Nepotism, the practice of favoring relatives or friends in hiring and promotion, has been a controversial issue for centuries. In the modern workplace, nepotism can be seen as unethical and unfair, especially in a merit-based society where everyone is expected to be evaluated based on their skills and abilities. The idea that we are all living in a hierarchy where some people are dealt better hands than others is obviously prominent in the capitalist society that we live in. In fact, gen-z seem to be becoming hyper aware of the concept of privilege. There is no doubt that certain of us can attain levels of success, wealth and fame that others desire and yet fail to attain. Why is that? Well, I could write a book about how some of us are born into wealthy families, some of us are attractive and charming enough to convince anyone to give them a chance or an opportunity and some of us are just born extremely talented at certain things. But is that really the point?

Recently, I have been seeing an increased amount of criticism surrounding the idea of nepotism, specifically in the entertainment fields. Models like Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne are surprisingly polarizing figures. I also hear about the idea of pretty privilege a lot. This refers to the notion that being conventionally attractive can provide advantages and opportunities in life, regardless of other factors like talent or merit. But do these people really “live life on easy mode”? Truly, it is none of my business. Of course, as a Black woman there are always going to be things that work against me. It is no secret that there are elements of discrimination across our society. It is also completely normal to be irritated by this. It affects us to see people who seemingly put zero to no effort in their craft but are able to not only get by but thrive. This, whilst a lot of us work more than we live. But nepotism did not start yesterday and will certainly not end tomorrow. So, as we enter the era of quiet quitting, and release the forced performative likability often present in the corporate world, maybe we can focus on creating a new culture. One that focuses on supporting the ones who feel conned by our system and uplifting the unknown instead of tearing down the known. No matter how much you hate Kendall Jenner, she will likely still be successful after your tirade of 20 tweets against her. But the hardworking models who go to 60 castings a day are not more likely to get booked because of your “activism”.

In conclusion, nepotism is a widespread issue that can have a significant impact on an individual’s career and opportunities. While it can be frustrating to see those who seem to have advantages in life due to their family connections or physical appearance, it is important to focus on creating a culture that supports and uplifts those who are working hard to succeed. This can be achieved by promoting merit-based systems, recognizing and rewarding hard work, and creating opportunities for underrepresented groups. By doing so, we can move towards a society that values talent, effort, and ability over family connections or physical appearance.