The last couple of weeks has seen two role models in the news day in and day out – Rajat Gupta & Lance Armstrong. Both were the best in their respective fields. Both inspired millions across the planet to live, to work, to be happy and contented. Both had achieved so much and more that they could safely say “I have done more than my part of the work God sent me for.” Both were legends in their own right.
But then, they cheated. They showed the world that they are mere mortals like all of us. They showed the world that they are not God – a pedestal many of us had given them. They got punished, ridiculed and disgraced for their actions by millions across the world who revered them. But did all of us agree to that? Did we really believe that they had done something wrong? From reasons like “They are being unfairly targeted” to “The amount of charitable work they have done in their lives, even ten of us won’t be able to do”, people wanted to defend them. Can role models not do any wrong? Is it wrong to criticize someone for the right thing? Are role models beyond any criticism?
