Not for Sale

In today's day and age everyone is doing everything possible to obtain fame, status, and acclaim, usually by any means necessary and these people are often scrutinized for the tactics they use, but if they're successful, should we really be questioning their methods if they continue to work? For example, many people believe the Kardashians are not real celebrities because they were born into wealth, and their means for success (namely Kim's) involve them selling their bodies as sex symbols. While I don't condone women selling their bodies to the overly sexualized society we live in, I do believe the Kardashians have used their influence to build up their wealth by becoming business moguls (branding their names, creating fashion lines, and beauty products). Overall I would say the Kardashians deserve the success they have reached because they were willing to do things that not many individuals could ever imagine doing to themselves. I think the negative stigma that society places upon "fake" success is ultimately detrimental to the individuals who want to reach this same level of accomplishment. I certainly don't think I would ever be willing to pose nude, or even in a bathing suit for the rest of the world to see, however for every person like me not willing to do so, there is a person like Kim Kardashian who is, and who should have the right to say that the success a person gains from this isn't real success? Sure it took them giving up a piece of themselves to do so, but then again anything worth getting requires some sort of sacrifice, and the "cost" to attain it is relative to each person. To Dr. Faustus his life is worth the knowledge and power he is able to achieve for 24 years. But this story raises another important issue, and that is whether or not the initial success is worth the potential regret one feels once they make this sacrifice? Dr. Faustus waits until his final moments to realize that his tricks have earned him an irreversible spot in hell, and when he tries to repent, it's too late. In society I feel this happens many times, especially when these so called "celebrities" or "role models" slip up. Prime example is the great fall of Paula Deen who after a few racist remarks were discovered to have been made by her, was let go from Food Network and fallen from grace. Another example is the illustrious O.J. Simpson who to this day lives in the infamy of did he or didn't he murder his wife. I think society is going to continue to scrutinize those who don't have a pure method for their rise to fame, however I believe no road to success can ever be truly pure. Everyone makes mistakes and sometimes in the attempt to fix them we make more mistakes, muddying the waters more each time, and that those who would say they "aren't for sale" when it comes to success are kidding themselves. Everyone has something or someone they would give up a piece of themselves or a piece of their life for, and it's just a matter of how much or how little you're willing to give that determines society's view of you.