The Rise and Fall of Hilton, Paris

[MarxSchmarx]

So I guess her grand chance to get the world to see things her way isn't going to happen:

http://theblemish.com/2011/08/paris-hiltons-show-to-be-cancelled/

What I'm curious about is how her very existence, being a near perfect examplar of what it means to be "of the parasitic class", nevertheless spawned an enormous backdrop of cottage industries despite her own mediocrity as an entrepeneur thusfar in things like cologne and pop music.

On the whole, I suppose one could eventually quantify her contribution to economic welfare. But I posit that her legacy may challenge our understanding of commodity fetishism, use value, and precisely how the superstructure relates to the material base.

[RGacky3]

She's part of the Capitalist class, just like an unemployed person would still be working class.

Her existance is extremely interesting in terms of how class structure affects culture, Marx would have loved to see this as an example of the capitalist cultural superstructure.

Post 1970s Capitalism turned into Super-Capitalism, Marx wrote that 1 out of 10 own and 9 out of 10 do not, that sort of distribution today would be called freaking communist.

With the advent and total takeover of capitalism by the corporation, it turned into ultra excess, beating the competition, getting rich and controling the economy was'nt enough anymore, now the new capitalist necessitated MORE AND MORE AND MORE profits, exponential excess, and its not that suddenly people got greedy, its that they HAVE to maximise profits more and more or they fall out.

Of coarse a situation like that would lead to a cultural celebration of excess eventually, and I think thats what Paris Hilton is, she is a celebration of excess, the thing is the change from regular capitalism to super capitalism happened so fast that people hav'nt really cought up fast mentally, which is why a lot of people have a problem with the Paris Hilton ideal. What makes her popular is basically that she is excessive and parties a lot, and has tons of sex with tons of people. I'm not saying its good or bad, its a reflection of super capitalism need for excess.

Ayn Rand said that ciggarettes are a good symbol for Capitalism and I agree with her totally (for different reasons of coarse), but if cigarates were a symbol for the capitalism that she was around, cocaine is the symbol for the new super capitalism.

[piet11111]

I really wonder what happens when people like Paris are required to take over their parents business.
They are so detached from reality that they are bound to run the business into the ground.

[ComradeMan]

^^^^^^
I don't know about in her case so I can't comment, but quite often the businesses are run independently and they use trust funds.

[redhotpoker]

I really wonder what happens when people like Paris are required to take over their parents business.
They are so detached from reality that they are bound to run the business into the ground.

I think the Hiltons disowned her.

[Bud Struggle]

I thinking you folks are reading too much into her--she's an entertainment, not much different than a Brittany Spears a scion of the proletariat. Somehow she hit the media--being atractive doesn't hurt, Spears has some dubious talent, Hilton has some dubious money. And then the media attention.

Till the next media star gets his/her 15 mins of fame.

[piet11111]

I think the Hiltons disowned her.

Paris is not the only spoiled child its inevitable that someday someone just as detached from reality as her will be given the family business and run it into the ground.

And while most capitalists will recognize their kids are incapable of running their business the chances are that they haven't been able to put up the legal framework (or the kid manages to legally fight it for control) to make the company be run independently and their egomaniac kids will try to run it anyway.

It would be interesting to watch.

[Commissar Rykov]

Paris is not the only spoiled child its inevitable that someday someone just as detached from reality as her will be given the family business and run it into the ground.

And while most capitalists will recognize their kids are incapable of running their business the chances are that they haven't been able to put up the legal framework (or the kid manages to legally fight it for control) to make the company be run independently and their egomaniac kids will try to run it anyway.

It would be interesting to watch.
It would be like a trainwreck. You wouldn't want to watch but the devastation caused just demands a witness.

[RGacky3]

I thinking you folks are reading too much into her--she's an entertainment, not much different than a Brittany Spears a scion of the proletariat. Somehow she hit the media--being atractive doesn't hurt, Spears has some dubious talent, Hilton has some dubious money. And then the media attention.

Till the next media star gets his/her 15 mins of fame.


The phenomenon of celebrity is not universal by any means, and the phenomenon of the Hilton style celebrity is even more rare.

[Bud Struggle]

The phenomenon of celebrity is not universal by any means, and the phenomenon of the Hilton style celebrity is even more rare.

Maybe now in Peasent societies--but in societes that have made it into the age of TV and radio--celebrities are ubitiquous. China, India, South America, North America, Eurose, Russia all have their stars.

As far as millionaires go, there is the Donald and Howard Hughes, Warren Bufet is a star in his own way. So is Bill Gates. That was some Hutton woman and Gloria Vanderbuilt. Probably a lot more.

Remember "Lifestiles of the Rich and Famous"?

[MarxSchmarx]

Paris is not the only spoiled child its inevitable that someday someone just as detached from reality as her will be given the family business and run it into the ground.

And while most capitalists will recognize their kids are incapable of running their business the chances are that they haven't been able to put up the legal framework (or the kid manages to legally fight it for control) to make the company be run independently and their egomaniac kids will try to run it anyway.

It would be interesting to watch.

Speaking of which, your post reminds me of yet another egomaniacal heir to a mighty business empire:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Osama_bin_Laden_portrait.jpg/220px-Osama_bin_Laden_portrait.jpg

[RGacky3]

As far as millionaires go, there is the Donald and Howard Hughes, Warren Bufet is a star in his own way. So is Bill Gates. That was some Hutton woman and Gloria Vanderbuilt. Probably a lot more.

Remember "Lifestiles of the Rich and Famous"?

None of them were ever celebrities like Hilton, with the exception of perhaps Hughes, nad it was'nt for the same reason as Hilton.

[Bud Struggle]

None of them were ever celebrities like Hilton, with the exception of perhaps Hughes, nad it was'nt for the same reason as Hilton.

Sure they were--and they are as forgotten now as P Hilton will be in 20 years.

No Class Warefare here Brother--you can calm down about this one. :D

[Skooma Addict]

Her existance is extremely interesting in terms of how class structure affects culture, Marx would have loved to see this as an example of the capitalist cultural superstructure.


Dude, it's Paris Hilton. You are reading too much into it bro.

[PhoenixAsh]

Actually Paris Hilton is called a celubatante. So Rgacky was hitting the nail on the head.

She rose to fame not because of talent but beacuse of wealth and a exuberant lifestyle. This is however not something very new. And goes back decades.

It is however an expression of the celebration of excess.

[RGacky3]

Sure they were--and they are as forgotten now as P Hilton will be in 20 years.

No Class Warefare here Brother--you can calm down about this one. http://www.revleft.com/vb/rise-and-fall-t160658/revleft/smilies/biggrin.gif

Did'nt say it was Class Warfare, I'm saying her celebrity is an example of how economic structures form our culture.


Dude, it's Paris Hilton. You are reading too much into it bro.

Dude, Culture does'nt just come out of thin air.