I'm not sure you have defined a problem. If you want to admire people and you aren't able to, then that is potentially a problem--depending upon your reasons for wanting to admire people.
Why can't you admire any characters? Well, I suspect that it's a bit of a theory-of-mind issue. You cannot place yourself in that character's circumstances, so you don't ask yourself, "What would I do in this person's place? Is this person doing something that I would want to do but I am not capable of doing?"
As for what is admirable, I suspect it is those characteristics that we lack, or which are insufficiently developed in one person that are displayed in another which the first person desires.
I cannot improvise in my performance. My friend S is an enormously talented improv artist. I admire this about him.
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--James