Seeing Through the Illusions of the Sports Hero - Essay Example

Sports figures have tacit responsibilities as role models, and should therefore conduct their lives accordingly. You: I support the idea that sports figures have tacit responsibilities as role models, and should therefore conduct their lives accordingly. Athletes are often in the limelight; therefore, they should be good role models because people, especially children, look up to them. I don’t think parents would like their children mimicking the bad behaviors of their favorite athletes. Your opponent: Yes, famous athletes are often in the media. However, is it their responsibility to be a role model? Of course not, athletes should just focus on their field of sport and doing their best in every single match. They compete in order to attain one goal - and that is to be a champion. They can show us a wonderful match and a good game, but it is not their responsibility to teach us how to be good citizens. You: I completely disagree when you say that athletes do not need to take responsibility to be a role model. Many young children idolize professional athletes; that’s why they are easily influenced by these athletes whom they regard as their heroes. If, for instance, they see their hero athlete using steroids, they may think that using steroids is just okay. An athlete should really project an impeccable image to the society. Your opponent: You say children look up to their favorite players, and assume the actions that these players make. I say parents should take the responsibility to teach their children and be their role models. Parents should be there for their children and guide them about which sports figures should be held in high esteem. You: I agree that parents have the responsibility to be good role models, but athletes, as public figures, should mind what they are showing to the public especially the athletes who are always followed by media. High profile athletes, by virtue of their celebrity, should act like paragons of virtue, even if they weren’t (Rhoden, “Seeing Through the Illusions of the Sports Hero”). Your opponent: According to the article you just mentioned, “Seeing through the Illusions of the Sports Hero,” the author pointed out that these sports heroes are actually being just manipulated and most of them are not that perfect as role models. People like Martin Luther King Jr., who paid the ultimate cost for his devotion to justice with his life; Mother Theresa, who selflessly devoted herself to bring hope to others; and Muhammad Ali, who was willing to give up his title and risked being imprisoned for his religious objections to the Vietnam War. These are the people who should be considered as role models. The phrase “role model” should be a special title for people who exemplify the essence of civic responsibility. You: As audience, we want to see the positive side of athletes whatever their articulation, physical strength, or whether they exemplify the essence of civic responsibility during their match. I believe most teenagers know more about Kobe Bryant than Martin Luther King Jr. Kobe Bryant, whose work ethics and determination to become the best player in basketball, inspired them to work hard, while Martin Luther King Jr., who paid the ultimate cost for his devotion to justice with his life, was merely known by his name and nothing more. Therefore, athletes who are well-known and regarded as role models should have tacit responsibilities and should, therefore, conduct their lives accordingly. Your opponent: Yes, it should be good that Kobe Bryant is praised. But if you are an athlete, and every movement of yours is being watched, and every mistake that you make is being criticized – that is terrible. Athletes do not get to choose whether or not they want to be a role models. People decide that for them. The choice that they do have is to determine what kind of role model they want to be – a good one or a bad one. We need to keep in mind that no one is perfect, people make mistakes. We should not expect too much from these athletes. We only have to expect a good performance in their games and enjoy watching them on TV or on the internet. Also, athletes are actually being manipulated by the sponsoring companies. These companies want their athletes to have perfect image to the public, for them to be idolized, and become perfect models so that their products or brands will be patronized. However, people always expect too much from these athletes because of the commercials and advertisements that seem to elevate these athletes to a pedestal, a pedestal that some athletes don’t really deserve. You: That is the main reason why these athletes should do their utmost to project a better image to the public. They are a public figure. They are always seen in commercials and advertisements. People, especially the youth, look up to them and make them their inspirations. Your Opponent: Their being idolized and being put into pedestal is no longer their fault. Athletes do these advertisements and commercials mostly for the sake of money. They are being paid huge amounts to project images that promote certain products and brands. It is of no concern to them whether people will see them in a good way or in a bad way. You: Yes, they are being paid huge amounts to project good images that is why they should maintain these good images especially when they are in public places. Everywhere they go they carry with them the names of these products and brands they are promoting, so it is but proper that they conduct themselves discreetly. Your Opponent: Maybe we are not in a position to give limitations to the lives of these famous athletes. We cannot dictate what they should or should not do. They have their own lives and they can live it the way they want just like any of us. You: But they are not like any of us. They are famous people. They are always on the limelight and everyone’s attention is always focused on them, on everything they do, and on everything they say. Whether they like it or not, they are public figures who cannot escape the scrutiny of the people. Your Opponent: It is true that they are public figures, but that doesn’t give us the right to barge into their lives. They are famous people, but as citizens of this country, they also have their own freedom to do what they want and the freedom to do things according to what they believe in. You: We are not depriving them of their freedom. We only want to impose on them that famous athletes like themselves are held at such a high regard that they should be mindful of their actions. That, together with their celebrity status comes their responsibility to be discreet and become role models to society. Your Opponent: These famous athletes, these celebrities as you say, are only just humans who are prone to mistakes and wrong decisions in life. They should not be held accountable for any negative impact that their actions bring. I am quite sure that these athletes don’t want their fans or anybody to suffer the consequences of their mistakes. You: Yes, I perfectly understand that. I am well aware that these athletes don’t want anybody, especially their fans who look up to them, to suffer or be hurt by their mistakes. But, isn’t that more a reason that these athletes do their very best to conduct themselves accordingly and be more responsible in their actions? As a final word, I would like to emphasize that these famous athletes, whether they like it or not, are always under the scrutiny of the public. They are public figures and people, especially the youth, want to emulate them. They give inspirations to so many. These should make them think twice before they make any drastic actions. They should really make themselves responsible and become true role models. Your opponent: I only want to say that, athletes, no matter how famous they are, are still human beings. They are not perfect as most of us perceive them to be. They also have their own flaws. The responsibility of being a role model should not be put on their shoulders. Instead, it relies on us the viewers to distinguish a good character from a bad character. It is our sole decision whether to emulate an athlete or not, regardless of his character. After all, these athletes became famous because they are good in their field of sports and not because they have a good character. Work Cited Rhoden, William C. “Seeing Through the Illusions of the Sports Hero”. The New York Times. 22 October 2012: D&(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 23 March 2014. Read More