Is Nepotism Unfair?

ny Katherine Abayev, Staff Writer

Our parents knew a generation of elite and admirable talent in the media. Now, as LIU students come of age, we are seeing a whole new generation of celebrities with famous and influential parents. Where they had Kate Moss, the blueprint for all supermodels and public figures in the media thirty years ago, we have her daughter: Lila Moss. Lila, who graced the Victoria’s Secret catwalk alongside Kate, was very clearly only able to be launched into such a position because of her influential mother. But this is not the only example of nepotism breaking its way into our media.

Zoe Kravitz (actor) is the daughter of Lenny Kravitz (singer), Lily-Rose Depp (actress) is the daughter of Johnny Depp (actor), Nicholas Cage (actor) is the cousin of Sofia Coppola (filmmaker), and the list goes on. But are these passed on successes unfair? A mechanic father might want to share his trade with an interested son, so he will naturally share his skills and knowledge. It makes sense that a parent would show their child what they are good at and pass it on. A model teaching their daughter to take care of their skin, have good posture, and how to walk on a catwalk is like second nature to a mother. Especially if good looks get passed along, there is no reason why a nepo baby shouldn’t succeed.

Junior nursing major Kayla Mitchell shared her thoughts on nepotism.

 “Nepotism is okay, until it steals opportunities away from those who are talented, like how North West was able to perform in a production of the Lion King, while her skill was subpar,” she explained.

This is a display of her influential parents allowing her to experience opportunities other kids have to fight ten times as hard for. There are nepo babies that are very talented and deserving of their positions, but when they aren’t, it gives the whole group a bad reputation.

“I was unaware of this concept, but I don’t mind that it happens, as long as they are deserving,” Mitchell said.

Matthew Martinez is an aspiring musician and shared his thoughts on how nepotism has affected his career. 

“It is crazy to think, if I had famous parents, my music career would have jump started, but instead I have to build it brick by brick and really work through every step and teach myself everything. At least when I make it, I’ll know that I deserved it.”

Martinez brings up the good point that a child may have trouble being separated from their famous parent’s legacy. This can make nepo babies feel like imposters among their peers. At least when someone self-made is launched into fame, they will know that they completely deserved it, without anyone’s influence.

It seems the general consensus is that as long as nepo babies aren’t stealing opportunities from more deserving people and are actually talented, then they should be able to go into the same professions as their parents. However, when undeserving people break in, not only is the media disrupted by a lack of talent, but they have a real basis to criticize who they are looking at.