What's your view on popularity?

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What's your view on popularity? Do you see it as good, bad, or relative?

Do you like the idea of being popular? Always, in everything, only in some things, or not at all?

What do you think are the pros and cons of having popularity?

Do you appreciate someone more or less because they are popular?
 
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The goodness of popularity is relative.

Personally, I wouldn't want to be excessively popular. Within a group of friends, a scout troop, or workplace is okay, but within an entire school? Nah.

Pros: control? Cons: maintenance.

It's irrelevant really. I was told that this one kid was really unpopular when I first moved to my new high school, and he ended up as my best friend. i didn't seek him out, and actually avoided him at first, but we gravitated together and I elarned that popularity really doesn't make a difference. In high school I had a few popular friends, and a lot who didn't care.

I think different people are naturallu good at different things, or enjoy certain things and practice them in order to become better. The 'popular crowd' likely enjoys being popular as well as working to become popular. Being popular would be a chore for me.
 
Res said:
What's your view on popularity? Do you see it as good, bad, or relative?
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well i don't really see it as a moral issue, it's just something that happens. like the sun rising ;)

Do you like the idea of being popular? Always, in everything, only in some things, or not at all?
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yeah i like it. popular people can get more things done, can get others to help them. an individual alone can only do so much- together people can achieve wonderful things. that's not really popularity though is it? i think i love the idea of collaboration more than the idea of individual popularity - though the two are linked.

What do you think are the pros and cons of having popularity?
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i think being popular is similar to being idolized - people expect you to be in a certain way. you're less free to act out, you have to maintain a certain image. pros are being able to network etc. easier and have people do favors for you, but the con would be you'd have to be constantly vigilant about how your actions would impact your reputation, which could be somewhat limiting.

Do you appreciate someone more or less because they are popular?
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nope. not relevant.

What expectations do you associate with being popular? Are these expectations always fair or realistic? Why or why not?
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(see above) as to whether they're fair or not.. eh. like i said it's not really a moral issue, if you decide to do things that'll make you popular or unpopular then it's onto you to deal with the consequences of that.
 
I was never popular in the traditional sense, but I had close ties with people from nearly every social group in high school. I think the kind of idolization popularity that you might see in a bad high school movie is unrealistic. If it does exist, it is horribly unhealthy.

I would never put any weight to popularity, it's only a measurement of how much you fit in with others, or how many friends you can make. Neither of which shows anything about a person, and those that seek popularity end up losing themselves to the expectations of their peers.

Post-high school popularity is different, we all secretly want to be famous for something.
 
Meh......it's funny how life is. When I was younger I craved it and didn't have it. Now that I am older, I have it and could care less about it. My attentions are focused on other things. In the long run it's almost useless. :m075:
 
I've never been popular nor have I ever desired to be so. I'm content being that girl in that corner reading that book.

I think being popular would be too hard for me. You have all these fake relationships and backstabbers around you all the time. All of your interactions are purely surface as opposed to getting deeper. I wouldn't like that.
 
I'm, like, so popular! You all should, like, worship me!

I actually hate people who think they are popular, and I don't like our celebrity worshiping culture at all. It is stupid. It just breeds narcissists and overly inflates peoples' egos.
 
Res said:
What's your view on popularity? Do you see it as good, bad, or relative?

I believe it is relative. I've moved around a lot as I was growing up and came into contact with a lot of people from a lot of different schools. In my experience, those who were popular had a pattern of having similar traits: charisma, they were extroverted, humorous, typically they were nice to look at (male and female), they were natural leaders, and people had the tendency to flock to them.
Regardless of their physical appearances, it was their intellectual presence that gained them many admirers.

Do you like the idea of being popular? Always, in everything, only in some things, or not at all?

I used to desire popularity to the point of ditching my true friends when I was in middle and high school. When I made it to college, I realized that those who help you make it through the hard stuff are those whom you can trust.

What do you think are the pros and cons of having popularity?

Pros entail the opportunity to make a statement without rejection or question (most of the time). You also have influence over a lot of people. Dominant personality types will have emotional/intellectual power over those who need a leader, and the Contagion Theory will apply. Popularity also offers you the opportunity to create stronger social networks, particularly in this day and age when technology has expanded our social horizons - it is an excellent opportunity to expand ones plane of influence.

Cons entail never knowing who your real friends are. Even to the point that seeking a confidant could be impossible. It might be difficult to get a real opinion, or to receive needed constructive criticism. Your relationships could be more shallow, and a lot less rewarding. Because of that, aspects of social growth and development could be easily chipped away or disregarded as necessary for human interaction and abandonment could be the consequence.

