When I was a little boy my hero was Major Steve Austin, aka the 6 Million Dollar Man. He was a cool dude. What's not to like? He had super powers, cool sound effects, and even had a bionic girlfriend. It was a rude awakening when I realized the 6 Million Dollar Man was not a real person. That was a sad day, like the day in grade school when I found out there was no such thing as professional kickball and it would end after 6th grade. I have since looked for new role models.
When I saw Ben Hur as a kid I later went through a Charleton Heston phase. I wished I could be as dramatic and cool as him. It's easy to idolize fictitious role models like Steve Austin, Indiana Jones, and Michael Jordan.... I guess Jordan was technically human, but you know what I mean. I think it's great to have heroes, mentors, and role models, but it always kills me when someone I look up to screws up and ends up with a tarnished reputation or in jail. Thanks a lot OJ!
I'd like to do another one of my surveys. I'd really like to hear your comments on this topic. Let me know who you idolized when you were younger. Who has inspired you in the past or who do you still wish you could be like now? Did any of you accomplish your goal? It doesn't have to be a famous person either.
11 comments:
I admired Helen Keller a lot as a kid. Apart from pretending I was blind and wandering around touching my brother's and sister's faces and repeating the words "wa wa" a lot, I never really did become like her.
I have always admired those who overcome great odds though...
Man, this is tough! I did idolize The Greatest American Hero. I think I achieved that.
I was tempted to say 'Hogan's Heros', but I'll have to go with Indiana Jones since you mentioned him.
I always hoped that William Shatner would have died after Star Trek went off the air. He would have been frozen in our memories as the James Dean of Science Fiction. There were many embarassing lean years between his classic SNL skit ("Have any of you ever kissed a girl?") and his great, great turn as Denny Crane on 'Boston Legal'. He has an self depreciating sense of his own fame and can joke WITH us now about all the things that make him cool. Who would have even thunk it. But as a kid...Captain Kirk was the bomb baby. In the "Gamesters of Triskelion" when he tore off that restraining collar at the end I yelled "FUCK YEH KIRK" at the screen and go grounded for a week. I didn't care because my mother just didn't understand and I felt sorry for her.
Now for REAL people - Muhammed Ali...the 'Rumble in the Jungle' with George Foreman was one of the great moments in my life. I worshiped Ali and had the action figure and everyone was telling me he would loose and when he won I screamed off the balcony at anyone who could hear me.
I have always admired Zorro and The Lone Ranger.
Loved 6 million dollar man.
I TOTALLY idolized The Bionic Woman. Then A few yrs ago I saw her on a mattress infomercial. And then I MET her at a world peace type conference, and she was this lame hippie chick. sigh. I was crushed to see that the BIONIC woman who DEFEATED bigfoot was walking around in a floor length crushed velvet skirt and patchwork vest. NOOOOOOOOOOOO.
I guess I've never had any heroes. I've admired a variety of people and their accomplishments, but I've never preferred one single individual.
I suddenly find myself wondering if I missed out on something. ;)
SUPERMAN!
I think I idolized singers, like Kurt Cobain. I never wanted to blow my head off, but I loved the tortured soul thing he had going.
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