As far as I can recall, I have never had a model which I have refered as: “that is my idol” or “when I get older I want to be as s/he”. On the other hand, I grew up with a bundle of ideals.
From this bunch, some ideals have flourished, others have perished, others have transformed, and new ones had emerged. But days as today I wonder, how does other human beings function into this area?, does it make sense to have ideals? if it is always needed either one or if it is not needed at all.
It might be a non transcendental question at all, or even a silly one. But, at moments this kind of burst questions appear in my system (which can give me a headache and/or lose me completely in the confusion space). Why individuals do, what they do in the way they do it? (that includes myself).
Even though, it exists TONS of different research around this topic, and a diversity of disciplines offer a little potential piece of this puzzle (psychology, anthropology, religion, culture, etc. etc. ) and by the way this is a HUGE puzzle. However, I only can say, so simple and so complicated at the same time