Role models

Left over from my earlier post, I think it is interesting that The Last Psychiatrist says this:

But a closer reading reveals something else.  This is how he begins his article, the very first line:

When considering an occupation, most people look for a role model.

Not only is that not true of most people, it’s an odd thing for a 44 year old to look for.  But that’s the problem.  Unsure of himself, unsure of what kind of a person he wants to be, he tries to define himself by linking himself to others:  “pirate philosophers” and “intellectual swashbuckling.”  Swift and Voltaire, not Marcuse and Adorno.  And sci-fi writers, both book and TV.

Why is this odd? I would think that most people are aware of who they want to be and that they are aware of the gap between them and that person. And the best way to bridge the gap is just what Doug Texter suggests: find a role model. And 44 is as good an age as any other to do this. You might regret that you didn't do this earlier but only long to realize that it's pointless.