The following is an editorial about the current (and sad) state of our American role models. For those who are a bit sensitive about the topic, feel free to move on to another article.
Someone emailed me a news story about Oprah giving away KFC coupons. Now I’m going to ignore the controversy mentioned in the article about poverty and race and the economic implications of KFC coupons; none of that is really a topic for 60 in 3. However, I will say this, as someone that people look up to, as someone who claims she is dedicated to furthering children and their education and health, as someone who has fought her own weight and health issues, is this really the best Oprah can do?
Now if you’re an Oprah fan, forgive me, I don’t mean to just pick on her. Yesterday, our very own president made a big deal out of going to a local burger place with his VP. Maybe it’s the cynic in me, but I tend to think this was just a bit of showmanship, a chance to cast the president as “the common guy”, and maybe this is Oprah’s way of doing the same. However, I just fail to understand how these people who should be setting a good example for the “common man” are instead sinking down to the “common man” level.
The Common Man
Since when is the “common man” a beer chugging, burger eating, KFC ordering role model that we all look up to? Why is it that people who are considered thought leaders and role models need to sink to the “common man” level in order to appear cool and approachable? Here’s a thought, why don’t they lead instead of follow? Why don’t they set new trends instead of sinking to old lows? Why does every politician need to have that one press conference in the diner to show himself swilling a beer or eating donuts? Is this really what we’ve sunk to as a nation? Have we really gotten to a point where we don’t trust people unless they’re willing to kill themselves with unhealthy food?
Why is eating junk food a badge of honor? Why is promoting crappy health considered a way to ingratiate yourself with the common American? I want leaders who lead, not follow. I want people to look up to those with better habits and seek to emulate them, not envy them or seek to pull them down.
Let’s Start A Trend
Let’s tell our role models, in entertainment and politics, that we want better examples for ourselves and our children. Let’s tell them that we’re happier watching them eat a good salad and working out than we are watching them consume donuts and fried chicken. Let’s tell them that we want our children to grow up in a nation with positive role models, with leaders who excel and stand head and shoulders above the rest, not leaders who seek to emulate the “common man”. Heck, I don’t want the “common man” as my leader or role model, I want the “extraordinary man (or woman)”! To hell with common. If I wanted common, I wouldn’t need a role model.
How about Oprah give out free coupons to your nearest farmers market? How about we hear more about Hillary Clinton’s healthy breakfasts and less about Bill Clinton’s fondness for McDonalds. How about we see less sports stars with drug habits shilling for major beer companies and more sports stars advertising for things like exercise and good health?
These are your role models folks, they’re doing this because they think they have to. Let’s tell them otherwise. Let’s tell them that a talk show host who claims to care about health care shouldn’t promote KFC. Let’s tell them that a president who claims to care about global warming shouldn’t promote burgers. Let’s tell them that senators worried about obesity shouldn’t promote donuts. Let’s tell our local sports teams that we prefer our athletes to be drug free so that our kids don’t grow up thinking it’s cool to wreck their bodies in a quest for better performance.
If these people want to be our role models and leaders then they should act like it and show us some good habits to emulate. Lead, don’t follow!
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End of rant!
I was just told about this promotion today and I figured why not. I like kfc. So I went to print this coupon and it said I have already printed my allotted coupons. I was only upset because it made me feel like it was a lie. Thanks Oprah and thanks kfc.
@Lisa
Well, that’s why I label these types of posts as “editorials”. Because they represent my opinion and nothing more. Seems like you had a different view on this than I did
Gal
PS, I edited out your email address since I wasn’t sure you wanted it included in the body of the comment. Most people don’t. My apologies if that’s not what you intended.
Like Freud supposedly said once, “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” I think you are looking too deeply into Oprah’s motivation. Could it be that KFC offered her this deal (like the Pontaics “she” gave away once, someone else always supplies the products) and she could provide millions of people a chicken dinner, and KFC could introduce its new grilled chicken line. A win-win.
Reading into the idea that politicians want to dumb themselves down (remember Sarah Palin?) to appear like commoners is a stretch. I think, rather this was just a good idea.
Winner, winner … chicken dinner !
Maybe so Mike, but it bugs me to see it. I get offers all the time to promote things on 60 in 3 and I need the money a lot more than Oprah does
Still, I don’t promote them unless I actually believe in them and I try to filter out Google ads if they don’t fit my image of what’s healthy.
I’d just like us as people to pick better role models and encourage our leaders to demonstrate better behavior.
Gal
I disagree Gal, inasmuch as the best role model a person can ever hope to have is the “me” they really want to be. A fundamental break down in our national identity is that we even have or need role models, let alone try and emulate them. The world would be much better off if people spent more time writing bibles than reading them.
The whole KFC thing made me bristle. I don’t like when corporations repackage themselves as ‘healthy’ (I’m thinking Kraft Dinner with their “good course of calcium” claims). I appreciate that they are offering more choices, but processed food is not something I feel should be promoted.
While I agree with you in terms of role models, I don’t want to fill up your comment box with a rant about how much money influences things. I would like to focus on encouraging people to flex their critical thinking muscles. We need not blindly follow people because they are on TV or won an election. The more we realize how money drives advertising and how most people in the limelight need advertising to support themselves the less likely we will believe the messages they are sending.