Heroes (not the show)

This past Halloween I saw countless people dressed up as Michael Phelps, most of them ripping on him for getting caught smoking weed. This reminded me of something that I used to think about very often. What has happened to all of the heroes and role models that I used to look up to.

I suppose you could attribute my difficulties finding someone to look up to with my unfortunate increase in age. As an eighteen year old college student I am not going to idolize Batman or one of the Power Rangers, but it should not be this hard to find an upstanding citizen to look up to.

Earlier in the year when I found out about the whole Michael Phelps drama I was in shock. Its not the fact that he does it, I personally do not but most all of my friends do it and I am indifferent about it, it is the fact that he got caught doing it that made me so upset. Michael Phelps is an American icon, and without a doubt the most impressive swimmer of all time. There was not a medal he couldn’t win nor a record he could not break. His future full of endorsements and magazine articles was great. Now, instead of being the hero he once was, he is the laughing stock of the world. He is made fun of by stoners and model citizens alike.

Another story similar to this is Lance Armstrong. He is the Michael Phelps of cycling and easily as famous for his success in the Tour De France and his career in general. He has recently admitted to using steroids and, in my eyes, is just a generally bad person. If you look past his “livestrong” campaign for cancer, you will find that he left his wife who was deathly ill to be with Cheryl Crow. That is not something I respect.

This goes past cocky athletes whose veins are full of steroids, it is even seen in our past presidents. Towards the end of his second term, the words “George Bush” were often used to start a joke. Also, Bill Clinton, despite his career success, was involved in a large scandal that I am sure everyone is well aware of.

I find it very disappointing that it is so hard to find a good person and icon to look up to. As a kid I was a huge Mike Vic fan, and then he got himself locked up. I know there are role models out there, but I find Bono very annoying (I don’t know if its his name or what) and don’t enjoy U2 at all.