by Richie Caldicott

Created on: April 17, 2008

What a question! Is becoming the next top model something our children should aspire to?

If my child came to me and said that they aspired to be a model then I would encourage them in seeking their dream but also remind them of the hard work that would be required of them in getting there. Likewise depending on the child's age I would inform them that the world of fashion modelling is just as ruthless, heartless, incestuous and corrupt as any other business worth millions of dollars.

I would also remind them that although being a supermodel might sound like fun (and I'm sure it can be) it is a job that only a handful of people ever attain so just as if my child said that they wanted to be an astronaut or cancer curer I would remind them not to get there hopes up unnecessarily. Though that is not to say that I would try to dissuade them.

However, I might start asking myself where the hell I went wrong as a parent when my child decided that they aspired to be appreciated merely for their aesthetics and besides which what is wrong with being a mere "model" why do people want to be a supermodel?

Surely if you aspire to be a model you'd be happy knowing that you've shown the garments you've been given to wear in their best possible light according to your ability? No. Because today's society is constantly offering a quick fame-tagged solution on the end of a piece of string called ridicule, TV shows such as American Idol, X-Factor and all the rest confirm this.

Kids these days (and I have to admit that I'm generalising here) don't actually want to be good at anything. They just want to be famous for doing something. A quick glance at the talentless nobodies who appear on any show that will have them just for their chance of 15 minutes in the limelight is evidence enough.

Don't get me wrong. I had dreams when I was young. I wanted to play bass guitar in a band it didn't have to be Iron Maiden though, just a band. I wanted to be an artist too not that I wanted to sell senseless smears of paint on canvas for more money than I could ever spend I just wanted to paint and sell the pieces at a reasonable price to those who would appreciate them.

But I am a part of the prior generation.

Kids of this generation want to be film stars rather than actors, pop stars rather than singers and supermodels rather than mere models because the television shows they watch have sold them the idea that it is all possible in spite of how untalented or ugly they may be. And we all know the reason why these reality shows do so, because they get more hilarious failures filling up their auditions.

In short, once my child understood the basis of this essay then I would be happy to pursue modelling so long as they had a good education, smart mind and rounded sense of identity to fall back on.

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