Idol: Noun or Verb

Idol (noun) - an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship

Idolize (verb) - admire, revere, love greatly or excessively 

To worship an idol is a dangerous thing. Whether it is something, somebody, or yourself, sooner or later you will realize that nothing and no one is without flaws. When we lift someone up on a pedestal, but then are faced with evidence that conflicts with the perfect image - it creates cognitive dissonance. From that point, we either re-frame our image and acknowledge imperfections, or we twist the evidence to continue our rosy image of that person. "My father is perfect, but he behaved inappropriately - well, ummm....that person really made him behave inappropriately...it's not my father's fault at all - still perfect." As humans, it is way too time consuming to try to represent others as they really are - complex beings with strengths and weaknesses. This heuristic bias is even stronger for those we despise. "The president is stupid, but he just approved a policy I agree with - well, he probably just gave in to my political party - still an idiot." This kind of thinking is easy - it helps us get through the day and make sense of things quickly. Ask A-Rod - he quickly went from the greatest ever to a cheat - from hero to villain.

I would suggest that we should not create heroes and villains, but to idolize aspects of people. This may be easy for our role models and loved ones - but I dare you to try this with your enemies.  You can admire and love without categorizing - it's tough, but it's definitely worth it. Pick the verb over the noun.