A role model is someone whose behaviour, example or
success can be emulated by others. A role model is supposed to provide a social
mirror especially for the young people through which they can see and imagine
what they would like to be when they grow up. Role models are particularly very
important in shaping attitudes and behaviour of teenagers and young people.
Teenagers are particularly very vulnerable when it comes to role modelling since they are a group that is experiencing identity crisis.
When a child is growing up
the first role model they meet and try to emulate is the parent of the same
sex. Where there is love and trust a boy will strive to be like his father and
a girl will strive to be like her mother.
In this modern world where according to Dr. Myles
Monroe these things are happening; political confusion, constitutional
revision, social transition, ideological reinvention, philosophical
instability, moral manipulation, value vacillation, religious conflict, technological advancement,
economic interdependence, globalization and redefinition of terms, the young
people are a confused lot. We are living in an era where parents have
neglected their parental responsibilities in pursuit of wealth; where due to
liberalization, permissiveness, compromise, immorality and re-engineering of
morality, marriage is no longer as sacred as it used to be which leaves parents
marrying and divorcing as they please. This in turn has led to a new generation
that knows not the value of parenthood. Many women more than ever are raising
boys without fathers and many men likewise are raising girls without mothers.
This has led to an identity and role confusion. This may be the reason why we
are grappling with homosexuality and terming it a human right-not that I have
anything against homosexuals except, it is unnatural.
When young people can’t find a role model at home,
they have a wide variety to choose from outside home thanks to the media. On
social media, they find musicians, television and radio personalities, sports
men and women and movie stars. They are celebrities and young people idolize
them. They try to ape everything they do; they wear, talk, walk and behave like
their celebrity role models. They begin to listen to words of their celebrity
role models more that they listen to their own parents. It is also known to us
that the celebrities do not make a secret of their immoral behaviour, alcohol
and drug abuse and glamorization of dying due to an overdose in the media. Modern movies and TV programs shamelessly glorify homosexually. All these
things will make young people feel that being homosexual is trendy; having a
body covered in tattoos is cool, taking drugs and substances is part of modern
lifestyle and belonging to a criminal gang and perpetuating atrocities is the city life of
a young person. The naked models on the covers of magazines and the glamour of
riches that follow porn stars make young people normalize sexual immorality.
Someone once said, your own initiative and
hard-work can only take you to a certain level, but to take you your final
destination, you need to surround yourself with people who believe in you, who
share the same dream as yours and who have successfully done what you aspire to
do. These people you surround yourself with, are supposed to be your role
models. It is therefore necessary that you put yourself into relationship where
you are growing and not dying.
If you have got teachers, parents, friends and
mentors who are negative about life, then you will end up as a negative person.
It therefore calls on you to vet the company that choose to keep and the advice
that you choose to follow. As I have discussed before, attitude is contagious
and the kind of people you keep around you will have a lasting impact on your
character. Do not emulate people because they are on television or because
everybody likes then. You need to assess your role model very carefully.
A good role model is one who:
a)
Has a good and admirable character.
b)
Possesses similar talents as you and
is more successful than you are.
c)
Is approachable and easy to talk
to-celebrities are hardly good role models because most of the time they will
not be available.
d)
Is concerned about your need to be
successful and is willing to lend a hand.
e)
Is already successful and his success
can be attributed to hard-work
f)
Has been in your current position of
life before gaining a better position. If you are coming from a poor
background, look for someone who can be able to share similar background with
you.
No comments:
Post a Comment