Michael Jackson...role model?

[teacups]

Angelina Jolie? A ROLE MODEL?

 

[redrosesix]

Angelina Jolie? A ROLE MODEL?

Well, with the UNICEF thing -- if she's not, MJ isn't either.

 

[luvsJack]

Different jurisdictions have different rules. In some, it is up to the victim and/or their family whether to follow through with a case even if the prosecution believes they have insufficient evidence to convict. In others, it is up to the police, the prosecutor or the grand jury -- the family may have no choice in the matter.

Really? I actually didn't know that. But, if that is the case we would have to see it to the end then; because there is no way in heck we wouldn't start.

I do agree with you about other, possibly better role models. Princess Diane is a great role model for her class in the face of adversity and her giving spirit. My daughter has found a role model in Tyra Banks, for her hard work and determination to reach her dreams.

Michael wasn't necessarily the greatest role model, this is true; but I don't believe that he was evil either.

 

[redrosesix]

Really? I actually didn't know that. But, if that is the case we would have to see it to the end then; because there is no way in heck we wouldn't start.

I do agree with you about other, possibly better role models. Princess Diane is a great role model for her class in the face of adversity and her giving spirit. My daughter has found a role model in Tyra Banks, for her hard work and determination to reach her dreams.

Michael wasn't necessarily the greatest role model, this is true; but I don't believe that he was evil either.

Tyra Banks is a great one.

Just to clarify, I'm not sure all of the people I listed are great role models, just that they are trying to be ie. very publicly supporting important causes. I was so mad when the press made fun of Princess Diana for wearing the land mines protective gear when she was trying to publicize the issues -- stupid tabloids!

MJ may very well have been a good role model to his children (or not) -- we don't really know because there are so many conflicting stories and he was a very private person when it came to his family. But that alone wouldn't be enough for me to encourage my DD to look up to him.

The other issue I wanted to ask everybody about is that if kids see MJ as a role model, wouldn't you be worried that the less desirable things would emulated too? eg. I need to get a nose job because MJ did. Can we really call somebody a role model for just some of the things that they do. Just wondering.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Tyra Banks is a great one.

Just to clarify, I'm not sure all of the people I listed are great role models, just that they are trying to be ie. very publicly supporting important causes. I was so mad when the press made fun of Princess Diana for wearing the land mines protective gear when she was trying to publicize the issues -- stupid tabloids!

MJ may very well have been a good role model to his children (or not) -- we don't really know because there are so many conflicting stories and he was a very private person when it came to his family. But that alone wouldn't be enough for me to encourage my DD to look up to him.

The other issue I wanted to ask everybody about is that if kids see MJ as a role model, wouldn't you be worried that the less desirable things would emulated too? eg. I need to get a nose job because MJ did. Can we really call somebody a role model for just some of the things that they do. Just wondering.

I just wanted to talk about the bolded part.

Ashley Tisdale got a nosejob.....would you want your daughter to be like her?

Cameron Diaz got a nosejob...would you want your daughter to be like her?

Jennifer Aniston got a nosejob...would you want your daughter to be like her?

Those are just 3 women that came to my mind, wasn't too sure of men that had their noses done. I also don't know if you have a daughter or son, I was just trying to make a point.

Celebrities get plastic surgery all the time and many deny it ALL the time because of how the media looks at them. They are paid for how they look and yes even MJ was. So as I have said before yes I would love for my children to one day want to be like him.

 

[DisneyBlonde]

Angelina Jolie? A ROLE MODEL?

for wannabe homewreckers maybe. And girls who wanna tongue kiss their brother.

 

[luvsJack]

Now I have learned something else new! I did not know that Ashley Tisdale had a nose job! She's another of dd's favorite people.

I do find myself admiring famous people that are more accepting of their own body and looks. Queen Latifa is one of my favorite people for this reason (now I guess I need to go check if she has had any "work done" ) These are also the people I point out to dd for that reason, I want her to know that she is beautiful just as she is and that plastic surgery is not a "have to".

For me, that is a downfall of MJ has a role model. BUT, I honestly believe that he had a mental illness toward plastic surgery. Maybe almost like a girl that is suffering for Anorexia sees herself as fat, I wonder if he always saw his nose as too wide or something.

But, then again as was said before, no one is perfect and I think that we can look at the positive in MJ and use that as an example of things one should do in their life. I don't think we can look at any one person and say "that's the perfect role model, in every aspect of their lives".

 

[teacups]

I just wanted to talk about the bolded part.

Ashley Tisdale got a nosejob.....would you want your daughter to be like her?

Cameron Diaz got a nosejob...would you want your daughter to be like her?

Jennifer Aniston got a nosejob...would you want your daughter to be like her?

