Okay, atheists (and other welcome wanderers), who are your role models? I got to thinking about this as I read through a few threads and found that one guy really likes Dawkin's cool rationalism and respectful manner in debate. That's great stuff to emulate.
As I drove down the road today, thinking about how cool and polite most of you are, and how hotheaded I have been lately, I decided it is time for me to find a new role model. Oddly enough, I immediately settled on our president elect. He is brilliant, well educated, polite, professional, well-spoken, cautious, cool-headed, a loving family man, a pioneer, a diplomat, an innovator, and a collaborator. I could do worse, eh? Of course, I don't need the hypergraphia, and even I dance better than he does, but nobody's perfect.
My previous role model was my grandmother, but she held me to a standard I couldn't hope to attain in this life. Jesus has been, and remains one of my role models, though I see him as a model for how to attain social justice and stand for what you believe in, rather than as a religious model. I also admire Michael Moore for his vision and his determination to force it upon as many Americans as he can. Maybe that's where I get my hotheadedness. Moore definitely gets pissed off, though he never loses his sense of humor.
So, who are your role models?
Me, dog gone it, me!
everybody i meet effects me and helps me grow in some way, in that sense, everybody is my role model. from a priest to a killer.
I don't really have any clear role models... The closest I can come to one is Alex Krycek from the X-Files. He worked for himself whoever he seemed to work for until the end. Ended badly for him too... No surprise... Some role model, eh?
Hrm... good question. I don't think I have any role models because no one is walking the same exact path as me. So, there are people that I admire, in lieu of that. A very short list.
Carl Sagan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan) (duh)
T.E. Lawrence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.E._Lawrence)
Paulo Freire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire)
Malcolm X (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X) (El Hajj Malik El Shabazz)
John Cleese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cleese)
Che Guevara (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara)
Joel-Peter Witkin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Peter_Witkin)
S'all I can think of at this moment.