Lots of people "work their ass off".




I would suggest that "Nicky" has not spent much time with those 21 year olds that are working to support their families. Or how about those 21 year olds that are serving in the armed forces and getting shot at? Or how about those 21 year olds that are working hard in science and medicine among many other professions to do something that actually gives something back to society? There are lots of other people that are working hard to do things other than titillate those who are attracted to the shiny things in life and easily placated.




For example, one of my friends when she was 21, was working in a nursing home to help support herself and her child. She worked in that job while earning a nursing degree. After graduating as a nurse, she then worked nights while earning her way through medical school and she most certainly did not come from a life of privilege. Quite the contrary, she came from an economically depressed neighborhood for strike one, was black for strike two and was a woman for strike three. But, she made it and Carolyn will always in my mind have more respect from me than anyone who got to where they were through nepotism.

Around campus there have been ads placed in the men's rooms that have this written on them:

"Terry Fox was 21 when he began running across Canada to put an end to cancer.

What have you done lately?"

Best. Urinal ad. Ever.

It simultaneously brought me to tears and made me feel either terribly motivated to accomplish something in my life, or horribly depressed that I hadn't.

It's sad to imagine that Paris Hilton is a role model for today's youth (and that she actually believes she has something to be admired for). True greatness still exists. We just stopped recognizing it, and started worshiping celebrities instead.

While I'm generally not inclined to defend multi-millionaire heiresses, isn't she directing her comment to "these writers?" I haven't read the article, but I'm betting she's referring to tabloid 'journalists,' few of whom, I'd imagine we're saving lives or even supporting family at 21. Give the girl a break - there are plenty of fair reasons to knock the Hiltons.

Heh -- that is an entirely fair ripost, lanier! I gather that Hilton was specifically complaining about the playa hatahs in the tabloid media. And god knows most of those folks probably haven't done anything to advance human civilization forward an inch.

But it's also fair to read Hilton's comment as the sort of preening, nearly disassociative narcissism that tends to plague the young and overly famous. I suspect she thinks everyone out there in the cheap seats is a sucky hatah who has accomplished nothing compared to her.

Steve, that is a great ad indeed!

I'm hardly one to go beating on the chest shouting USA, so please don't take this comment out of context. However, I imagine that a lot of young men and women about the age of 21 serving overseas who would probably take some offense to Ms. Hilton's comments. I'd say they're definitely working their asses off and for a whole lot less money, too, I'm sure.

She probably is working her ass of much more than I did in undergrad at that age. I did study an awful lot, though. Now, about Steve. I love the comment, buy who the hell works toward their PhD at age 21? Doogie Howser, the Chemist?

what exactly is so goddamn important about running two multi-million-dollar businesses anyways?

21... 21... ah, yes. working as a gardner, trying to sort my life out. Anyone have a problem with that?

oh, and by the way - all the comments about our brave young lads overseas etc., carefull there. slipery slope. I did some things as a soldier, age 20, which I'm not so sure I want to flaunt. No regrets, but not sure of the good I did for humanity there. And mind you, for many of those boys its a job, not a mission.

Rigel, you asked:
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=+Steven+F.+Sabes

looks like he's for real.

Glad to hear she was such an amazing 21 year old. Now, if she can just win that Nobel Prize for being a chrome hood-ornament for the media.

As long as people have MTV, Vanity Fair, and Desperate Housewives mentalities, the Hiltons of this world will continue to serve up and drink their own Koolaid.

Personally I couldn't care less what they think of themselves.

Any idea if Nicky plays a real managerial role in the companies she refers to? I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume they do, but, uh, she's you know who's sister.

I think its probably not fair to conflate nicky with paris. Seriously, that statement from Nicky is far more coherent and demonstrates much more thoughfulness than I think Paris could muster on her very best day. I, for one, am inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Heh -- excellent comments all way 'round here.

Yish -- thanks for the link to Sabes' work! I checked it out too before I posted this ... I wanted to link to his main paper on okadaic acid, but I couldn't find a free PDF of it.

I like the way Ms. Hilton asks her question as if she had built those multi-million dollar companies into what they are by hand, solely through the sweat of her brow.

Moonbiter hit on what struck me about Nicky's comment - at 21 I was working 80 hours a week for low pay as an beginning architect to try and start a career and hopefully eventually run my own firm one day. I wasn't lucky enough to have a multi-million dollar business dropped on me, but instead was trying to lay groundwork for what I hope will lead to at least a mildly successful firm.

I will also probably do better work having learned and worked under talented people who have been doing this their whole lives.

I was in boot camp, dipshit. Born on third base, etc.

Gotta love this part of Nicky's quote:

"Yeah, we were born with a famous last name. I get that. But just look at how we took it to another level."

"Millionairess Dignityphobe Embarasses Self. Again." News, this is not. For who is the greater fool? The fool, or the fool who questions them, or the fool who reads the answers of the first fool? Or the fool who posts on a messageboard about the fools who foolishly...um...ah....which amendment do I take?

Yeah, I'm with John - at 21, I had just started grad school and I was learning from smart people who knew what they were doing. There's a large set of worthwhile goals that are just not attainable when you are 21; you need to be laying the groundwork first. For most people whose last name isn't 'Hilton,' that, in fact, includes running multi-million dollar companies. And FWIW, my doctoral work addressed a public health question, providing evidence that fluoride in the drinking water appears not to have a negative effect on bone - while it may not exactly be curing cancer, I still feel like it was a pretty worthwhile thing to have done in my twenties.