Introduction
Throughout my life, I have always looked up to individuals in society distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, and strength for inspiration. I define a hero as a person who embraces courage in order to achieve tough exploits that influence society in a positive manner. One of the people I consider as a personal hero is Bob Marley. He was born Robert Nesta Marley on 6th February 1945 in Nine Mile, Saint Ann, Jamaica. He died on 11th May 1981 in Miami, Florida, United States (Jeffrey 8).
The Jamaican singer is one of the most celebrated musical legends who influenced many people and brought change to society. He was popularly referred to as Bob. Through reggae, a popular music genre that originated in the West Indies, Marley played a crucial role in changing people’s perceptions about the structure of music and its role in society. My life has revolved around music since I was a child.
In that regard, Marley is one of the few highly dedicated artists who made me fall in love with music. Marley used music to bring feelings of optimism, love, conviction, and potency to millions of listeners across the world (Jeffrey 14). He used music to encourage positive change in numerous societies across the world. Many people have developed strong relationships between their lives and Marley’s music.
Discussion
One of the most inspirational aspects of Marley was the touching nature of the words he shared through music. There are many aspects of my life that are linked to various songs that he composed and sang. Many people argue that he was a musical psychic because his music provided divine inspiration to many across the world (Jaffe & Steffens 30). Every time I listen to Marley’s music, I develop a positive attitude towards life due to the manner in which he talks about the numerous struggles that people go through in their lives.
He sang about various life challenges such as human rights, the fight for freedom, bad governance, oppression, and gender disparities (Jeffrey 21). I was constantly bullied by other children in school because I was weak and had no one to protect me. This experience had negative implications on my self-esteem, a phenomenon that made it hard for me to develop and maintain reliable interpersonal relationships. Marley always encouraged people to surmount such challenges through his music, which promoted peace, love, and unity in the world. Music is a very powerful tool for change if used by people who understand the needs of society. Marley understood the complexities of life owing to the recurrent realities that characterized his childhood (Jaffe & Steffens 33).
Marley is my hero because he used his singing talent to initiate positive change. One of the things I admire the most about him is the possession of skills and the right attitude to influence positive change in society. He had a rough and challenging childhood in Jamaica that helped to mold an attitude that encouraged him to make the world a better place (Jeffrey 23). He always did his best to make a positive impact in places where he went and lived.
The biggest lesson embodied in the life of Marley is that the best way to ensure a better future is to work towards eliminating the challenges of life (Jeffrey 23). He used his talent to escape poverty and promote peace and positive change in the world (Toynbee 100). Marley’s childhood was characterized by an environment where the crime was considered the only way to succeed in life. He used his skills to avoid the trap of gang violence, which had already compromised the future of his childhood friends (Toynbee 109).
I also consider Marley as my hero because he was always true to himself and the world. Since his childhood, Marley had vowed to bring change to his community and ensure that everyone had a promising future. He always practiced the things he articulated in his songs (Toynbee 109). Although many people thought that Marley’s intention was to influence change through singing, he did more than that as he was actively involved in programs that promoted peace (Jeffrey 29).
Marley used art to express his thoughts and feelings with regard to the various issues that affected society. I am very passionate about social and political change because they have a positive influence on the quality of life. Marley was very vocal about such changes in his music, which focused on bringing a revolution, providing justice for everyone, and promoting the protection of human dignity (Toynbee 122).
I am passionate about the role of women in society and the way they should be treated. For example, I grew up in a neighborhood where cases of domestic violence against women were common. This made me realize that women are not accorded sufficient respect despite the crucial role they play in society. I have developed a passion for fighting gender-based violence and promoting the need to respect women. This zeal was motivated by the realization that Marley was also passionate about the same cause, as he produced the song that praised women, their influence in society, and the way they should be treated (Jeffrey 33).
An ideal hero should have the ability to evoke a revolution in the world, an accomplishment that Marley achieved with ease. He brought a drastic and far-reaching change in regard to thought and behavior among millions of people across the world (Jaffe & Steffens 39). I believe that Marley was a musical healer who made people forget their problems through inspirational words shared through music. His lifestyle was inspirational and integral to my personal growth and development. He maintained peace with everyone, especially in his childhood neighborhood. He played a crucial role in influencing revolutions in different parts of the world through music (Jeffrey 41).
Marley is my hero because of the way he strongly held his religious beliefs. He was a Rastafarian, a religion that advocates for revolutionary changes geared towards improving the quality of life. He was a strong believer who did not fear to tell the world the things he believed in and the way they affected his life (Toynbee 137). For example, when he was diagnosed with cancer, he fought hard not to have his legs amputated because his religion taught him to never give in to life-threatening illnesses due to the fact that the human body should be whole (Jeffrey 44). The beliefs of Rastafarians have influenced my attitude towards life.
Marley always said that he believed in eternal life, a factor that made him die without writing a will (Toynbee 159). Although death is inevitable, the lifestyle of Marley and the beliefs of the Rastafarian religion have influenced my life in significant ways. Another reason why I love Marley is his legendary status (Jaffe & Steffens 45). I like being associated with people who pushed against all odds to make their lives and that of others better. More than three decades after his death, Marley is still a very influential figure in the world of music and the global revolution. The world recognizes his efforts towards influencing change.
For instance, in 2001, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Grammy awards in the United States (Jeffrey 47). In addition, he has been voted as one of the best music writers of all time in the world by several organizations.
Conclusion
A hero is someone who uses their influential position in society to bring positive change and improve the quality of people’s lives. Heroes are people who do great, exceptional, unique, and special things that are deemed difficult or even impossible by others. I believe that a hero should possess the essential qualities and a positive attitude to talk about the challenges facing people, as well as provide the most effective ways of addressing them.
I believe that Marley is a hero owing to the fact that he influenced positive change and inspire millions of people across the world through music. He had the ability to bring feelings of hope, love, and belief in the lives of people who hardly had a reason to smile. His music has initiated several positive changes in various societies across the world. He is a musical legend who will still have a huge following and influence in the world over the next couple of decades. Marley is a true icon and a hero to many people across the world.
Works Cited
Jaffe, Lee, & Roger Steffens. One Love: Life with Bob Marley and the Wailers. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc, 2003. Print.
Jeffrey, Gary. Bob Marley: The Life of a Musical Legend. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2007. Print.
Toynbee, Jason. Bob Marley: Herald of a Postcolonial World. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. Print.