reflecting our aspirations, values and interests. In this post, we’re going to explore the construction of identity in the digital world through one of the most influential celebrities, Kim Kardashain.
Kim Kardashian is a big name that has influence far beyond reality TV and Hollywood glamour, especially on social platforms such as Instagram. She has an impressive count of 360 million followers on Instagram. We can hear the name “Kardashian” basically every day and everywhere, even my flatmate, who doesn’t have Facebook, or Twitter(or we can call it X now), doesn’t post anything on Instagram, and doesn’t follow influencers and celebrities updates, can say something about Kim Kardashian.
In the beginning, she was known as the stylist of the R&B singer and actress, Brandy and the celebrity, Paris Hilton. Then, she gained more exposure and attention because of her infamous tape leak with the singer, Ray J. But she didn’t let this get her down. Instead, she has faced controversies and rumours. In 2007, she started a reality TV show with her family, the famous “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. It was a huge success. Her family became famous and rich. However, some media outlets later criticized them for using the leak of the infamous tape as a publicity ruse to promote their forthcoming reality TV show. (Yahoo, 2012)
With the rise of her early days reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”, she gained more and more fame, attention, and of course, money. Despite her fame, she is not satisfied with being merely an internet or a reality TV show celebrity. She started her own business and launched her own brands such as KKW Beauty and SKIMS — this is a very useful and efficient approach of constructing an identity for herself. With these brands, she has a new identity — an entrepreneur, a business mogul. In addition, Kim Kardashian has used her social media to raise awareness about social justice issues, such as prison reform. She has advocated for the commutation of Alice Marie Johnson’s sentence as the leader of a major cocaine ring in Tennessee for a first-time drug offense. (Yahoo, 2020) By doing these, she has succeeded in shaping her activism identity.
Despite all the rumors and controversies about her, it is difficult for us to tell if she is doing something right or wrong, good or bad. We just can’t deny that she has become an icon of our digital age, someone who used the power of the internet to shape her multiple identities successfully and leave an indelible mark on pop culture.
Reference
Agostini, E. (2021) In the Season 3 premiere of “The Kardashians,” Kim Kardashian gets candid about her split with Pete Davidson and drama with her ex-husband Ye. Available at: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-05-25/kim-kardashian-pete-davidson-kanye-breakup-split-dating (Accessed: 06 November 2023).
E! Entertainment “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. Available at: https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-finale-reruns-e-1234994268/ (Accessed: 06 November 2023)
Kardashian, K. Screenshot of Kim Kardashian’s Instagram page. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/kimkardashian/?hl=en (Accessed: 06 November).
Mackelden, A. & Sanchez, C. (2020) Yahoo News UK. Available at: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/alice-marie-johnson-010200106.html (Accessed: 04 November 2023)
Mic (2018) Kim Kardashian West takes on prison reform. May 9, 2018. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLtkdjyIx7o (Accessed: 06 November 2023).
Nilles, B. (2012) Yahoo News UK. Available at: https://news.yahoo.com/kim-kardashian-had-given-permission-sell-her-sex-231309216.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALrephrZYJlY4ZBsg52cK_mfq4wP5HhpmGDI5SDUp4SFrbsuKj3GST47GfH3mePaGlMvvXUZJbTkxDGm0mrAmx7xYKHdEU6Z12UlioKC7gmCiZ0isk4RmDIblwdjOF1ZyMZiTpHuPL_uqBxuXtK1igkzw5pa4GsApMIwdnKGKaQ_(Accessed: 04 November 2023).
Shakespeare, W. (1623) As You Like It, Act II Scene VII Line 139
Sims, A. (2020) Loss of a Subjective Self-Identity [Acrylic on canvas]. Available at: https://www.wikiart.org/en/anthony-sims/loss-of-a-subjective-self-identity-2020(Accessed: 06 November 2023).
It is so interesting how Kim Kardashian has rebranded her identity, creating multiple identities. I wasn’t even aware of the fact as a consumer. All celebrities create identities to portray certain characteristics and make different sways within their career. I appreciate all the sources you used as they added credibility towards the point.
Kim Kardashian has created multiple identities for herself by being online and on social media, which is indeed one of the best examples of online digital identity. The information that viewers and fans get is a persona that she has devised; she is a celebrity an internet star a cosmetic brand founder and an entrepreneur business mogul. The fact that the same person has multiple identities on the internet makes it worthwhile for me to reflect on what percentage of the personas and identities we are exposed to are true?
What’s more, In relation to my own digital identity, I believe that I should take into account my own reality and then categorize my identity according to the types of people I come into contact with. For example, when I face my family and friends, I may present a relaxed and happy student image, but when I face people I don’t know well, I may present a more mature and stable character. I believe that these identities are to a certain extent a form of protection for myself, and can prevent some malicious strangers from harming me.
I think your choice of the case of Kim Kardashian is particularly pertinent to this point, and I’ve never put the two things together before. I haven’t watched the whole show, but I’m always scrolling through social media about their sisters and how they’ve grown their careers or their family’s history of catching horses. I know it without searching for it, and I think it validates the Kardashians’ success in establishing their own digital identity.