Who is your role-model?

[Seiji]

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It is a natural thing in life for us to have role-models in and for our lives. They are people for us to aspire to be like, whether it be through virtues, morals, life goals, or simply how we look and dress.

Celebrities and athletes tend to make a vast majority of our modern-day role-models-- wealth, fame, and beauty are things a lot of people, not just Americas, aspire to achieve. Additionally, these are people that have "made it" in their lives; they've achieved that American Dream of living luxuriously, without any of the petty worries that people who live paycheck to paycheck have to deal with. Some have done wonderful things in their lives, or have endured terrible hardships. Even businessmen have achieved this celebrity status as well, and they've become (some have been) role-models thanks to this exposure.

Celebrities aren't the only ones out there serving to be role-models however. There are living and past political figures, military and nation state leaders, poets and philosophers, educators, even people in our personal lives. For whatever your reasons, you have looked up to them, and aspired to be just a little bit something like them. So I ask you this:




Who is your role-model? What have they done, what do they embody? What is it about them that you aspire to? Why?




My role-model is in the picture above: Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America. A comic book character created during World War II and revived during the 60's, he's an individual I aspire to be like. He is virtuous; he does the right thing, no matter how difficult it is. He is compassionate. He strives for truth and dignity, and he always stands up for his ideals. He doesn't allow evil to flourish, rather he fights it at every turn, even if it isn't his fight to have. He stands up for the 'little man', and he stands down the man who is wrong, no matter how strong or powerful they are. He is an ideal in and of himself.

I want to be like that. I want to be able to be steadfast in my beliefs and principles, I want to be a virtuous man. I want to be able to hold strong in the face of adversity, and stand up for what is right, not just what I believe in, but what is right. If I can just be a fraction like Cap, I think I would be a much better person, and live a much more fulfilling life.

 

[Michiru]

I love this! Captain America is high on my list, but mine is definitely Clark Kent aka Kal-el.

Not just because you used a comic book superhero either. He's always been the hero who stood for utter and true justice. He puts this dream in front of everything because he knows he may be the only one willing to do so.

 

[Aine]

That is a simple question. My role-model is - and always will be - my grandpa. He had a difficult life as his parents were farmers and that wasn't a popular occupation in the communist-controlled Slovakia. And that's an understatement. The communists confiscated their lands, liquidated their social standing and even discriminated their children in various ways. My grandpa was an exceptionally smart man with excellent grades, but he was forbidden from studying at university because of his parentage. It was an injustice, pure and simple, but did he let it get to him? No. He persevered, remained in high-spirits and when the regime fell, he completed his education (while working to support his family) and became a high school teacher. That's super admirable in my opinion.

My grandpa was the most intelligent, hard-working and resilient man I've ever known. Is it so hard to understand I want to be like him?

 

[Smo]

Robert Downey Jr.

Now, I know it probably seems crazy, but the way he picked himself off the ground was nothing short of inspiring. He has proven your background doesn't matter in the long run of success. Despite everyone losing faith in him during his stint, he pretty much kept trying in the end. He made a huge turnover in his life and became a well respected individual.

 

[Lady B]

My role model is Soraya Post of F! (short for Feministic Initiative, a swedish political party) who is running for a spot on the EU parliament.

She wasn't born with any special powers, in fact, having a roma mother and a jewish father, she has been considered less than a human being without the advantages of most people. Yet despite of this she has fought for equal rights and an in general awesome ideology.

 

[Fijoli]

Who is your role-model? What have they done, what do they embody? What is it about them that you aspire to? Why?

I have a few Obvious people I Look to as Role models.

Leonardo Da Vinci
H.P. Lovecraft
Tim burton
Amano
Nobuo
Stan Lee
Albert Einstein
Thomas Edison

These are my obvious Role models, For the simple reason that What they did, They did every day and they did it alot, Accomplished Alot, and never stopped.

As for my Fictional Role model, It would have to be....This chick

Dorothy was that Normal girl, nothing extra special about her, misunderstood and lonely in kansas.

Dorothy taught me that true strength didn't come from Muscle or Defense. It came from yourself and your ability to care for others even those who were evil. This chick taught me Unconditional love and how to use it, as what some might call, a Super Power.

That when faced with strange new colors of life there is an equal darkness ahead of you and the only way you become stronger is to feel all of those scary, dark, uncomfortable things.

