Who's Your Role-model?

[imported_Ziggy]

I think the "Questions and Answers" part of UniverseToday is best for this topic, but please, feel free to move it if you think otherwise. Anyway, this is a forum for telling others who your role-model, idol, pooh-bah is and why. Mine, as some of you already spectulate, is Dr. Miguel Alcubierre. He published a paper that took Warp Drive from a rubber-and-glue sci fi concept with no real science, to a theorectical physics metric that could in theory, propel a ship at faster-then-light speeds. Though we might have different role-models, there are a few people that almost all of us wish to become like (and if you don't, you should be damned to pergotory until you repent). People like Carl Sagen and GRAND IODOLE EINSTEIN . Who's your role-model and why?

[CharlesBell]

Neil Armstrong!!

He only got to go the moon once. While he was landing, he used up all but 15 seconds of his fuel flying the Lunar Lander around while he could. He was just taking it around the pattern for the little bit of time he had.

I think if he could have had some more fuel he would have flew around some more and had some more fun.

He was like a kid in a swimming pool. Did not want to get out.

A real "fly boy". Did not care, just flew the thing.

[antoniseb]

Danny Kaye

[Not all of my life is about astronomy].

[Fraser]

I'd probably say Spielberg. He's built up a creative empire that lets him dabble in whatever media interest him. He can be a total control freak and write/direct or just come up with a cool idea and just turn his creative team loose and be an executive producer. I've got too many ideas, and too little time to do everything myself. :-) Not that I want to be a movie director, but I like the model he's created to follow his creative instincts.

[damienpaul]

Don't laugh - mine is Mother Theresa

[rahuldandekar]

And why?

[GOURDHEAD]

Be cautious about elevating personalities to role models lest you fall prey to personality cults or, worse yet, idolatry. Such exercise deprives you of freedom especially in the world of ideas.

[Fraser]

I think it's important to sit down and reflect on the things which are most important to you; to have a vision for the kind of life you want to be leading. Then look for successful people who've built a similar life. You don't want to worship people, but it's definitely a good idea to learn from their example.

[VanderL]

For me there's 2 people I'd like to mention:
Ray Harryhausen, I'll never forget the first time I saw King Kong (aged 12). I love the stop-motion animation technique ever since; it gives the creatures an alien quality no computer sfx can touch.
And for all other things in life: my dad. Can't even begin to tell why.

Cheers.

[Duane]

For me it would have to be Carl Sagen. When I was a kid I got to stay up late with my dad to watch Cosmos, and his way of talking about the wonder of space hooked me--and I remain hooked to this day.

[GOURDHEAD]

Some noteworthy contributors from UK are Newton, Darwin, Maxwell,Thomas Moore, Cromwell, and whoever penned the Magna Carter.

[Guest]

On the planet of the lost, called Earth, the Planet is, as been said, a stage, The world actors are the people.

Every person is his own role model, and the scripts, are followed daily, and constantly changing,by greedy script writerts.

In ths confusion, some humans make impressions, with their role, that lead others to envy their scripts.(role models)

The audience is the dead and unseen, whose roles and scripts have come and gone.

There are only so many heartbeats an earthian enjoys,in life, then the play is over, and the curtain falls.

The best scrpts, and the actors of the world that carry them out, are condemned in the tradedy of life on earth,

Play your part, and enjoy; while you can.

End of Show.

[corkft]

One of my role-models would be Jules Verne. As a youngster, he set my mind to wanderlust , creative thought, and an insatiable curiosity. Strangely enough, he never traveled further than the library. :P

[Greg]

Leonardo Davinci.
Like Newton he was a man conspicuously ahead of his time.
But he was more well-rounded. He dabbled in the arts with as much if not more skill than the sciences. It was on the backs of people like him that the Renissance and Enlightenment was founded, taking Europeans from the dungeon of the dark ages to the age of invention.

[Fraser]

There was a series on BBC World where engineers and inventors tried to build some of Davinci's inventions. Stuff that he never got around to building were surprisingly well thought-out just in his drawings. It's a shame he wasn't taken more seriously as in inventor in his time - he could have had teams of builders working to make his ideas a reality.

[DippyHippy]

Hmmmm... well, Sagan influenced me as a ten year old watching Cosmos... I wish I had his gift of bringing science and astronomy to people in a way that broadly appeals to folks around the world...

I also admire James Lovell, commander of Apollo 13 and Gene Kranz, who was involved in the space program from Mercury and a flight director for both Gemini and Apollo. Both men have a "can do" attitude, both are born leaders and are honest and proud. Both men recognise, encourage and reward the achievements of others and above all else, both men are devoted to their wives and families.

I would love to meet either of them (so if you're reading guys... )

[Karen M.]

Well, I can't limit it to just one...

First there is Albert Einstien - I think because I never did well in certain subjects in school (as he did) always gave me hope.

Sally Ride - in a field dominated by men, she stood up and made her mark.

There are many more notable women who I look up to. Queen Elizabeth (I), Jane Goodall, Margaret Mead, Amelia Erhart. Their tenacity is an inspiration to me. Now, I'm not a feminist, but I think women and girls need good strong role models today.

[Tinaa]

Sagan turned me on to the wonders of the universe. We need more people like him to excite others about space. Like Dips, I wish I had his gift.

[DippyHippy]

Tinaa, we learn by doing

Karen, I agree - there aren't enough role models for women. The world is still very much dominated by men. Interesting you should mention Elizabeth I though - I've known several women who have looked up to her.

[Chook]

A bloke calles Paul, who lived in a Middle Eastern town called Tarsis.
He possessed astounding insight into the significant events of his time.

[VanderL]

Hi Chook, you mean the guy that "danced with lions"?

Cheers.

[Greg]

There are alot more female role models out there than you might be inclined to believe. In about 30 seconds these come to mind: Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton, Rosa Parks, Mother Theresa, Indira Ghandi, Corazon Aquino and Benazir Bhutto. Please forgive any mispellings of the above names. As you can see they span nearly every race and continent.