Who, or what, inspires you?

The thread title is pretty obvious.

Post about who, or what, inspires you. Whether it's an individual, or a group, or a movement, or a philosophy, or a song, or... whatever. Post about what inspires you to be the person you are, or the person you aspire to be.

Personally (and some of you will find this no surprise at all), I've recently realised that a very large portion of my personal philosophy is directly derived from one person:

Henry Rollins.

Musician, author, photographer, public speaker, talk show and radio host, and constant worker. Insatiably curious, funny, smart, and driven.

My ultimate philosophy on what I believe one ought to do in life can really, truly be summed up - by Mr. Rollins - in just over a minute, by this video:

That is, really, the key part. I only recently really realised how much that concept has driven me to do what I do, and what I am planning to do with the rest of my life. There's no time to sit around and wallow in your own negativity, in my opinion... just take all that rage, and sadness, and hatred, and anger... and redirect it to doing good. Don't let it consume you. Let it drive you. And motivate you. And push you to do better.

And that is exactly what Henry Rollins has taught me in life. If I ever meet the man, I may have to hug him.

I think it might just be my English teacher from my freshman year of high school. After a few writing projects, she told me I had writing talent, and told me to write as much as I can. And so I always showed her my work and offered her critique. I don't go to that school anymore, but I always recall her advice when brainstorming ideas for random stories.

Also Theodore Roosevelt. He was pretty awesome.

The professional wrestlers Raven, Edge and Mick Foley. I'm currently training to be a wrestler myself and these guys are my idols. Mick Foley put his body through hell and back just to entertain us (who could forget Hell In A Cell versus The Undertaker?), Raven was one of the best intelligent heels out there (the way he could tell a story in the ring was second to none) and Edge...I simply don't think there was a better all round wrestler ever. He could work hardcore matches, technical matches, could do highflying spots, and made every storyline he was inserted into utter gold. If I could be even 1% as good as one of these guys, I'd die a happy man.

I've been lucky enough to meet Mick Foley in person, saw him doing stand up comedy and grabbed his autograph and a photo after, and the whole thing just sold me even more what an amazing person he was.

I find David Hume and Marcus Aurelius quite inspiring from a philosophical point of view.

H.G.Wells is an inspiration to my writing, both his style and genre.

And from David Hume again is quite inspiring for writing History books given his six volume History of England.

Perhaps I should name some grand historical figure, someone who did some sort of huge and universally recognized contribution to humankind; but if I have to be entirely honest, I have to say that the person who is my main inspiration is my own grandfather.

He was not some sort of hero or great achiever or whatever. He was some guy who worked as a pork butcher for the first half of his life, and as an accountant for the rest. He liked opera and motorcycles and playing cards, and was a passable gardener and the best cook I ever knew (he always wanted to open a restaurant of his own, but never actually did.) He liked less to clean the kitchen after cooking, which was one of the main sources of argument between him and my grandma.

He was not some sort of infallible, perfect being, and I certainly do not agree with him on everything (just to make an example, my opinions on matters of politics are really quite different from his); but still, there is no other person to whom I'd rather compare myself.

Jack Layton, Canada's last truly honest politician, spearhead of the Orange Wave, and one of the kindest, most pleasant people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in person.

Plus, just... this. I can still barely read the thing without tearing up, and it's been nearly a year.

My parents. My mum, who sat on the kitchen floor with me as a toddler and taught me to read using cards stuck to the furniture. My dad who went out day after day, night after night- armed with what amounts to a funny hat, a notebook and a rolling pin- to make the world a better place for his son to grow up in.

Apart from them: this.

It was a Christmas present from my Great Aunt when I was three or four.

edited 31st Jul '12 10:44:05 AM by InverurieJones

Jesus. Kinda.

I'm inspired by Yahtzee Crowshaw, Lindsay Ellis, Laci Green, all sorts of multi-talented people my age who have their acts together and gush creativity.

edited 31st Jul '12 11:33:13 AM by johnnyfog

Inb4 ban. xDDD

Well, you can't deny that under the hat, the man has awesome hair.

I don't have anything against him. xD

The only thing that motivates me is power, my own brand of justice and sex.

edited 31st Jul '12 11:31:34 AM by TheAngelOfDeath

Ah, to be fifteen again.

I resent that remark!

I wasn't like this when I was 15!

tbh, even sex didn't motivate me at fifteen. Pizza might have.

@Jones I'm 13 and now 16. Kay is 15.

There's not much that motivates me. I have almost everything I ever wanted. The only thing I really hunger for now is sex and power (money is an offshoot of this).

edited 31st Jul '12 11:59:34 AM by TheAngelOfDeath

Nature is very pretty when you stop to look at it.

I mean, really look. None of this driving past with trees flashing by nonsense.

He's lying about the age. :P

Can't say I have a specific inspiration. The people who have made the most impact on my life are the ones who goaded me by asking, "When are you going to start living for yourself for a change?"

Arnold Shwarzenegger, because he's really strong and that makes him a great man.

And Batman, for being such a great crime fighter.

And Ed Wood for never giving up despite being a horrible filmmaker.

edited 31st Jul '12 12:51:23 PM by Talby