Those are just 3 women that came to my mind, wasn't too sure of men that had their noses done. I also don't know if you have a daughter or son, I was just trying to make a point.

Celebrities get plastic surgery all the time and many deny it ALL the time because of how the media looks at them. They are paid for how they look and yes even MJ was. So as I have said before yes I would love for my children to one day want to be like him.

Michael Jackson himself once said that if everybody who had plastic surgery in Hollywood went on vacation the place would be deserted.



Of all the threads and websites I have been going to (and it's been too many I must confess) it's very sure that people will NEVER agree on their opinions of this man.

I personally admire him. I would have liked to have known him personally. I would have liked to call him a friend. He would have been so unimpressed and underwhelmed coming over for a BBQ at my house! But maybe thats just the kind of thing he needed in his life.

And I really should bug off all these boards now.
But... no guarantee

 

[redrosesix]

Now I have learned something else new! I did not know that Ashley Tisdale had a nose job! She's another of dd's favorite people.

I do find myself admiring famous people that are more accepting of their own body and looks. Queen Latifa is one of my favorite people for this reason (now I guess I need to go check if she has had any "work done" ) These are also the people I point out to dd for that reason, I want her to know that she is beautiful just as she is and that plastic surgery is not a "have to".

For me, that is a downfall of MJ has a role model. BUT, I honestly believe that he had a mental illness toward plastic surgery. Maybe almost like a girl that is suffering for Anorexia sees herself as fat, I wonder if he always saw his nose as too wide or something.

But, then again as was said before, no one is perfect and I think that we can look at the positive in MJ and use that as an example of things one should do in their life. I don't think we can look at any one person and say "that's the perfect role model, in every aspect of their lives".

Well...I picked the nose job thing because I didn't want to make this thread even more controversial ie. something MJ may have done but we couldn't agree on, like drug use -- we've had enough controversy. But then again, it horrifies me to think that my friends' sons wouldn't like their own noses because of something a pop star did (they're all too cute the way they are)

I think Queen Latifah is a great role model -- just googled her -- apparently she had a breast reduction done after she lost weight (understandable, I think) and she says she won't have anything else done. But she still looks like herself.

I agree with you -- there probably isn't one perfect role model. Right now, the big one around here is Sydney Crosbey, the hockey player. Apparently, he's a great guy, but then a lot of people couldn't care less about hockey.

 

[sbell111]

... I don't think we can look at any one person and say "that's the perfect role model, in every aspect of their lives".

That should be the takeaway from this thread. Anyone who has a child who has a famous role model should be pushing the lessen that while it is good to admire and emulate the positive things about this person, it is important to realize that they shouldn't emulate everything about him/her. They need to decide whether each individual aspect of his/her behavior is admirable.

Coincidentally, the other day, I watched the last few minutes of a Hannah Montana episode that tried to drive this point home.

 

[rabx5]

I don't know why I bother opening these threads

Good grief

 

[Aisling]

I don't know why I bother opening these threads

Good grief

I don't know why you'd open it, either. Well, I think I do.


Anyway, in my opinion, the term "role model" is used so carelessly these days. Well, maybe I'm using the wrong word when I say carelessly, but I mean without much thought to what it means. For my kids, I point out people who's lives they can use as a guide on how to be a moral, hard-working, responsible, strong in fighting to overcome adversity, kind to others, kind of person.

The name escapes me right now, but the man who wrote the book The Last Lecture is a person I bring up to my kids all the time. He found out he was dying of cancer and it made him realize to live life to the fullest, with honor and decency, loving his family and friends, fighting the urge for greed, and learning to love yourself without being "in love" with yourself.

I think we as a society get so star-struck with celebrities that we ignore and even defend their serious flaws. Their flaws don't make them bad people, but it does make them un-rolemodel-worthy to me.

 

[Elvistelth]

http://www.thelastlecture.com/
Randy Pausch

 

[Aisling]

http://www.thelastlecture.com/
Randy Pausch

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! That's the guy.

 

[rie'smom]

I just wanted to talk about the bolded part.

Ashley Tisdale got a nosejob.....would you want your daughter to be like her?

Cameron Diaz got a nosejob...would you want your daughter to be like her?

Jennifer Aniston got a nosejob...would you want your daughter to be like her?

Those are just 3 women that came to my mind, wasn't too sure of men that had their noses done. I also don't know if you have a daughter or son, I was just trying to make a point.

Celebrities get plastic surgery all the time and many deny it ALL the time because of how the media looks at them. They are paid for how they look and yes even MJ was. So as I have said before yes I would love for my children to one day want to be like him.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! That's the guy.

