Category: humanity

The Kardashian Brand- Good Marketing?

On By asocialvisionaryIn arts and culture, humanity, lifestyle, long reads, photography, Uncategorized3 Comments

Old story, old news already – but let’s delve into it once more. Who am I speaking of, The Kardashians of course!

The latest which Kim Kardashian posted a photo to her Instagram account, baring her nude body again.

As Kim faced a backlash from not just outsiders but celebrities as well, she said she is proud of her body and wants to be a role model for females (paraphrasing).  How is bearing your body over and over again being a role model for females? Let’s not forget, a sex tape was leaked prior to Kim’s media fame. Personally, I feel that wasn’t an accident, after all, she was friends with Paris Hilton and even appeared on Paris’s reality show- remember a sex tape was leaked of Paris too? Do you think the leak was accidental or good, yet sleazy marketing of her brand, the Hilton name, and her image?

Appalling

Seriously, I find it appalling that Kim is trying to promote her ‘brand’ by saying she wants to be a role model for other females because there is nothing to be ashamed about when it comes to your body (again, paraphrasing). Let’s face it, sex sells and Kim Kardashian knows this. Yet, Kim wants other females to believe she is promoting her body image to help others that have a negative body image. How many females have a body like Kim Kardashian’s to begin with? How many females have personal trainers? If I were younger and saw her body, I would feel even worse about myself. Do you feel Kim Kardashian is a good role model for females? Do you feel her body image is realistic as a goal for other females to strive for? Personally, I did some homework and compared her butt pictures over a period of years and in my eyes it’s quite apparent that Kim has had work done on her bunns. A bum just doesn’t grow and plump up as Kim’s has.

Which leads me to the Kardashian Brand

According to the Huffington Post, the Kardashian’s never had to work a day in their life.  “According to the Trust Advisor, their father, Robert Kardashian, left his wife and kids a rumored $100 million estate in trust when he passed away from esophageal cancer in 2003. And while Kris Jenner is often accused of exploiting her family in the name of her 10 percent cut as their manager, it’s not exactly as if she has ever been hard up for cash since Bruce Jenner is reportedly worth $100 million on his own.

And with this enormous wealth, the Kardashian-Jenner family has gone on to make even more money. In fact in 2011, a rep for their lifestyle brands told Women’s Wear Daily, “the Kardashians could easily be a billion-dollar business worldwide in the next two years.”

While it’s impossible to know exactly how much the family is worth, Trust Advisor puts the Kardashian collective net worth at around $80 million. While that number seems a little low given that Kim herself is estimated to be worth $40 million alone, they also like to live large.”

Great Marketing or pure luck?

Caitlyn (formally known as Bruce) Jenner’s net worth is estimated to be around 100 million  dollars. Understandably, Bruce earned his money in an honest manner, well that is until he became a reality TV *star* with his Wife Kris Jenner and their children.  I realize all the Kardashian’s have their own businesses/brands now but would that have been possible without inheriting money from their father’s estate?  Is the Kardashian lifestyle a reality for most people or a fantasy in which many wish they lived? I admit I have watched their show out of pure curiosity- I wanted to find out what made them so appealing. I found nothing appealing about the show and quite frankly, insulted. Yet, they have been able to market their name, bodies and yes, some fly by night clothing shops, Kim’s newest game, along with other side businesses they own. So maybe it’s better put that the glamor of a lifestyle and the beauty of a person’s body do sell. Would you follow their marketing ploys if you knew you could make mega millions on top of what you inherited?

Kardashian Reality and why it insults

Most of us do not make a million dollars a year, forget 100’s of millions. Most of us work long, hard hours and are hoping we have enough money to pay our bills each month. Most of us do not own Multi-Million dollar homes, let alone more than one multi-million dollar home. Most of us started from the ground on up and will never in our lifetime see an income that resembles that of the Kardashians. How many of you are working to pay down credit card debt,  saving for a vacation, sweating income tax time, holding on to that second car long after it’s paid off, robbing Peter to pay Paul just to get by each month? How many of you can watch this show and say, wow- I’m so impressed because the Kardashians are so business savvy and I would like to model my own business after them? Is it even a reality to think, “If the Kardashians can continue to build their net worth,” I know it’s possible for me to become this rich too? Which leads me to a few final notes- Keeping up with the Kardashians is not a reality TV show, it’s a fantasy that many people wish they were living. That’s the only reason I can come up with when it comes to fans who loyally watch their show. Any ideas why people would watch the show, other than it takes their mind off of reality and allows people to dream for a future they will most likely never experience? I would love to hear your thoughts. I would also love to hear your thoughts about Kim Kardashian posting so many nude photos and then claiming she wants to be a role model for females?

Please note- It was next to impossible for me to find articles linking back to Kim Kardashian and the story of her most recent nude photo she posted on Instagram without linking to a page with naked photos.

One last note- As long as people continue to buy the Kardashian propaganda and tune in to “Meet The Kardashians,” it’s no different than watching a sports game, that’s how they make their money. It’s no different than paying constant homage to a news show, they too, make their money from the masses who are addicted. Our society is so media driven today and the media knows how to take advantage of this in order to line their wallets more.

