Everyone needs a role model. People of all socioeconomic structures need/use a role model. At some point in everyone's life they get lost and look to someone else for a way to find themselves. People have been generally rigid minded in their selection of a role model through history. Kids, with higher socioeconomic status generally choose a role model of like status to aspire to be. Kids of lower socioeconomic status had/have fewer choices to choose from even as recently as the 70s and 80s. A black kid in the ghetto had to choose between being a sports athlete or drug dealer. I think that in the past 10 to 15 years choosing a race similar role model has become more outdated.
This concept works both ways. A very wealthy white young man can look up to Lebron James and want to aspire to be a great basketball player; or a poor african-american can grow up with aspirations to be Bill Gates. With the advent and popularity of the internet and tv many kids have the availability of many more stories about people's trials and tribulations. In the world today people of completely different socioeconomic status have the same access to information. Both poor children and rich children have access to the internet a place with boundless information. I believe the information is the most key part of choosing role model.Kids want a role model with a similar story, and before the internet all kids could relate to was nationality. Kids today aren't only hearing about the great successes of African American athletes, they are hearing/reading about the success of people of all races.
On the topic of a role model's nationality race just does not play as huge of a role as it once did. Yes, some role models are chosen because they are black role models, or Jewish role models but it is foolish to think that all or most are chosen based on nationality. The socioeconomic spheres of rich and poor, black or white are meshing in to one sphere. People of all nationalities have the ability today to choose what to aspire to instead of choosing the option thats predetermined.
Nathan,
ReplyDeleteTo what point do you think gender comes into it when choosing a role model? I ask because I was thinking about your post, and it makes sense to me that some of (certainly not all) of the ethnic barriers have been eroded, but come to think of it I relate better to men, so I think most of my role models are men. What do you think? What do your role models look like? For some of you, I'm sure there's not a pattern. But for some of us, there must be, right-- I mean, just based on our "circles," and who we come into contact with.