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I don't believe professional athletes should be role models. I believe parents should be role models.... It's not like it was when I was growing up. My mom and my grandmother told me how it was going to be. If I didn't like it, they said, Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out. Parents have to take better control.
Charles Barkley
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of parents as role models over professional athletes.

Charles Barkley expresses his belief that the responsibility of being role models should rest with parents rather than professional athletes. He reflects on his upbringing, highlighting the guidance he received from his mother and grandmother, suggesting that modern parents need to take control and provide better examples for their children, rather than relying on public figures to shape youth behavior.

Themes

ParentsRole ModelsResponsibilityGuidanceUpbringing

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the importance of family influence, this quote can be a great way to highlight parental responsibility.

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For some reason, we're brainwashed to think if you're not a thug or an idiot, you're not black enough. If you go to school, make good grades, speak intelligent, and don't break the law, you're not a good black person.
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What I told [my teammates] after the game was I'm just fortunate [for] my 16 years because, this [injury] can happen every single night you go out and play... It can be over in one instant, so you should appreciate everyday.
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I don't believe professional athletes should be role models. I believe parents should be role models.
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I always laugh when people ask me about rebounding techniques. I've got a technique. It's called just go get the damn ball.
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