What are you thoughts? I don’t expect everyone to agree with me.

*UPDATE* Please read the entire article. I have only watched the show 2 times out of pure curiosity. I do not seek them out, weed them out- yes!  My Facebook and twitter timelines were flooded the past 2 days with news of Kim Kardashian’s latest nude photo posted on her Instagram account. Curious to hear how others feel about shows like this and the manner in which they conduct ‘business.’ Thanks!

Photo sources provided by: Google Images

I originally posted this on Linkedin.

All Rights Reserved Copyright © Lisa Gallagher 2016

Will We Ever Move Forward- Mental Health

On By asocialvisionaryIn anxiety disorder, depression, employment, fears, healthcare, humanity, life, long reads, mental illness, psychology, Uncategorized10 Comments

This is a very tough personal story for me to write. I find this tougher than writing about myself.

I have a sister who was diagnosed with the Schizo-affective disorder in her late 30’s. Actually, she’s been given many diagnoses but I think the Pharmaceutical slaves, her Doctors finally settled with this label.  My sister was a high functioning person until she became ill. She went through a prolonged postpartum depression after the birth of her second child. We all felt something wasn’t right but we were not able to pinpoint what was going on. We all received a call one afternoon that she had tried to commit suicide. From what I remember, my sister dropped her daughters off at school and the babysitter then proceeded to drive to the Lake. She parked her car and swallowed a ton of pills. When she began to feel the effects of the pills she panicked and she rushed herself to the Doctor. They called an ambulance.  My sister was in ICU for 3 days and then sent to the Psychiatric Ward. Things just got worse from that day on.

After my sister was discharged we found out they had her on at least 4 different medications. At the time, we were just hoping the meds would help her to climb out the deep abyss she had been in for quite some time. Sadly, her symptoms began to escalate. My sister was beginning to hear voices and see ‘things’ that weren’t there. My sister developed psychosis and became suicidal again. Luckily she was able to confide in her family that she was suicidal. Back to the hospital she went and came home on even more medications.

Fast Forward

My sister has been in and out of the hospital for the past 15 years. Her psychosis has increased, she has trouble with her fine motor skills, cognitive impairment, receives IGG infusions because her immune system is shot, and is depressed most of the time. She stutters when she’s nervous or tired. I swear she’s on enough medications to kill a horse! She is unable to work because she can hardly function. She’s also gained a lot of weight along with other health issues.

As I write this tonight, she ended up back in the hospital a few days ago due to her psychosis increasing. I am her health care power of attorney and I requested a family meeting with her Doctor and Social worker. They are poisoning her with drugs and these drugs will eventually be her demise, not her illness.

She told me she is on 8 psychiatric drugs, AND the Doctor increased one of her medications today. 8 drugs, REALLY? What is wrong with these Wacka-Doodles?! She sounds like a zombie but that’s all good because the staff doesn’t have to deal with real strong emotions and the Doctor can discharge her faster if she ‘appears’ emotionally stable. Nevermind that she doesn’t appear physically stable.

The goal for calling a family meeting?

As a family we all have concerns. We want to know WHY she is on so many drugs, and bring it to their attention that many of these drugs interact severely with each other. We want them to know the drugs are causing her more physical issues. We want to find out if the Doctor has ever looked into alternative answers for her? She has currently been in IOP (Intensive Out patient therapy) for over a year because I requested something long term after her discharge last year. Unfortunately, it sounds as if the group has a wide range of illnesses and is fairly generic with the therapy the use. They need to understand that she functions fairly well for the first hour after waking- that is until she pops her drug cocktail.  My sister was also diagnosed with PTSD years ago and I don’t think the Therapists she’s seen have ever focused in depth on this aspect of her illness.

Pharmaceutical Companies are winning!

According to the Washington Post (2012) “The US spends $113 Billion on Mental Health Treatment and most of the dollars go towards prescription drugs and out patient therapy.” Many of the psychiatric drugs have side effects that are worse than the illness itself, not to mention they are dangerous when combined. Most of these drugs are highly addictive, even those which claim they aren’t. I’ve seen the withdrawal, and it’s not pretty.

So, what is the answer?

I’m stumped. I want to see her improve, but what I am witnessing is a continual decline. I would like to see her receive intensive one on one therapy which would include focusing on her PTSD. I want to shake her doctor and Therapists- asking them if they could function on this many drugs? I understand she needs medication because of the psychosis, but 8… I repeat, 8 psychiatric drugs?!

Sadly, my sister gained labels years ago and now they treat her in a robotic manner instead of understanding she’s human with emotions, a good heart, has dreams for a better future just like those who treat her do. She’s just a number to them- she’s become part of the system instead of keeping her individuality.

I would love input from anyone that has experienced something similar with a loved one and had much better luck? I would love to know what we are missing as a family, so we can be of more help to her.

Anxiety And Depression Are Weaknesses, So Learn To Deal With It!

