How rational is your conventional idol?

“Do not raise your children the way [your] parents raised you, they were born for a different time.” ― Ali bin Abi Thalib

If I ask you, “Who is your idol?” The most common answers will include the names of political leaders, world leaders, global philanthropists, rich entrepreneurs, freedom fighters, or even your parents!

These answers aren’t wrong, as they are the key influential people in the world. But think again, are they really our idols?

People with faith say that ‘you can’t take away a man’s religion from him’. Same goes for a person's identity. But is it the same with his idols? I wonder while writing this controversial article.

When we read the following statements about our heroes and the obstacles they overcame, we feel hopeful:

Bill Gates' first business failed. Albert Einstein didn't speak until he was four years old. Jim Carrey used to be homeless. Bethany Hamilton had her arm bitten off by a shark. Benjamin Franklin dropped out of school at age ten. Richard Branson has dyslexia. Stephen King's first novel was rejected 30 times.Oprah Winfrey gave birth at age 14 and lost her child. Thomas Edison failed 1,000 times before creating the lightbulb. (Source: HuffPost)

The list is endless!

Let me give you an example of the Father of my Nation - Mahatma Gandhi:

Gandhi had a huge impact on India’s Independence Movement. While defining greatness, none fails to mention his name. But British were ruling India before Gandhi was born. He was born in an affluent Indian family in the 19th century, and later went to study law in London. In the same century, he practised law in South Africa. Now, take a moment and imagine being this privileged in a country where most fellow countrymen were slaves.

Fortunately, Gandhi did what he did when he faced discrimination in South Africa. He utilised his privileges, powerful connections, and personal confidence developed over the years, amongst others to help India gain its well-deserved independence.

Nevertheless, his circumstances were different. Just like Steve Jobs', Mark Zuckerberg's, Malala Yousafzai's, Martin Luther King Jr.'s or Nelson Mandela’s.

Our circumstances are also different!

The quote I mentioned earlier, says that our children are born for a different time, so we should raise them accordingly.

But do we consider that even we are born for a different time which is still unseen? In the era of digital transformation, when everything is stored in the cloud and social media is a huge distraction in our lives. When our existence is becoming more and more transparent, and gender can’t be anymore fluid. When blocking someone on Facebook, ends conversation in real life, and donating £1 to the needy gets you 200 likes on Instagram.

Let me give you an example from my life:

Digital platform was one major force which negatively impacted the successes of my teenage self. As it was reaching its peak, my social media addiction resulted in a significant downgrade in academia. My disappointed parents compared their 16-year old selves and sincerity towards books, to my addiction towards a small screen of a mobile phone.

The digital media which seemed like a curse to my parents, would be a reality and truth of the generation when I will raise my children. The truth we can’t run away from.

Coming back to the point about idols -

My idol is my female classmate from high-school who came from an underprivileged background, and understood that gaining good education was the only way to step out of misery. Today, she works at one of the Fortune 500 companies. My idol is that 80-year old man who goes on a morning walk and takes steps of hardly 10 centimetres each, while our paths cross everyday on my way to work.

Our idols should be the people around us, who teach us to keep trying, and trying hard each moment. Our idols can be our colleagues, friends or even neighbours. People who encourage us to appreciate the positive things in life, and motivates us to exceed our potential by believing in ourselves.

Thank you for reading! :)