Parents try to shelter their kids from the lifestyles that they don't understand or see as dangerous, which is understandable, but it is the wrong approach. It is totally natural for anyone to see characteristics in other people and desire to have those characteristics themselves. Maybe, instead of thinking we know why our children are looking up to certain role models we should seek to understand, specifically, what it is exactly that our kids like about their role models and why.
When I was younger, I did not get the help I needed from my father. He was traveling for work and gave very vague, broad answers to very difficult questions and so when I was confused; I looked for answers elsewhere. Tupac Shakur was my idol growing up. Here's a man that shot 2 off-duty police officers that were harassing a black motorist in traffic. He attempted to intervene, emotions escalated and he shot both of them. The charges were later dropped due to one of the officers being in possession of evidence stolen from the police evidence locker. Now a person could look at that situation and call Tupac a criminal for shooting 2 cops. I don't understand how people can be so easily convinced of this kind of thing. This was a REAL man in my eyes. Here is a man that had no obligation to a complete stranger and followed his beliefs, and his heart and commited a "crime" that could have cost him his life. AND he did it entirely on someone else's behalf. He didn't know he was going to get off. In fact, I'm sure he thought he was screwed, but he followed his heart and his beliefs, kept his faith in God, and the powers that be saw him through to justice. Who are we to point our fingers and judge when we have no idea what really occured? The determining factor for me was, what was one of the officers doing with evidence stolen from a police locker? That makes me think he was probably a dirty cop. Maybe he was trying to plant evidence? Unfortunately, we will never know for sure. Only the parties involved will. Sadly, Tupac is no longer with us today. May his soul rest in peace.
I don't believe any child is "misguided" because of their role models. They are misguided because of their parent or parents lack of help, and in turn, they desire characteristics that they wish to have for themselves in these individuals and may happen to adopt some of the more negative traits of that individual. Children can't be blamed for this. A child's mind is like a sponge, constantly soaking up the world they live in, and when we fail to attempt to understand their interests and we deem them as "different", than us, instead of unique, THEN we have failed them. We have given up without realizing that we've given up. Who wants to hang out with someone we don't share the same interests with, anyways? Human beings associate with others we can relate to. When our children take interest in certain individuals we should always seek to understand what qualities these individuals posses that our children find appealing, rather than judge them for what WE see them as.
When I was younger, I did not get the help I needed from my father. He was traveling for work and gave very vague, broad answers to very difficult questions and so when I was confused; I looked for answers elsewhere. Tupac Shakur was my idol growing up. Here's a man that shot 2 off-duty police officers that were harassing a black motorist in traffic. He attempted to intervene, emotions escalated and he shot both of them. The charges were later dropped due to one of the officers being in possession of evidence stolen from the police evidence locker. Now a person could look at that situation and call Tupac a criminal for shooting 2 cops. I don't understand how people can be so easily convinced of this kind of thing. This was a REAL man in my eyes. Here is a man that had no obligation to a complete stranger and followed his beliefs, and his heart and commited a "crime" that could have cost him his life. AND he did it entirely on someone else's behalf. He didn't know he was going to get off. In fact, I'm sure he thought he was screwed, but he followed his heart and his beliefs, kept his faith in God, and the powers that be saw him through to justice. Who are we to point our fingers and judge when we have no idea what really occured? The determining factor for me was, what was one of the officers doing with evidence stolen from a police locker? That makes me think he was probably a dirty cop. Maybe he was trying to plant evidence? Unfortunately, we will never know for sure. Only the parties involved will. Sadly, Tupac is no longer with us today. May his soul rest in peace.
I don't believe any child is "misguided" because of their role models. They are misguided because of their parent or parents lack of help, and in turn, they desire characteristics that they wish to have for themselves in these individuals and may happen to adopt some of the more negative traits of that individual. Children can't be blamed for this. A child's mind is like a sponge, constantly soaking up the world they live in, and when we fail to attempt to understand their interests and we deem them as "different", than us, instead of unique, THEN we have failed them. We have given up without realizing that we've given up. Who wants to hang out with someone we don't share the same interests with, anyways? Human beings associate with others we can relate to. When our children take interest in certain individuals we should always seek to understand what qualities these individuals posses that our children find appealing, rather than judge them for what WE see them as.
There are so many broken, hurting children who aren't getting what they need from their parents. And when their parents stop giving them encouragement and acknowledgment and neglect the attention these kids need, these kids turn to friends, celebrities, and idols to imulate. They ALWAYS will. We humans need our own identities and it is not wrong to seek that out in others, so before we judge, we should ALWAYS seek to understand because the beginning of knowledge is understanding large things are built from small things, so we must seek to understand the core of our children's interests and beliefs. After all, we become who we pretend to be. One can only front for so long before that facade becomes a part of their personality.
-Ryan Mita 6/1/14
-Ryan Mita 6/1/14
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