When people flaunt their wealth on social media it can be pretty distasteful. But do we have a part to play in all of this?
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Online debate on class divide emerged after Emmanuelle “Emman” Atienza, went to TikTok to participate in the “guess the bill” challenge, which is a trend where a big friend group or sometimes a family, guesses how much the bill after dining at a (usually) fancy restaurant is. The 18-year-old was seen with friends participating in the trend at a private dinner function. Guesses in the six-digit figures were thrown, causing a maelstrom of criticism that led to the deletion of the video.
Emman – who’s the daughter of well-known television presenter Kim Atienza or “Kuya Kim” and Felicia Hung-Atienza, previous stockbroker and founder of the Chinese International School – received even more flak after she responded to the backlash. In both instances, the comments section was filled with a particular type of criticism– the kind that encompasses many underlying issues in our economic sector, and in turn, our purchasing power.
@emmanatienza #stitch with @emmanuelle atienza ♬ Girls – The Dare
Despite Atienza clarifying that the dinner was a treat by her friend’s agency, netizens and other content creators hopped onto TikTok and X where arguments from all directions flew in a whirlwind of disarray– some sided with Atienza, some nitpicked her mention of other celebrity names, and others tried to take a middle ground approach.
Any conversation on the bourgeoisie and working class usually ends in dissensus. This issue has since prompted a resurgence of interest in Karl Marx’ Class Theory. However, to tread with skepticism is one thing to do in times when we’re dealing with something larger than ourselves. Sometimes we forget that the extent to which we consume and look into the personal lives of others is something we as a society have never experienced before. Technology today makes it so much more accessible, and so we should consider how the different parties involved may have had a hand in how we got here.
Joyrides or Jaguars
According to research by Jean Pascal-Daloz, the ostentatious display of wealth is amplified and likely only distinguished when present in a place where the population, from low to middle to high stratas, are present and interacting with each other. After all, rich people generally don’t complain about what other rich people had for dinner. In the online sphere, where different classes freely interact with each other, there is a pronounced scrutiny and investigation of the one percent.
Why would we blame the poor for hating on the rich? Why redirect the criticism to the working masses when they are rightfully upset and pointing fingers at gross displays of wealth? Filipinos, especially, are observed to love extravaganza. From consuming high estate home tours to fashion galas, we generally gawk at anything concerning the elite class for how rare or lucky they seemingly are. It’s only expected, because when asked seriously, who wouldn’t want to be comfortable in life? But the matter falls under not just money. It’s about decorum, sensitivity, and courteousness.
Gossip Girl E-Blasts
It’s easy to laud lavish lifestyles. Nepo babies, who get to enjoy the benefits of such a life because of the glory and prestige earned before they were even born, seem to have the world in the palm of their hands. Or, at least, that’s how it seems.
Photo Illustration: Joe Darrow for New York Magazine
We’ve seen the selective hate aimed at Hollywood nepo girls in full swing; from the Jenner and Hadid sisters, Lila Moss, Lily Rose Depp, Maya Hawke, Zoe Kravitz and others. It’s always girls that are susceptible to such wide double standards and internet backlash. But putting gender aside, it’s good to also rehash the basics. Do these nepo babies really have a choice whether or not to be born with the influence already done generations away?
A common assertion people make is that celebrities with the rags to riches stories are a stark contrast to nepo babies. Some argue these people have a free pass to flaunt their blessings because they either worked hard for it, they came from humble beginnings, or they actually participate in philanthropic activities. But at its core, it’s just a way of saying: You can do it UNLESS you have famous parents!
Is nepotism a cheat code in life?
The Authentic Observer asserts that nepo babies have an intricate delusion that denies the privilege they are born with. There’s a desire to be one with everyone else and to proclaim that they have been working under the same system. That’s why some hide their surnames in order to be taken seriously. But Emman Atienza has always said she does not have this delusion and is in fact well-aware of this privilege. So now what?
The general masses have a part to play in giving these celebrity sons and daughters a platform. Undoubtedly, the act of keeping tabs on their lives all started from the basic knowledge that it’s because they’re the child of this famous-for-something person. So cutting this 18-year-old girl some slack won’t do you harm. Maybe taking a pause before passionately typing in her comment section about the moral obligation that should be directed to those with the decision-making power instead is the more appropriate thing to do. At the end of the day, will the hate train on this teenager really elevate the impoverished?
The disparity has always been entrenched; so it’s alright to admit that: yes, it’s kind of hypocritical to be gushing over her mom’s vintage closet and then hating her for eating a fancy dinner. But also, it’s frustrating and worrisome that we’re hardwired to get defensive when the topic delves into social status.
Blaming the system is not an admission of defeat or ignorance. It’s an acknowledgement that the roots are hard to dismantle. Remembering what we learned in our good manners and right conduct class to rekindle kindness and making the 10-second-rule our first choice to know where and when to say things, is an advice we can all agree on.
So the short and not-so-sweet answer is yes, it can be a cheat code. Considering all the other factors that contributed to this vis-a-vis social class and super rich kids conundrum, the takeaway is to both look at an issue’s minute details and the big picture it entails of equal footing, in order to avoid hastily taking a stance and having just one opinion for every rebuttal.
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