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I know that list was off the top of your head, but if a quickly-assembled list of male role models includes guys who died almost 40 years ago that probably indicates that there aren't enough of them.

This is the most boomer comment I’ve ever read. On what planet are these any child’s role model? Elie Wiesel? Desmond Tutu? Those are like NPR lifetime achievement award winners, they have no social capital among any generic guy under 18. 0

Media centrality somewhat matters

Make a large enough list of men, I’ll find the example of why any of these folks are terrible role models.

Linus Torvalds famously loves to verbally abuse others working with him, just for one small example…

So?

Doesn’t mean he can’t be a role model. Just don’t emulate all behaviour exactly from any person.

People have flaws. Every single one of them.

The issue is that one has no control over what gets modeled by those looking at "role models".

Many of the best role models are the kind of folks who large systems or structures refuse to teach about en mass because these role models are uniquely subversive. Malcolm X vs Martin Luther King Jr being the classic example of this.