Being born in a world without a plan of the direction your life should go, it’s only fitting you find someone that resembles your ideal dreams and mimic their life. People we look up to are our role models or modern day heroes because they’re relatable, they give us an idea of how our future should look and the path we should follow. Both articles “What Makes Superman So Darned American?” by Gary Engle and “Larger Than Life” by Jenny Lyn Bader give insight on their idea of role models or heroes. Bader focuses on explaining why a more realistic role model such as, the people around us that go through real situations with consequences is better. Opposing to Engle’s idea of mythical super heroes such as cowboys and superman. Though they have
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Bader describes role models as the people around us like our parents, grandparents, the cast members of Beverly Hills 90210, someone who is able to go on talk shows, or even host them, etc. Bader gives a lot of examples on what a role model should do and what they should not do. Bader states “Role models are admirable individuals who haven’t given up their lives and livelihoods and may even have a few hangups…They are therefore more likely than heroes to be free for lunch , and they are oftener still alive.” Bader states some valid points as to why heroes are not influential or beneficial to society. She states “Heroes don’t have the luxury of staff writers… Hercules can’t go on Nightline and pledge to stop taking steroids… Prometheus can’t get a presidential pardon” ( Bader 1). She goes on to state the difference between a role model and a hero. “While a hero might be a courageous head of state, a saint, a leader of armies, a role model might be someone who put in a three day presidential bid, your local minister, your boss. They don’t need their planes to go down in flames to earn respect. Role models have a job, accomplishment, or hairstyle worth emulating... They don’t go on hunger strikes; they diet ” ( Bader 1/2). Bader discusses an informal poll she took and came up with the conclusion that people replaced impersonal heroes with most personal role models. This elaborates …show more content…
Engle states “... a medium intimately connected with immigrant culture, there simply was no image that presented a blending of identities in the assimilation process in a way that stressed pride, self, confidence, integrity, and psychological well- being. None, that is, until Superman” (Engle 7). Superman’s persona is comforting because it has become relatable. In contrast Bader ends her claim with a story of one of her colleagues, who when asked for her heroes told the story of her great grandmother. “A woman whose husband left her with three kids in Galicia, near Poland, and went to the United States ….When she made it to America, her husband soon died, and she supported her family”( Bader 3) Bader adds this to elucidate a hero doesn’t necessarily have to save someone from a burning building or save the planet, for them to be highly esteemed. Simply doing something that someone can benefit or learn from later in the future or something that can inspire someone, will make you a role
Bader describes role models as the people around us like our parents, grandparents, the cast members of Beverly Hills 90210, someone who is able to go on talk shows, or even host them, etc. Bader gives a lot of examples on what a role model should do and what they should not do. Bader states “Role models are admirable individuals who haven’t given up their lives and livelihoods and may even have a few hangups…They are therefore more likely than heroes to be free for lunch , and they are oftener still alive.” Bader states some valid points as to why heroes are not influential or beneficial to society. She states “Heroes don’t have the luxury of staff writers… Hercules can’t go on Nightline and pledge to stop taking steroids… Prometheus can’t get a presidential pardon” ( Bader 1). She goes on to state the difference between a role model and a hero. “While a hero might be a courageous head of state, a saint, a leader of armies, a role model might be someone who put in a three day presidential bid, your local minister, your boss. They don’t need their planes to go down in flames to earn respect. Role models have a job, accomplishment, or hairstyle worth emulating... They don’t go on hunger strikes; they diet ” ( Bader 1/2). Bader discusses an informal poll she took and came up with the conclusion that people replaced impersonal heroes with most personal role models. This elaborates …show more content…
Engle states “... a medium intimately connected with immigrant culture, there simply was no image that presented a blending of identities in the assimilation process in a way that stressed pride, self, confidence, integrity, and psychological well- being. None, that is, until Superman” (Engle 7). Superman’s persona is comforting because it has become relatable. In contrast Bader ends her claim with a story of one of her colleagues, who when asked for her heroes told the story of her great grandmother. “A woman whose husband left her with three kids in Galicia, near Poland, and went to the United States ….When she made it to America, her husband soon died, and she supported her family”( Bader 3) Bader adds this to elucidate a hero doesn’t necessarily have to save someone from a burning building or save the planet, for them to be highly esteemed. Simply doing something that someone can benefit or learn from later in the future or something that can inspire someone, will make you a role