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Look at the pictures above. Which of these people are more likely to become role models?
Explain. How can an ordinary person become a role model? Do you think that there are times
when a common man has an edge over a celebrity? What types of people influence the young
in your country?
Role Models and Idols
As human beings, we are similar to each other, but as individuals we are different from each other.
Each is a unique personality, having both positive qualities and negative qualities that we have
gradually picked up throughout our growing-up years. We have been influenced by our families,
schoolmates, friends and most about everybody else around us. Some influences have been positive,
others have been negative, but, either way, we are always looking to others to find out how we fit in
this world.
Our parents were our first role models. They brought us up and taught us to be polite and friendly. We
were taught to greet and respect people, and help those who may need our help. Later, when we
started going to school, we got to know more people and had to learn how to get on with them. We
learned to be tolerant, patient and self-disciplined, but also determined and hard-working. These
qualities are necessary if we want to be successful. At school, we learned how to compromise and
cooperate with others to be able to fulfil the tasks we were given. We also learned to share our ideas
with others. For some of us, our teachers became our role models and helped us to cope with
problems and overcome difficulties.
As we grew, we became more and more aware of what is good and what is bad. Now, hopefully, we
are able to tell the difference between polite and rude behavior, to tell the difference between people
with high moral standards and those who live without these standards.
The teenage years are perhaps the most important period in the development of our personalities. But
teenagers tend to look for role models outside their family or school. They have the ideals that their
parents and teachers taught them, but still they look for idols – people they can admire and follow.
Because teenagers love music, movies and sport, they might choose people they read about in
newspapers and magazines, like pop singers, movie stars and famous sportsmen. Younger teenagers
idolize celebrities and try to imitate them in clothing, hairstyles and lifestyles. The influence celebrities
have on the younger generation is really important, yet, it seems that not all pop stars understand or
are even aware of this fact.
Some celebrities live lives that few parents would not approve of. It seems these rich and famous
performers ignore the fact that what they do can influence their fans negatively. They are drug or
alcohol addicted their behavior is eccentric and often wild, they do not respect people around them
and they think they are better than others. These celebrities are usually rich enough to get help some
time later in life, but some never make it that far and die young. Some young people follow in their
footsteps, falling into addiction, alcoholism and partying, not realizing that they don’t have the money
for alcohol or drug treatment facilities. Unfortunately, these kids might never get help.
Parents, teachers, celebrities, the society in which young people live – all these play important roles in
the behavior young people learn and the moral principles they acquire. It they fail to teach youngsters
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how to behave, young people will grow up selfish, mean unhelpful and rude. Unfortunately, we can
already see it every day – crime is on the rise in robberies, assaults, rapes and murders.
Intolerance, rudeness and wild behavior show that there are people who cheat, bribe and try to
make profit in every situation.
On the other hand, there are some famous people who are positive role models. These are the ones
who have worked really hard to achieve success. Some organize live performances and mega
concerts to raise money for charities who work with orphaned children, starving people or those
suffering from terrible diseases, like AIDS.
Good role models can’t be found in literary works, too – in stories and novels. Most literary heroes
are people with high moral standards with whom readers can identify and whose example they may
follow.
Last but not least, there are everyday heroes (i.e. lifeguards, fire-fighters, soldier, etc.), people who are
brave and do not hesitate to risk their lives and help the victims of natural and man-made disasters,
such as earthquakes, floods, droughts and war. Their courage and high moral standards make them
excellent role models which no one should be afraid to follow.
None of us is perfect. Each of us has both positive and negative character and personality traits. But
every person, when he becomes an adult, can choose the kind of a person he will be – one who either
respects people or tries to help them in any situation, or who cares only about himself. Either way one
day we may become a role model for someone else. What type of role model will we be?
VERY USEFUL QUESTIONS TO ANSWER AND PREPARE
1. The person I admire the most – who is it? (name, age, job…), why do you admire him/her?
(positive qualities, your experiences with him/her,…), do you identify with him/her? How? Is it
important for you to have this person you admire? Why? Does it help you and how? Which
his/her quality is the most important for you?
2. Try to characterize these words: idol, hero.
3. Who do you think has had the most influence on your life so far? Why? Who inspires you the
most in life?
4. Do you approve of people who become famous as a consequence of appearing again and
again in the media and not because of having an influence or an artistic career?
Some positive qualities:
honest
joyful
kind, nice
likeable
loyal
modest
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affable, amiable
ambitious
amusing
ardent, passionate
attentive
brave, courageous, fearless
calm, composed
cautious
decent, polite
dutiful
enterprising
faithful
good-natured
shrewd
sincere
witty
wise
Some negative qualities:
absent-minded
bad-tempered, grumpy
boorish
calculating
churlish
cocky
conceited
deceitful
egoistic
furious
guileful
hateful
haughty
hot-tempered
ill-mannered
inconsiderate
inquisitive
insincere
intolerant
irritable
lazy, sluggish
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moody
nervous
niggardly
obstinate, pig-headed
quarrelsome
revengeful
rude
Simulation
Make a list of 5 people that you think are iconic. Justify your choice. Talk about someone that is
considered iconic, but you think does not fulfil the conditions. Do you know any good role models for
teenagers?