--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By idolizing those whom we honor, we do a…" description: "\"“By idolizing those whom we honor, we do a disservice both to them and to ourselves. . . . We fail to recognize that we could go and do likewise. —CHAR..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/james-w-loewen-12569_disservice_by-idolizing-those-whom-we-honor-we-do-a_3189772.jpg" --- # By idolizing those whom we honor, we do a disservice both… ![“By idolizing those whom we honor, we do a disservice both to them and to ourselves. . . . We fail to recognize that we could go and do likewise. —CHARLES V. WILLIE” quote by James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/james-w-loewen-12569_disservice_by-idolizing-those-whom-we-honor-we-do-a_3189772.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/james-w-loewen-12569_disservice_by-idolizing-those-whom-we-honor-we-do-a_3189772.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/007/james-w-loewen-12569_disservice_by-idolizing-those-whom-we-honor-we-do-a_3189772.jpg) > ““By idolizing those whom we honor, we do a disservice both to them and to ourselves. . . . We fail to recognize that we could go and do likewise. —CHARLES V. WILLIE”” [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Honoring people by idolizing them prevents us from seeing their flaws and limits our own potential to emulate their virtues. **In simple terms:** Idolizing hides imperfections and limits growth. Key Takeaway Seek balanced admiration. Themes honor idolatry self-improvement history role models Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - education - leadership - personal development - civic discourse - historical analysis Key Concepts critical thinking humility ethical behavior Questions to Reflect On - What virtues can you emulate without idolizing? - How does critical appraisal improve role models? A Different Perspective Idealization can create unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charles V](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charles-v/) [Idolizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idolizing/) ## Related quotes > [It's just not my nature to go around idolizing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-carlsen/it-s-just-not-my-nature-to-go-around-idolizing-people/) [Magnus Carlsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-carlsen/) > [Idolizing is a strong word, though. I'm happy that people respond well to the work I'm doing now. If anyone admires what I'm doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wolf/idolizing-is-a-strong-word-though-i-m-happy-that-people-respond-well/) [Scott Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wolf/) > [“I'm not a concept. Too many guys think I'm a concept or I complete them or I'm going to 'make them alive'…but I'm just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/i-m-not-a-concept-too-many-guys-think-i-m-a-concept-or-i-complete/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [I grew up idolizing Pedro Martinez.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-lindor/i-grew-up-idolizing-pedro-martinez/) [Francisco Lindor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-lindor/) > [Again, as egotistical as I am, as self-centered as I am, and as much as I love strangers idolizing me, I find it very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-larroquette/again-as-egotistical-as-i-am-as-self-centered-as-i-am-and-as-much-as/) [John Larroquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-larroquette/) > [You grow up idolizing somebody you don't really know what to expect when you first meet him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-randle/you-grow-up-idolizing-somebody-you-don-t-really-know-what-to-expect/) [Julius Randle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-randle/) > [I was never crying and shaking like the Beliebers do, but I understand the idolizing of a hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-was-never-crying-and-shaking-like-the-beliebers-do-but-i-understand/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I was a little girl who grew up idolizing musical-theatre stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-was-a-little-girl-who-grew-up-idolizing-musical-theatre-stars/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [“I cursed myself. For once, heaven had sent me "Beauty" in its most perfected form and I abandoned it. She might not have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/i-cursed-myself-for-once-heaven-had-sent-me-beauty-in-its-most/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Sometimes we control our family members because we idolize and idealize our perfect plan over the journey that God has laid out for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-demuth/sometimes-we-control-our-family-members-because-we-idolize-and/) [Mary E. 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That's how music is created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-mars/we-all-grew-up-idolizing-another-musician-that-s-how-this-works-that/) [Bruno Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-mars/) > [I usually dont like to spoon feed my audience, because I grew up idolizing story tellers who tell stories using symbolism, so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-usually-dont-like-to-spoon-feed-my-audience-because-i-grew-up/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [I fell in love with singing and I love idolizing artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruel/i-fell-in-love-with-singing-and-i-love-idolizing-artists/) Ruel ## More by James W. Loewen > [Many Americans have never owned a book. And others have never owned a non-fiction book. Providing them with a 300-page paperback would get them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/many-americans-have-never-owned-a-book-and-others-have-never-owned-a/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Textbooks pretty much have no real drama. They have no real storyline. To the extent they have a storyline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/textbooks-pretty-much-have-no-real-drama-they-have-no-real-storyline/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Taking ideas seriously does not fit with the rhetorical style of textbooks, which presents events so as to make them seem foreordained along a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/taking-ideas-seriously-does-not-fit-with-the-rhetorical-style-of/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Cherishing Columbus is a characteristic of white history, not American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/cherishing-columbus-is-a-characteristic-of-white-history-not-american/) [James W. 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And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-apologetic-when-i-feel-like-i-ve-made-a-mistake-and-when-i-have/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I think that those who would prejudge me based on an affiliation are doing themselves a disservice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/i-think-that-those-who-would-prejudge-me-based-on-an-affiliation-are/) [John E. 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