My mistake...I meant to say "role model."
All of these individuals and/or groups are to be commended on their efforts and actions.
As for heros, J.F.K., Nixon, etc made substantial contributions on different levels which could be noted as being "heroic." On the other hand, knowing what I know about J.F.K. I would not give him the title of "role model"....unless you're name is Bill Clinton. As for Nixon being a role model... I don't think a comment is even necessary.
I know I said in entertainment...personally I'm hard-pressed to identify one. One of the few role models I can think of in recent history was not an entertainer, that person is Mother Theresa. In all fairness, I think religious role models have a lot of temptation...however...I kind of doubt it is at the level OR the intensity of those people in the entertainment world. I'm quite realistic, however, I think a true role model would need to be "extremely clean." I know..sounds like a fairy tale. My logic is if a child is to look up to this person, attempts to model themselves after him/her and later finds they had a closet full of secrets...the child is going to be soured. While people who overcome their bouts with drugs are to be congratulated...I think the fact they got "sucked in," survive and then go on speaking tours CAN be conflicting to the young mind. The message CAN be read as "hey.. this person got hooked, they were able to "kick" it and now they are living a glamourous life." Of course, this logic would be applied to other pitfalls as well (i.e. alcoholism, etc).
whoa...I gotta' go..."buds" are waiting on me for lunch.
Talk to you later!
T.R. |
