Everyone has someone they aspire to be like in life. This is called a role model. A role model is defined as a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated. A person who inspires you does not always have to be someone you are related to. A role model can range from a celebrity or influencer that you look up to, to someone such as a coach or even a teacher. A perfect example of this is how Wart was influenced by Merlyn in The Once and Future King, although they are not related to one another. Role models are very influential to a person because they can motivate someone to become successful and become who they want to be, and because they shape how people view the world and those around them. A role model is the person whom an individual looks up to when they want to better themselves or even when they do not know what to do, which makes role models important. As developing humans, learning how to do new things and becoming who we are meant to be, “role models are a must for self-improvement because we must have a standard to strive for or compare ourselves with” (Fayyaz). This quote shows one reason why role models are important: they give us goals to chase and set a standard for us to reach in order for us to become successful. Another reason why role models are highly important is because they are human too, they make mistakes and have setbacks just like everyone else. Watching how our role models deal with certain situations “can motivate us to overcome challenges because they faced a lot of challenges and overcame those” (Fayyaz). It is normal to fail, everyone does, including celebrities, teachers, and coaches. This is why having a role model, even in bad situations, is actually a good thing. Not only can role models motivate people to get back up and try again, but teach them a lesson in life, helping them grow as an individual. Having a role model can also affect the way an individual develops to become who they are and what they believe in/support. People tend to base their opinions on the opinions of those around them and those who influence them. A perfect example of this is through social media. When an influencer, or someone’s role model, posts their opinions through social media, viewers' opinions can change because “media exposure doesn’t just impart information to viewers—it can also change individual attitudes and preferences” (Kearney and Levine 87). Not only can role models affect a person's opinions but fundamentally, “they can affect the way people view themselves and the world around them, and ultimately affect their decisions about how to conduct their lives” (Kearney and Levine 85). This is because of the role model effect. Typically, role models are the base of what people want to achieve and become in their lives, so this can lead to people imitating the way these role models and influencers live their lives. The influence role models have on the development of people today is significant. Role models shape opinions, are looked up to, can be a prime example of how you should act in a situation, and are a crucial part in the development of a person. Just as Merlyn influenced Wart to become the King that he turned out to be, coaches, teachers, celebrities, or influencers can shape people today. Commentary: Annabelle did a great job of incorporating the quotes she used into her paper and using them to argue reasoning, although she only used one quote from each of her sources. I think that Annbelle’s topic and the way she expressed her topic was very good and well thought out. I enjoyed reading her blog. I personally was a little confused by the thesis statement at first, so I think she could have made it a little more clear as to what she was talking about. I also think Annabelle’s paper flowed very nicely and was very well organized. Works Cited Fayyaz, Naveed. “Why Role Models Are Important.” DAWN.COM, 29 Sept. 2018, www.dawn.com/news/143558. Accessed 20 September 2021. Kearney, Melissa S. and Levine, Phillip B. “Role Models, Mentors, and Media Influences.” How Cultural Factors Shape Economic Outcomes, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 83-106, https://futureofchildren.princeton.edu/sites/futureofchildren/files/ foc_vol_30_no_1_combined_v6.pdf. Accessed 23 September 2021.

The Role Model Effect

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Nicole

October 20, 2021 1:20 pm

Nora, I really like how many examples you used that connects with role models in the story. What I think I would like to hear more of is examples in your experience to dig deeper into the topic. Overall very nice job connecting your topic to the book, Once and future King. Very well written I understood and related to the paper very well.

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