Good Role Models

Nomad · 06-04-2007, 01:53 AM

Gertrude Stein said, “Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense”. There is also a quote whom I not sure who was the first to say it, but, “birds of a flock fly together.” “If you lay with a dog, you are bound to get fleas.” What it is that I am trying to convey to you is that you must choose the crowd you hang out with carefully, as you will conform to their standards.

I spent the majority of my life hanging out with crowds that were filled with individuals that did not have the same morals or principles as I. As a result, I’ve led myself astray more times then I could count. I hung out with the class clowns, who made me become a class clown. I hung out with junkies and I too became a junkie. I hung out with dumb folks, and my grades showed that I too became dumb. Why was this? It was because the crowd I would hang out with found it acceptable to disrupt class, not to study and found it acceptable to do drugs on a daily basis.

I always had dreams to be successful and to me being successful meant being financially independent and a person who does good things in this world. Though the crowd I chose to surround myself with only hindered that. I got sidetracked and then spent time trying to find the road I once traveled. In the long run I’ve learned many lessons in life, and though that is wonderful, I’ve also fell behind.

It is important to hang out with individuals that you want to aspire too. It is a very smart strategic plan in fact. Like the first quote I mentioned, you learn from the people you are around, and you loose yourself because you conform to their standards. If you do not want to be like someone, why hang out with him or her? By hanging out with them, they become influential in your life, whether you like to admit it or not. I never saw myself as an intelligent guy, so I didn’t hang out with intelligent people. That right there did not help me in achieving one of my goals in life, which was to be smart. Choose good role models.

Betsybug0 · 06-04-2007, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad
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I spent the majority of my life hanging out with crowds that were filled with individuals that did not have the same morals or principles as I. As a result, I’ve led myself astray more times then I could count. I hung out with the class clowns, who made me become a class clown. I hung out with junkies and I too became a junkie. I hung out with dumb folks, and my grades showed that I too became dumb. Why was this? It was because the crowd I would hang out with found it acceptable to disrupt class, not to study and found it acceptable to do drugs on a daily basis.

I disagree with this, I have hung different groups aswell and I remain the same. Alot of my friends have different morals than me, dress differently, whatever. Why would you need good role models when you have direction yourself? I know where I am going and what I want to do, if someone is seriously bringing you down then ditch them, but I can honestly say I've never felt like I needed to swich crowds because people were affecting me in a negative way.

Nomad · 06-04-2007, 04:04 AM

Well for instance, if you have a friends who swear, you have a higher likely hood of swearing yourself. What it is I am saying is, if you hang out with people who swear, do drugs, or whatever, you are more prone to act like them as opposed to if you didn't hang out with them. I hang out with people who are really different than me, though I keep those people at bay for this reason. You will always have your 1 and whatever that this doesn't apply to. So, if you want to be a CEO of a company, hang out with a CEO and they will teach you stuff you cannot learn in a book. That will help you out in life. Not saying ditch all of your friends, but pick people who you aspire to be like, people who can teach you things, more than how to do a keg stand, or hit a bong because where will that come in handy in your future? So to answer your question, "Why would you need good role models when you have direction yourself?" If you want to become an accountant, what better way than knowing and being friends with one. They can give you direction on how to be successful in that field. You may have direction, but hang out with people who you wish to aspire, and they can give you advice from life's experience (more valuable than anything you read in a book). That is what I am saying by picking good role models. Hang out with people who can teach you, guide you, and help you become who you wish to become. That is all I am really saying.

Betsybug0 · 06-04-2007, 04:55 AM

Mhm, you didn't exactly say that in the bit copied above. It looks like you were talking about friends, not apprenticeships.

Nomad · 06-04-2007, 05:16 AM

Quote:

By hanging out with them, they become influential in your life, whether you like to admit it or not.

Doesn't that sum it all up? Besides, I felt, any I will be curious to hear what others think, I may not have said that exactly in that bit you copied, but read the entire article, and hopefully that is the point you get. Anyways, I appreciate your advice and will put it under advisement.

Betsybug0 · 06-04-2007, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad
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Doesn't that sum it all up? Besides, I felt, and I will be curious to hear what others think, I may not have said that exactly in that bit you copied, but read the entire article, and hopefully that is the point you get. Anyways, I appreciate your advice and will put it under advisement.

I DID read the entire article.:..:

Nomad · 06-04-2007, 08:10 PM

Then you must have missed the point...

Betsybug0 · 06-04-2007, 08:58 PM

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Whatever man.

sarah2 · 06-04-2007, 09:13 PM

I get what you mean and I think it is important to have good role models.
But "role models" do not have to be peers! A role model can be somone you have never even met! They just need to have qualities that you aspire to have.
I think you're right that with a lot of kids (especially when you're younger, you're just generally more easily swayed and things) they go along with what their peer group is doing.
Even unconciously I recon we all like to fit in. But well, I don't think it means you shouldn't be mates with them.
Like, if I'd done that yeah, and not been mates with anyone into drugs...etc, yeah, I may not have got drawn into that shit so quickly, but honestly, it would have happened anyway and I wouldn't change it for anything because I met some amazing people!
I don't think it's right to encourage people to stay away from people just because they are into different things or they have different moral values, try a bit of everything and then you can understand other peoples points of view and be less ignorant, then get on with people better and be way more accepting.
And also, finacial sucess isn't everything, happiness is way more important!
Yes, it is good to have goals and dreams and a good job that you enjoy, but making strategic friends to get there isn't fair!
Be friends with who you want to be, but I agree with being wary of not being sucked into an environment or sitation you are uncomfortable with because of your peer group.

Nomad · 06-04-2007, 09:19 PM

I agree with your reply. Role models don't have to be peers. I have a friend Andrew, who comes from a wealthy home, and really has no aspiration beyond being a guy who fixes cars, and getting stoned. Though our aspirations are far different than each other, we both enjoy each other. He makes me laugh, I make him laugh, we really share the same sense of humor. So you are right, it isn't all about the financial prism. I hang out with Andrew becuase he improves my sense of humor, and that is very important, because laughter makes you healthier.

It doesn't matter what you aspire to be, or what a person has that you wish to have as well. With Andrew it isn't that he is great w/computers and can teach me things, or anything like that. He improves my humorous side.

I will work on this article to try and convey that it isn't just about financial success, but being successful at life, which success can be anything to anybody. To me, to be successful, I will be happy as a person, have a great wife, kids, a house in the country, a good job, and good friends.

sarah2 · 06-04-2007, 09:22 PM

Exactly, happiness is the most important.
I know people who are terribly sucsessfu; in their work and filthy rich, but they are miserable because they spent no time on the rest of their life and relationships, at the same time I know people who have nothing and their life is pretty bleak, and man are they positive! They can be the happiest people, to appreciate so much more!
And like, a relationship does not have to involve gain or loss. Just enjoyment, that's all that is required.

*White Pearl* · 06-08-2007, 11:12 AM

I have always been my own person. I have changed dramtically over the past years. I have never bothered hanging around with people nor have i done anything to be "accepted" i have no role model, i am who i am. I am succesful on my own i dont need no tom dick harry to support me to get me where i am now, i am so lucky im not one of those people to be influenced by the so called croud and because of this i am where i am now.
Yes there are people that i have been inspired by , but i have no role model. I am only impressed by people who have a heart of sympathy and really do have brains, and that is no where to be seen these days, very very rarely.