Do you think the greatest mistake the person you most admire made changed your opinion of them ?

Answer 1

Cool question JuJuBean...

I think that when we admire someone, we do so because there is some quality of our hoped for self within them. Maybe they have recognized a dream that we had, or live a way we hope to live. Something about them is how we want to be.

As admiration grows stronger this admired person can become a hero in our eyes. We put them on a pedestal and we create this identity of how they are--they are the embodiment of perfection--a perfection we wish for ourselves.

The thing is people were not made to put on pedestals. Eventually they lose their balance and they fall. People are flawed that way. So when they fall, like statue our image of them is shattered.

The fall causes much confusion. How do we replace this shattered image? Does this mean that we can not obtain perfection? Was this all and illusion or was there something real worth admiring? Do we even want to know this person? Can we accept the flaws? It's, in a way, a moral dilema.

These falls from pedestals happen every day. Like the day a child sees an imperfection in a parent, an employee sees a beloved boss making a not so "perfect" decision, or even a friend saying something that seems to cut like a knife and we wonder where on God's green earth that came from.

It's important, however, that we do see such falls because we need to realize that there is no "perfect." In a way their story helps us put less pressure on ourself. We learn from their mistakes, and maybe even accept ourself a little more.

In the same regard we develop a clearer picture of this individual. Instead of seeing our image of them, we see them for who they are, the blemishes with the beauty--and maybe those blemishes are in their own way beautiful, and maybe they are such grotesque flaws that we have to turn away.

Such situations are a turningpoints--painful, necessary, and enlightening. They are moments that test our own ability at grace and forgiveness. They are moments of faith.

So yes, I beleive big mistakes will change our opinions because we begin to operate more in reality and less in the ideal.

Answer 2

A classic example of this situation is the not so recent incident that involved a person I admire and the terrible mistake that he made while in the Oval office is that of former President Bill Clinton. After the public admission and apology with regards to the Monica affair, my respect and opinion of him never changed. Since the time he left the White House, Bill got himself involved in many humanitarian causes and despite his frail heart condition continued to rally people for charitable projects all over the world. Last year alone he made a cool 7 million USD from speaking engagements which is proof enough how well he is taken and respected.

Answer 3

It depends mostly on the "mistake" and the circumstances they were under when making that mistake. It is hard to realize sometimes that they people we admire are human (take for example the image we all have of our parents at a young age), and though their messing up sometimes knocks them off from the image we have created for them, it also makes their feats that much more admirable.

Answer 4

No. People are human. They make mistakes.I still think my grandpa hung the moon. He was ethical, had good morals and judgement. My mom tells me he made a mistake. It never changed anything about the way I felt for him. Maybe my grandmother did not see it that way. Maybe it matters if the "mistake" involved us personally. Then we might have a different answer. But not me. Nope. My grandpa still hung the moon:)

Answer 5

Yeah my children's father gave them up for another woman like it was nothing. He was the person I most admired until he done that. But it's all good he will grow up and realize what he has done by then it will be too late, our children won't have time for him in the feature but he done it to himself.

Answer 6

don't have a high list of admired people i respect some more then others and if i change an opinion of someone usually its because they've made a total idiot of themselves..but i usually get a chuckle out of their screw ups

Answer 7

Depends, if I found out someone were a child molester or something else clearly beyond the pale, my opinion would change. Otherwise I subscribe to the adage that "no one is as good as their best act, or as bad as their worst act".

Answer 8

Yes sadly yes
we all think like that
bye
bye
now!

Answer 9

Yes it did.

Answer 10

Ain't been down that road yet.