On By asocialvisionaryIn anxiety disorder, depression, fears, healthcare, humanity, life, lifestyle, long reads, medical, mental illness, phobia, psychology4 Comments

Depression sign

I used to know a girl who grew up with many fears, and she thought she would out grow those fears.  When ever she felt nervous she doubled over with stomach pains as a child.  This young child was afraid of the water, afraid to put a plug in an electrical outlet, afraid to ask questions in school, afraid of angering those she loved, afraid of camping, because ‘there might be bears,’ and afraid of death and dying.  Until she grew a bit older, she thought it was normal to have ongoing fears, and assumed all girls her age feared many of the things she did. This little girl had to be weak!

1970’s

When the little girl became a teenager she became less interested in her education and much more interested in boys, along with hanging out with the ‘in’ crowd.  She felt if she hung with the in crowd- she would be popular and that would boost her moral.  Unfortunately, what she was searching for didn’t change how she felt on the inside; it just shifted for quite a while. She didn’t pay as much attention to her internal feelings. She also lost her father when she was eleven years old, and hardly thought about him after a year or so of his passing.  This young teenager was passive, yet angered easily, and if she was hurting deeply inside she would punch her thighs or take her fingernails and scratch herself until she bled.  The young teenage girl would cry behind closed doors, but tried to wear a smile when she was in front of others.  She was weak! 

1980-90’s

When she became an adult new symptoms emerged; symptoms IE: Vertigo, racing heart,  along with a sense of hopelessness that seemed to come and go on a fairly regular basis when she was a young adult.  When she told others about her vertigo in particular they reacted as though she was a hypochondriac.  She didn’t want to lose her friends, because she was beginning to realize she was different and not as strong as they were, so she tried hard to keep her symptoms to herself.  She also attributed her symptoms to the stresses of raising two young children, working full time and taking care of her home.  She was weak!

2005-2015

She is now a middle aged adult, and found out in her late twenties she had anxiety, but no one told her it would hang on for a lifetime if she didn’t get help. After all, she was diagnosed in the 80’s, and and medicine was the answer! The medicine seemed to work for quite a few years, because her anxiety lessened, and she became less fearful of life in general.  Sadly, counseling wasn’t overly popular in the 80’s, and people didn’t talk about anxiety and other ‘mental health’ issues with others due to a major stigma attached to the term.  Again, she was weak! 

  • She wakes up every morning feeling as though she’s shaking from the inside out.
  • Her legs feel like jelly much of the day.
  • She replays her worries in her head all day long.
  • It feels like someone keeps tightening a noose around her neck through out each day.
  • Her heart beats fast most of the day.
  • She stays up late and could sleep all day if she could get away with it.
  • Her bed is her friend.
  • She cries easily, and gets distracted just as easily.
  • Her head feels like it’s carrying bricks instead of her brain.
  • Her muscles are tense all day long and cause pain.
  • She feels as though she’s in an abyss she can’t climb out of.
  • She beats herself up mentally, because of course “She’s weak!”
  • She gets dizzy easily which interferes with daily functioning.
  • She doesn’t share *most* of what she experiences, because she doesn’t want to appear weak! 
  • She feels hopeless.
  • She’s been on a waiting list for counseling for almost eight months.
  • She feels so alone, even though she is surrounded by so many loving people.

One thing that helps her when she’s feeling despair, anger or even extreme sadness is to crank up the jams.  One song she loves and actually brings her out of the funk she’s in (at least temporarily) – This summer gonna hurt like a Mother#ucke@

This middle aged woman would like to introduce you to Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression.  She was told that if you have Generalized Anxiety for a period of time lasting more than six months it generally leads to depression. Anxiety disorder and depression are still so misunderstood if one has not experienced it first hand. There is still a stigma attached to GAD and depression, and that’s why people try desperately to hide their symptoms or make up excuses.

She was genetically predisposed to the illness, and 40 years later is finding that there are a lot of medications doctors want to prescribe, however counseling isn’t easy to get into. The brain is an organ just like any other organ in the body, and it’s signals are misfiring along with sending out the wrong chemical messengers which lead to all the symptoms listed above. It’s disgraceful that the medical community puts patients on the back burner when it comes to mental health; mental health should be taken just as seriously as a person’s physical health. Sadly, if someone goes without proper treatment for any length of time- the condition worsens.

If generalized anxiety and/or depression go on for a long period of time, it does begin to take a toll on a person’s physical health.  The symptoms a person experiences on a daily basis if untreated or not treated properly affect not just the brain, but the body as a whole.

The gal, who is now middle aged has been on a medication for years. She has been in counseling before, but it wasn’t the proper type of counseling. Talk Therapy does not help.  They have also found people diagnosed with GAD tend to have bad experiences with most antidepressants, so GAD is hard to treat with medication alone.

She is patiently (or not so patiently anymore) waiting to get into proper counseling. She was told EMDR along with CBT works well with people like herself.

She did however learn a few things over the years; she can’t control the anxiety and depression, because it is an illness.  She’s aware that with proper counseling there is hope. She’s also aware that she is not weak, she’s been ill and trying hard to function as normal for way too long. She’s learned that she is fairly strong, considering she’s been able to function even when she feels as though she can’t go on.

She is not weak!