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What is the word for a person who expects other people to be like him, for example, a dad who wants his son to be like him?

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5  
Average? Common? – Mitch Apr 22 '11 at 11:50
is there an equivalent in other languages? – Sejanus Apr 22 '11 at 12:18
@Sej: I don't get what you are getting at. – MrHen Apr 22 '11 at 13:30
pro-parthenogenesis ? pro-mitosis ? An archaea ? – Alain Pannetier Φ Apr 22 '11 at 14:59
@MrHen: nice rhyme. – Alenanno Apr 22 '11 at 15:34

6 Answers

up vote 6 down vote accepted

I don't believe that there is a single word which describes what you're asking for. You probably need a short phrase to give this idea:

He expects others to follow his example.

He wants his son to take after him.

He thinks he knows what's best for everyone.

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up vote 3 down vote

A narcissist?

From Wikipedia:

-Difficulty with empathy
-Problems distinguishing the self from others
-Inability to view the world from the perspective of other people

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up vote 1 down vote

Intolerant?

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Uhm in my opinion it's necessarily negative while in the question's example "if a dad wants his son to be like him" it isn't necessarily negative, right? Unless he forces his son too, but in that case we would have a context. Just a doubt of mine :D – Alenanno Apr 22 '11 at 12:13
@Alenanno: the key word for me is "expect", and the rather broad "other people". It's one thing if I would like to see my son become an engineer, but it's a different thing entirely if I "expect other people to be like me". But of course, the OP is welcome to clarify. – RegDwighт♦ Apr 22 '11 at 12:21
Ah I see the subtle difference now. What is an OP by the way? – Alenanno Apr 22 '11 at 12:39
@Alenanno: original poster. – RegDwighт♦ Apr 22 '11 at 12:40
up vote 0 down vote

I think you can find a word to mean someone who holds people to the highest standards: perfectionist. I think you can also find a word to mean you want to imitate others: mimic.

Though I think no one word exists which combines these two ideas perfectly. I suppose the closest you can get is perfectionist or perhaps idealistic, for someone who might very well expect others to be like him.

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up vote 0 down vote

A few options:

  • role model
  • model
  • icon
  • idol
  • example
  • teacher
  • guide
  • trailblazer
  • leader

The idea of a son being like the father can be expressed as:

  • fated
  • inherited
  • a chip off the old block
  • an apple that didn't fall far from the tree
  • succeeded
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up vote 0 down vote

Also consider

  • zealot, one who is zealous, one who is full of zeal for his own specific beliefs or objectives, [often] too passionate; a fanatic
  • missionary, Someone who attempts to convert others to a particular doctrine or program
  • evangelist, as used in "technology evangelist", a person who attempts to build a critical mass of support for a given technology
  • apostle, An ardent early supporter of a cause or reform
  • proselytizer, someone who encourages or induces people to join a movement, political party, or other cause or organization
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