Role Models

[armeck]

I would like to hear people's opinions on role models, i never really had one until recently. now people's definition of a role model is often very different, so my question is "what is a role model?" some people refer to famous people that you like as "role models". it could be a preacher, a friend ect. so i would like to hear you guy's opinions on role models, what they are, how important they are, what purpose they serve/shouldn't serve. and yeah. if this thread is scattered or hard to understand i'm really sorry i'm kinda bad at starting threads i just really would like to hear some input on this subject.

[Atria35]

For me, a role model is someone I can look up to, who has done good and kind things for others, and lives their life well according to what they believe in.

I have had several role models, my most recent being my aunt. Having had the rose colored glasses taken off during an extended trip with her, I realize that she's not perfect (and that has been hard coming to terms with, since I have looked up to her since I was very young). Even so, I do believe that she is a good person. Concieted, arrogant, but does love others and respects people from all walks of life.

Important? They can be. My aunt helped raise me, and that made her very central to my life. If someone has a role model that they haven't met, then they might not be as important- they may only serve as a guidline for how they live their lives. Or others may model their lives on their role model's.

The purpose they serve.... I feel that it's to give direction to someone's life. My aunt taught me many things about being true to myself and doing what I want to do with my life instead of bending it to what my family wanted me to do- she made it okay for me to go into biology instead of being a CPA or stockbroker, which I would have hated. They should serve as guides to being better people, that you can be proud of.

[armeck]

well thank you! i think you have a very similar opinion, i have never been taught ANYTHING about have role models so i always wondered if i was supposed to have one, or if it was bad or something. there is only one person i consider a role model, it's someone that i really looked up to, and became close friends with, she married a guy though and moved to europe and wont visit for about 3-4 years (thank God for facebook lol) but i always wondered about the whole thing...

[Lilac#18]

[color="Plum"]A role model to me is someone I can look up to and sets good examples for me to follow. Not someone that does bad then tells me to do good or neither should he/she encourage me to do bad.[/color]

[Furen]

A role model in my mind is a person you aspire to be like, you want to be better but you want to at least get to their level first.

[Atria35]

well thank you! i think you have a very similar opinion, i have never been taught ANYTHING about have role models so i always wondered if i was supposed to have one, or if it was bad or something. there is only one person i consider a role model, it's someone that i really looked up to, and became close friends with, she married a guy though and moved to europe and wont visit for about 3-4 years (thank God for facebook lol) but i always wondered about the whole thing...

Some people don't have role models, per say, and that's totally fine! In fact, I don't think I ever actually defined my aunt as my role model until recently- when I realized she was as human as everyone else and realized how much I had looked up to her. A lot of people take bits and pieces of how people live that they admire, and go by that, which is totally okay. After all, nobody is perfect, so we must define our own ideals and live up to those.

[armeck]

yes very true. looking up to someone (other than Jesus) completely is never a good idea taking the good, and not the wrong is always the best thing to do.