"My father wants me to be like my brother, but I can't be"
- Robert Mapplethorpe
About this Quote
In this quote, Robert Mapplethorpe reveals the pressure he feels from his father to be like his bro. He acknowledges that his dad has particular expectations for him, however he also acknowledges that he can not meet them. This could be due to a range of factors, such as having different interests, talents, or characters than his bro. Mapplethorpe's declaration highlights the battle of measuring up to someone else's standards and the trouble of attempting to be somebody you are not. It also speaks to the value of welcoming one's uniqueness and not adhering to others' expectations.
"Children that are raised in a home with a married mother and father consistently do better in every measure of well-being than their peers who come from divorced or step-parent, single-parent, cohabiting homes"
