Roxane Gay, in her book "Bad Feminist: Essays," discusses the expectation society places on role models to exemplify ideal behaviors. She highlights that often, people look up to public figures and expect them to display perfection, overlooking the fact that these qualities are also achievable by the average person. This pressure can lead to disappointment when role models falter, suggesting a disconnect between idealization and reality.

Gay emphasizes the importance of recognizing our own potential to embody these qualities rather than solely relying on others to lead by example. By understanding that we possess the capacity to model positive behaviors, we can approach role models with a more realistic perspective. This notion encourages personal growth and challenges the single narrative of perfection often associated with influential figures.