Do Better Daily
“Did you hear about Molly and Tommy?”
These were the first words out of my friend’s mouth when she called, forgetting to even say hello. Given her tone of voice, it wasn’t a giant leap to assume they’re no longer a couple. But a few minutes into the conversation, she said this: “Oh, wasn’t she terribly insulting to Italians?!”
For those unaware of the reference, while on a trip to Italy she dared to suggest that Italian ice cream didn’t exactly rock her world. Blasphemy.
What else is she guilty of? Two years ago she did the Steven Bartlett interview (Diary of a CEO) and said that “we all have the same 24 hours”. The kind of motivational phrase you’ve probably heard a million times. Usually it takes the form of “Well, Einstein/Michelangelo/Steve Jobs only had 24 hours a day, too”. The meaning behind it is clear; make the most out of the time you have, push yourself harder, stop making excuses. And yet, those who insist on being offended will always find a way.
So the backlash against her is ridiculous, of course, but the reasons are worth thinking about. Molly is a 24 year old multimillionaire, the creative director of PLT (Pretty Little Thing), with 8.2 million followers on Instagram. And at the time the interview was filmed, she was engaged to a celebrity boxer, and later had a baby girl with him. I’m sure you know the Iron Triangle of Good, Fast and Cheap, and how it is said you can’t have all three. Well, I see it as the Molly-Mae Pentagon. Molly has made the fatal mistake of being young, beautiful, successful, ambitious and unapologetic about it all. Our culture can forgive a lot, but this is where we draw the line.
Interestingly, it’s her ambition that really rubs people the wrong way. It’s saying “I’m only getting started” that turns them against her. If you listen carefully to the Steven Bartlett interview, she keeps referring to “living an extraordinary life”. Looking back on her life when she’s a grandma, and telling her grandkids about all the things she did. And yes, that includes making a lot of money so she could live in her dream house, and travel whenever she wants to, launch new products, and meet incredible people along the way.
In other words, her ambition is a little too American for British society. We like our celebrities to be reasonable and know their place. Take David Beckham: everybody loves him now, but not so much when he was a 20 year old who wanted the best of everything. The house, the cars, the pop star girlfriend. And he hasn’t changed one bit; when staying at United was no longer an option, Beckham didn’t even consider Barcelona and said he’s only going to Madrid. Only the best will do for him. And now that he’s the president and co-owner of Inter Miami, who joins the club? Lionel Messi. Arguably the best footballer of all time.
As I listened to the podcast again, I decided to sift through the comments to look for one legitimate criticism. Well, I did eventually find one. In the 1:41h long interview (give or take, as Steven loves gushing about Huel), she seems to be saying that she always wants more, but also trying to slow down and enjoy the view, the little things. She’s still as driven as ever, but would tell her younger self not to rush, to pace herself. Yes, there are some obvious contradictions here. In other words, a 22 year old doesn’t have all the answers. And while she’s figuring it out, all she can do is speak candidly about her experience, her dreams, and share how she’s going about it. Can you think of a single public figure who’s more authentic than her?
Once you strip away the jealousy and resentment of those who are all too eager to tear her down, you’re left with a story about a 17 year old girl who dared to dream big, and then exceeded all expectations. Her only crime is being hungry for more. And for that, our culture can never forgive her.
Watch the full interview: