Sunday, January 10, 2010

Role Models

So I was on twitter the other day, when one of my followers started complaining about recent pictures of Miley Cyrus showing her wearing a shirt that left her lower back exposed. When I asked why she cared, she said that Ms. Cyrus is on Disney, and supposed to be a role model.

Since when did being on television (even a kid-friendly station like Disney) mean you were a role model? Sure, your character might be a positive role model, but why should the person be a role model? What did they do that makes them worthy of being a role model?

Being a celebrity does not make you a role model. Being famous does not make you a role model. Role models are people who live their lives doing things to better themselves, and the community. Role models are people who fight injustices they see in the world. Role models are people who stop, and give others the tools they need to help themselves out of a bad place. Role models, in other words, are people who don't seek the limelight.

No human being is perfect. You shouldn't expect a human to be the perfect role model, no matter what they do, or what they're like. Rather, take those elements of the person that you like, and emulate them, while ignoring the parts of them that are not perfect. In those areas, find a different role model to emulate.

There are only two reasons why someone would look at a person, and expect them to be perfect role models in every way. 1) They're idiots. 2) They're looking for reasons to bitch, and tear down someone who has more success than they do, because it makes them feel good. Either way, they're just pathetic.

If you want a role model, look in your community, to the people you see that make a positive difference in the world. Don't look at gossip blogs or Entertainment Tonight, or anything like that. They never show the whole person. You only see the whole person when you're in their life, day in and day out. Look to the people around you for role models. Either as the kind of person you want to be, or the kind of person you don't want to be. But don't expect them to be perfect in all things. You'll only be made the fool.

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