We're All Role Models

I work at a local radio station, and a listener responding to something said on-air texted us, “Athletes are not role models!” I beg to differ. Every single one of us is a role model. It’s said, “No man is an island,” so we have contact with other people. Most of us have interactions with others on a daily basis. That means people are watching us, regardless of how little heed they pay us. The athletes that listener mentioned has a bigger audience than the average person. That makes it more important for him (or her) to act in a civilized manner, because if children and youths see bad behavior allowed by that athlete, they’ll think it’s okay. The average person, however, has a smaller following. That makes it more important to explain why the bad behavior of that athlete is wrong. If we don’t, that youth has questionable activity accepted, if not exactly condoned. Our “reach” cannot rival any of the thousands of politicians or world-class athletes who can get away with bad behavior. That’s why our “reach” is so important. We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard, because most of them won’t.