Can you really compare getting a simple nose job to the amount of surgery MJ had?

 

[redrosesix]

I don't know why you'd open it, either. Well, I think I do.


Anyway, in my opinion, the term "role model" is used so carelessly these days. Well, maybe I'm using the wrong word when I say carelessly, but I mean without much thought to what it means. For my kids, I point out people who's lives they can use as a guide on how to be a moral, hard-working, responsible, strong in fighting to overcome adversity, kind to others, kind of person.

The name escapes me right now, but the man who wrote the book The Last Lecture is a person I bring up to my kids all the time. He found out he was dying of cancer and it made him realize to live life to the fullest, with honor and decency, loving his family and friends, fighting the urge for greed, and learning to love yourself without being "in love" with yourself.

I think we as a society get so star-struck with celebrities that we ignore and even defend their serious flaws. Their flaws don't make them bad people, but it does make them un-rolemodel-worthy to me.

To me, this is the perfect definition of a role model. This is what I believed we were discussing in this thread.

 

[Missy1961]

I've been reading this thread and I finally feel like I have to add to it.

I don't feel that any celebrity (athlete, actor, etc.) is a role model. There, I said it. Yes, I know that no-one is perfect. But I've always felt that we can admire the athlete or actor for their skill, but I don't know enough about how they live their life. Anybody remember Kirby Puckett? He was a great baseball player, always had a smile, did lots of charity work, stayed in Minnesota when he could have left for more money. He had to retire when he got glacoma. Great role model, right? Wrong. After he died, it came out how he had affairs, threatened his wife, and on. And almost any celebrity mentioned in this thread has similar skeletons in his or her closet.

I don't have kids, but if I did, I'd prefer their role models to be someone in their life--their grandpa (my dad) who worked his butt off to provide for his family, loved their grandma until the day she died, who took care of his wife when she was ill, who is always there for people who need him. Is he perfect? Of course not, but he's pretty darn close. He's my role model.

 

[luvsJack]

That should be the takeaway from this thread. Anyone who has a child who has a famous role model should be pushing the lessen that while it is good to admire and emulate the positive things about this person, it is important to realize that they shouldn't emulate everything about him/her. They need to decide whether each individual aspect of his/her behavior is admirable.

Coincidentally, the other day, I watched the last few minutes of a Hannah Montana episode that tried to drive this point home.

Exactly! Sometimes our kids pick their own role models and we as parents do not get a whole lot of say so in the matter. When that happens, we can't exactly tell them "NO, you can't pick that person!". I think the positives of MJ are definitely something you can hope for your child to emulate; I would just want to have a talk about the negatives so that they understand that they are negatives and not to be emulated.

 

[luvsJack]

I've been reading this thread and I finally feel like I have to add to it.

I don't feel that any celebrity (athlete, actor, etc.) is a role model. There, I said it. Yes, I know that no-one is perfect. But I've always felt that we can admire the athlete or actor for their skill, but I don't know enough about how they live their life. Anybody remember Kirby Puckett? He was a great baseball player, always had a smile, did lots of charity work, stayed in Minnesota when he could have left for more money. He had to retire when he got glacoma. Great role model, right? Wrong. After he died, it came out how he had affairs, threatened his wife, and on. And almost any celebrity mentioned in this thread has similar skeletons in his or her closet.

I don't have kids, but if I did, I'd prefer their role models to be someone in their life--their grandpa (my dad) who worked his butt off to provide for his family, loved their grandma until the day she died, who took care of his wife when she was ill, who is always there for people who need him. Is he perfect? Of course not, but he's pretty darn close. He's my role model.

Oh, I agree with you; but as I said sometimes we don't get to pick our kid's role models. You mentioned an athlete that no one knew a whole lot about. Actually I think one of the problems with society is that we do know too much about athletes and entertainers.

My oldest son idolized Otis Nixon as a baseball player. He would watch every Braves game to watch Otis play and taped a lot of them to watch him over and over. He learned to be an excellent base runner and to be almost perfect at sliding by watching this man. Now, we have no clue about the man's personal life (there may be info out there ds just didn't look for it) and that is probably a good thing for a 10 year old boy. Otis Nixon was his idol in baseball, not in life.

Kids idolize famous people that's just the way it is. For my dd, she has picked Tyra Banks. This woman may have skeletons in her closet that will curl my hair, but we are going to leave them in the closet.

If we as a society would stop trying to know things about famous people that we really have no business knowing, we wouldn't have to concern ourselves with whether their private life is "role-model worthy".

 

[teacups]

If we as a society would stop trying to know things about famous people that we really have no business knowing, we wouldn't have to concern ourselves with whether their private life is "role-model worthy".

And the celebrities could have a life, too.