Exemplars? Role models? Met any good ones?
So, The Boss and his wife are at dinner last night enjoying some friends and some great Italian food at Juliet’s on Barton Springs Road in the little townlet of Austin by God Texas.
The night is filled with good food, good drinks, and good conversation. The kind of conversation that folks, who have known each other for a long time and watched their kids grow up together, engage in with all barriers lowered and minds in gear.
The Boss ponders the question — who would a young person today look to in public life as an exemplar? As a role model? If you say Hillary or Donald, I will come to your house and do donuts in your flower beds, y’all. I am a Big Red Car and I can be very dangerous when provoked. Do not trifle with me.
Exemplars
There was once upon a time a slew of potential role models for a person to look up to and to model their own lives after.
There was George Catlett Marshal (Winston Churchill’s Architect of Victory in WWII, 5-star general, Army Chief of Staff, Secretary of State, special Ambassador to China, Secretary of Defense, President of the Red Cross, architect of the Marshall Plan which saved Europe, Time’s man of the Year x 2, Nobel Peace Prize winner, VMI graduate).
This was a man to model one’s life after.
Who today fits this mold? Who?
Last night, nobody could come up with a single name. The assembled intelligentsia was stumped.
Send me some names, y’all. Who are we missing? Help!
Role Models
There was a time that a young person could look up to their parents (still can), a teacher, a member of the clergy, a coach, an activity leader.
Today, those folks are in short supply. What are we to do.
The answer to that is easy — let’s live OUR lives like we are tasked to be exemplars and role models for our children and their children.
After much reflection, the assembled diners — filled with excellent Juliet’s Italian food and drink — came up with? BUPKIS!
But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car. Be good to yourself. Be good to each other. Be an exemplar and a role model.
