A not very timely note

This was a blog I once wrote during my high school and early college years. I keep it around for nostalgic purposes, but it is quite obviously no longer updated. I am looking to make a more professional blog presence in the future, but I still like to look at where I was mentally at certain points in time.

- G. Jan 2013

Monday, January 19, 2009

"Role Models" by G.

You know, people that you look up to. Maybe you admire a certain trait of their character. Maybe you like their sense of style. Maybe you just marvel at a certain person's accomplishments in life. But what I'm going to discuss today is what the idea of a Role Model really means. Note that I don't say it's bad, but follow me for a little while here; I'll make my case.

I think that we all have role models; much of the time it's a unconscious process. It definitly begins as a kid. Usually it's some kind of famous person, athlete, T.V dude; or if you happen to be in kingergarten, your mommy and daddy. I wouldn't call these full on role models yet though, because it's more of a like than an actual ideal that you try to emulate. As we grow up, and our spectrum of thought begins to widen, we are open to more ideas and people. But what exactly is the difference between a "role model" and simply admiring someone?

Let's look at the phrase for a minute: Role Model. A role is like your part in the drama of life; a position that someone carries out the duties for. The quarterback of a football team, the tellers at a bank, the mechanics at a garage. As for models...they demonstrate and show off something. So when you pick a role model, you are choosing to have this person as your ideal for whatever role he/she plays. That's my idea of a role model... a guy who obeys the law is a good role model for being a good citizen, or a guy who handles his finances well is a good role model for being responsible. But I think that most people understand the phrase "role model" in a different way. When we call someone our role model, it seems that he/she simply demonstrates good traits in general. Isn't this simply admiration?

So which one is it? Is a role model supposed to be simply a good person in general? Or is the role model an actual "model" for whatever role they play in life? I really do think it's the latter. I don't think I have a role model, but I view certain people as role models. I would view the pilot that recently had the emergency landing in the Hudson river as a role model for the ideal pilot; brave, skilled, and calm under pressure. But a person would argue, don't we learn much of what is right and wrong through observation? Well yeah, but why do we need a role model for that? We should take the good things we observe from everyone, and toss the bad as we see fit.

Well, there's another rambling courtesy of my headache battered brain. Leave a comment with your thoughts if you like. Til next time.

2 comments:

L. Venkata Subramaniam said...

I entirely agree with you we must take what is good from everyone around us.

You may be aware of the recent terror attacks in Mumbai. After the attacks even today the front page of newspapers, tv images are full of terrorists. At the same time the heroes who actually died fighting or saving lives are out of the frame and also the public conscience.

I think sometimes without meaning anything we project wrong things.

You may understand what I am trying to say better if you read this post. Today the media creates our role models. But sometimes they miss the real heroes and create wrong role models.

G. said...

Well first off, thanks for dropping in.

And I do understand what your trying to convey; giving all that coverage actually strengthens their cause, while the real heroes aren't shown their full due.

The media thrives on sensation; terrorist attacks are obisouly big news. But I wouldn't call them true role models at all; a decent person would try all avenues to get their point across that are non-violent and diplomatic first.

But you are definitly right when you say that the true heroes during these events aren't held up as high on the news spotlight as the attacks themselves.

Thanks again for your input!