Role Models

Can anyone out there suggest a good role model for young men or women? This is a question that has bothered me for some time, as I feel like most of the out-standing members of our society are such because they are unusual or have perfected a certain specialization, and not because they are a fine example of a quality human being. Lady Gaga is not a role model; neither is Paris Hilton, or sports stars whose 'life experience' consists of 100 000 repetitions of the same motion. 

With the increase in affluence and education that has occurred in our society over the last 20-50 years I feel like many traditional role models now come across as too simplistic for the needs of many individuals. Sports stars like Nick Reiwolt and Rafael Nadal for example, remain good examples of the virtues of modesty, hard work and dedication, but they are also immensely boring personalities. Our political leaders are regularly unmasked as petty, covetous, dishonest and untrustworthy. Individuals with character and moral integrity seem to be flocking to those parts of the world where they can really help, and leaving us with careerist politicians with no values other than power and even less vision. And while the awesome ideological figures of the past century – Ghandi, Mandela and King for example – remain poster-worthy, they were all religious, and that’s kind of a deal breaker for me. I want someone who is a high calibre individual who achieves big things without the security of religious belief – their own drive is enough.

I am convinced that if I plume the depths of popular culture long enough I will come across something suitable, but thus far the pickings have been sparse. Hollywood remains a dream factory, and American cultural exports like Sex and the City and Entourage typically present characters who are shallow, superficial and selfish. I have no doubt that Sex and the City had a big role to play in empowering women in some way, but some of the allegories drifting through the show are completely toxic. Throw-away lines like "in the end, you just want to be with someone who makes you laugh" go beyond dishonesty to the point of maliciousness. Mr. Big is a pathetic portrayal of masculine potential and an insulting stereotype of male behaviour - and then Carrie marries him!

But I digress. A new and very welcome trend has appeared in popular culture of late, which is to present characters who have very real flaws. Even superheroes, once the domain of the purest, most simplistic 'good guys', have started being depicted with significant personality problems. Iron man is now an alcoholic narcissist, Captain America a self righteous zealot, and Batman a shady individual who walks the precipice of insanity (please note that I am referring to comics not movies). In movies we can see the psychologically unhealthy characters of "Smart People", the self-righteous busybody who leads "The Blind Side" or the narrow and one-sided personalities of "Closer".

Now while this shift to realism is long overdue, it doesn't exactly help produce role models. Humans are generally imperfect creatures, and it seems a positive step to me to present realism rather than the bollocks of Grease or even the much more recent "He's Just Not That Into You", but I would also like to see less extreme characters who an audience member can relate to, and not just because they are average and thus a 'failure'. An example of an individual who leads a good life, possesses realistic virtues that are depicted honestly, and who everyone can learn from. I have had enough of super heroes and improbable prodigies like "Dexter" or "Good Will Hunting", I would like something I can model off, or at least draw some ideas from.

I have come across some examples. Clive Owen’s character in "The Boys are Back" is not bad. Some of the leads in "Higher Learning" are also decent. I also get the feeling that there are some quality female role models out there, or at least, characters who aren’t too flawed. I’ve always been partial to Karen and the bald dude’s ex-wife in "Californication", Juno had a pretty cool head on her shoulders, the lead in "An Education" was a very sensible girl (even before getting burned), and then there’s Nausicaa. Nausicaa is the lead in Hayao Miyasake’s film “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind”. Miyasake is, in my opinion, the best mythologist since the Hellenic period, and each and every one of his movies is re-shaping our collective unconscious. Please watch his stuff. Nausicaa is a fucking awesome character, and at the risk of being offensive, I wish there were more girls like her. She’s got an inordinate amount of strength, she’s brave, virtuous, healthy, in touch with the natural environment, aware of what she wants from life, intimate with her identity, and very, very feminine. I’d appreciate comments from other people regarding whether they were as touched as I was by this character, and also whether or not she is in fact as suitable a role model for women as I believe. I’d also appreciate it if people could bring other potential role models to my attention, especially male ones.