The act of decadence raised some eyebrows.
A fun topic I like to discuss with my friends is what any of us would do if we had enough money to do literally anything. Usually, the answer is just silly knick-knacks and arcade machines. I guess that proves that none of us actually know what it’s like to be obscenely wealthy, because apparently the correct answer is “escape reality on a private island.” Of course, how foolish of us.
Kim Kardashian West celebrated her 40th birthday recently, but due to the current unpleasantness, a traditional party is obviously not on the table. In lieu of that, Kim decided it would be fun to gather a select group of friends and family and fly them out to an undisclosed private island, where they could dance and make merry and just generally pretend the world isn’t terrifying.
We danced, rode bikes, swam near whales, kayaked, watched a movie on the beach and so much more. I realize that for most people, this is something that is so far out of reach right now, so in moments like these, I am humbly reminded of how privileged my life is. #thisis40 pic.twitter.com/UYOcVBpytW
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) October 27, 2020
It’s a nice thought, but maybe one she should’ve kept to herself. When Kim announced that this event occurred on her Twitter, she was met with a wave of meme-powered mockery from the numerous people of the world who don’t have a private island they can run away to when life gets scary. From this frustration has emerged an amusing new meme format in which users slot pictures from movies taking place on dangerous islands into Kim’s tweet. Notable examples include scenes from Castaway, The Sopranos, and The Wicker Man. One particularly spicy zinger came from actor and comedian Patton Oswalt, who used a picture of Marlon Brando in his starring role in The Island of Dr. Moreau.
After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal for just a brief moment in time. pic.twitter.com/94nAMrgg2e
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 27, 2020
In addition to the memes, many users have criticized Kim for not properly screening her guests and arranging long-distance, large-group travel in a time when governments are trying to keep nonessential transcontinental travel to a minimum. Neither Kim nor her husband Kanye West have commented.