In discussion with a number of young people as regards "role models," many of them expressed disappointment when those who they considered to be role models behaved in ways that caused disillusionment. This disappointment can be due to the fact that people might expect a role model to be perfect. This is a human impossibility.Who then is a role model?
I would like to suggest that a role model is one in whom there is goodness and in whose life there is continuous improvement. Thus if we were to look closely at our lives, there would be something about us or our behaviour that we can call good. However the question is: is there continuous improvement in our lives?
Our challenge therefore is to engage a process of change and self-development as we work toward creating a civil society. This is possible when we make the choice to engage in a self-examination process. In our culture, as in many other cultures, we spend much of our time examining things and people. While that might be important, it would be of greater value to us if we would spend time examining ourselves.
The philosopher Socrates, as many are aware, said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." At best, this implies that we could only meaningfully exist with self-examination. Being a role model, which we are defining as one who is continuously improving his or her life in terms of maturity, requires having respect for the other.
Here respect can be defined as acknowledging the value of the other and the validity of the other person's position, whether we agree with that position or not. Thus respectwould lead to a desire for a deeper understanding of the other, the establishment of true dialogue and the celebration of differences. We do not therefore have to like someone to respect him or her.
In addition, this role model is one who pursues truth. In our society, many have opinions. And people are free to have opinions. But their opinions may not be factual or true. And some choose not to be truthful for reasons best known to them.The one therefore who pursues truth could be seen as being very different from the rest of the members of society.
Writer and critic George Orwell, author of Animal Farm, wrote, "During times ofuniversal deceit,telling the truthbecomes a revolutionaryact." And in this context it is indeed necessary to be revolutionary in our effort to become role models and exemplars for others to follow.
Being a role model assumes engaging learning as a lifelong process. And the one necessary outcome of learning is change. However, there seems to be a resistance to learning. Many have become quite comfortable with what they know and are not open to new and different thoughts and ideas which may bring adjustment to their behaviour. This is indeed one of the greatest threats to personal and self-development.
The refusal to learn is one of the frightening realities of our society. If, for example, our leaders are not learning, then they are not true role models and they will remain arrogant and ignorant, and so, too, those who are being led. With these implications to continuous learning, therefore, the role model will begin to make a difference.
What do we need most in our nation at this time? Do we not need priests and politicians; parents and teachers; policeofficers and lawyers; taxi drivers and market vendors; journalists and entertainers; sportsmen and sportswomen who are role models?
Recently, someone shared with me a statement which is at the heart of becoming a role model: "The only person I need to be better than is the person I was yesterday."
Reverand Elvis Elahie
Acting Principal St Andrew's
Theological College