When you reach the other side of that darkness, The sun is brighter, Life is new, and starting over is something that happens not just in our dreams. It Happens only when we Bring our dreams to the woken when we wake.

Sometimes I wonder, If I will ever collect all of my Brains, Heart, and courage into one neat collective whole, But I am certainly making it my Life goal to smile and Keep moving through the scariest parts of life, and all the while, always doing what is right, always take the High Road, never what comes easy.

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[Fluffy]

I gave it some serious thought... My mother's always been my role model. The school papers I've written on who's my hero or whatever, I always picked my mom. For good and bad reasons. Based on the life changing mistakes she's made, I know what risks I shouldn't dare take. That poor woman's endured SO. MUCH. SHIT... I can't even believe how tough she is sometimes.

She's taught me many valuable lessons, some of which were harsh and some of which were small. My mom told me to always be true to myself, do what makes me happy, and throw sand in the eyes of people who are keeping me down. She's strong, she's wise, she's...she's my mom. <3 Do I want to be just like her? Hell no. (I take more after my dad actually, even though he hasn't been around much.) But I wouldn't want anyone else for my life teacher.

As far as fictional role models go, it's always been this guy:

 

[Peter Feels]

Marv from Sin City. I was a lot like him as a child and as I grew I only became more so.

 

[Zen]

Human rights defenders, animal rights advocates, environmentalists, artists, writers, dancers anyone who is fighting for a better world or trying to make it better while facing adversity is my role model. I don't have a particular person in mind but knowing that there are so many good people in the world fighting for a cause is enough to inspire me.

 

[Seiji]

Amazing list guys! Speaks volumes of the kind of people we have here at Iwaku. <3

 

[Lady Sabine]

Hmm... I have a few.

Evey from V for Vendetta (movie version) comes to mind. She's human. She's weak, and frightened, and normal. But it is her, in no small way, that enacts the change in the world. She is the second wave of revolution, the rebuilding and forgiving aspect to V's vengeant anarchist. She's brave not because she doesn't feel fear, but because she can work in the face of it... and realizes that her principles, in the end, mean more. Yet at the same time she does not lose her goodness and her sense of optimism. She was not made a monster.

Then I would have to say agent Maria Hill of the Marvel universe, particularly as she appears in The Avengers and Captain America 2. She is the most major character without any unique/incredibly powerful enhancements or equipment, yet without her the entire structure of The Avengers Initiative would crumble. Fury relies on her strongly for advice and organization, and sometimes protection. She knows what's what, can hold her own even against people with powers that greatly exceed her own, and is always there when they need her. She reminds me of the value of having a good wingman (er, woman). A support team that keeps the stars shining. Also, she's a poster child for feminism. The very first action scene is hers, and it's a car chase- and she really does kick Hawkeye's butt when it comes to skill behind the wheel. Take that, bad woman driver stereotypes!

Captain "Mad Jack" Churchill also comes to mind. That crazy motherfucker went into WWII with a broadsword, a longbow, and bagpipes. He's the only officer credited with an archery kill. He was one of the first commandos, escaped POW camps twice, and was pissed when the US won the war, reportedly claiming that if the "damned yanks" hadn't interfered, they could have had a good five years of fighting. He reminds me to do what I love the way I love it, even if everyone around me thinks I'm downright retarded.

Lastly, my grandfather. He got my mother's side of the family out of rural Oklahoma and a future of alfalfa farming & horse rustling! Plus he got through 4 years of ROTC weighing less than 120 lbs, then became the Army's first Environmental Science Officer (tied with two others, they three founded the entire division). Even though I'm not Christian, his devotion to his faith (even the parts he doesn't like) truly humble me. He visited men in prison- not ministered, not witnessed, visited. He donates a large chunk of money to charity every time his checks roll in. He put three kids through college and has already offered to help me out. Once a guy he hired to trim his tree turned out to be homeless, so he opened his home to the guy and his wife for three weeks until they got their feet under them- I don't have to believe that Jesus was the son of god to believe that inspiring your followers to do something like that is fucking awesome. He's been married to my grandmother for 60 years and even though the Parkinsons is getting bad and he's kind of a grumpy old man now, he still brings flowers and chocolates and jewelry. Plus he always manages to find time for me, even though I'm the youngest grandkid, and gives the best presents (even when he thinks they're stupid, he gets me things that I truly love). I have zero desire for kids, much the less grandkids, but I hope I can be just half of the awesome influence he is on me to somebody else.