Do you appreciate someone more or less because they are popular?
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Depending on how they utilize their power, for lack of a better term, I can see my appreciation for them increase or decrease. A person who has influence should consider where they stand with not only their friends, but their enemies. If they use their popularity to influence their friends to turn against others, I would not trust them to have a hold on their abilities.
 
What's your view on popularity? Do you see it as good, bad, or relative?

I have always been sort of oblivious to popularity, or level of popularity. I have been in several leadership positions in the past. I am generally under the impression that no one is really paying any attention to me at all, despite being in these positions. However, I am every now and then proven wrong, although this is not exactly popularity.

In certain situations, I think true popularity can be a good or bad thing. For the most part, I think popularity is useful for leadership purposes. When people like you, respect you, and feel a connection with you, order is more easily maintained and everything just runs more smoothly.

Do you like the idea of being popular? Always, in everything, only in some things, or not at all?

I think most people would obviously prefer being liked to disliked. I don't know if I'd literally want to be popular because I think maintaining popularity can also be very draining, but I would like to have most people I interact with hold me in positive esteem.

What do you think are the pros and cons of having popularity?

The pros: Well, there's the whole leadership thing, and it's good whenever you're trying to sell something, obviously (sorry, my mind keeps flashing back to music business and marketing). I think popular people may also be more likely to have positive self-esteem, though that may not always be the case.

The cons: Becoming overconcerned about popularity can turn you into a sort of shallow person, I think. You might let down the people who genuinely care about you and you might be inclined to pretend to be someone that you're not. As I said before, I think it can always be draining, as people are always expecting something from you.

Do you appreciate someone more or less because they are popular?

Again, I am always a little oblivious to popularity. I mean, I can tell if a person is "popular," but I don't give it much thought because, honestly, popularity is so fickle. Often, all you have to do to achieve it is maintain the image of something that somebody will respect. It doesn't necessarily mean there's anything to you at all.
 
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my opinion?

meh...its pointless...I never was and I never cared...in fact im pretty sure I went OUT of my way to NOT fit in...(went the goth route...)
 
Entyqua said:
my opinion?

meh...its pointless...I never was and I never cared...in fact im pretty sure I went OUT of my way to NOT fit in...(went the goth route...)
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GOTH! YES!
 
I love goth girls. You are both invited to my INFJ commune when I start it up. I just need to decide between St. Lucia and the Canadian Rockies!
 
I really don't care about popularity. That being said, it is a factor with things. I won't deny I tend to shy away from people who have some kind of ill social status. This can be independent of popularity, but it can coincide with it.

It does have importance though, popularity gives a person visabillity and can open up more social opertunities to make connections with others. After a certain point though, it becomes a bad thing. Being too popular (which by some is actually reveared, with people who thrive on drama), causes people to focus too intently on someone, and that can be extremely hard to deal with for many.

It's more important to be well liked, then to be popular.
 
I was always too wrapped up in my own world to even take the concept of popularity into consideration for my actions and behavior. It is entirely irrelevant to me but I also do not see it as a bad thing, unless used to deprive others. I still do not think about it; all I want is to do things that I like, for myself, and occasionally to make someone else happy. If that made me popular I wouldn't even realize it.
 
What's your view on popularity? Do you see it as good, bad, or relative?
Relative. When someone becomes popular, that must mean there are something that makes them so. Whether it's a good aspect (kind, helpful, smart, star athlete, nice smexy hot body) or bad (ruthless, bringing others down, drama queen) would gave different impressions and reactions from people that 'followed' them. :)
And I'm more interested on looking at the effects of popularity to the people, anyway.

But one thing that's intriguing me is the reverse; the treatment to the unpopular. Therefore Chris had said it (and I'm completely agreeing) that the highschool movie kind of popularity is unrealistic. But is that the case with the highschool movie kind of unpopularity? The bullying, the mocking, the..everything else?

Do you like the idea of being popular? Always, in everything, only in some things, or not at all?
Indigo said it best;
It's more important to be well liked, then to be popular.
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And even then, you can't help but make enemies, or leeches that will suck you dry. >_>;
I personally liked being popular to those I want them to, but....that isn't popularity. :P so I don't know. Can't say.

What do you think are the pros and cons of having popularity?
Holding masks. Staying constant to what makes you popular in the first place (to an N, this might be a problem). Pandering to the bases. Backstabbers, gossips, drama. Drama. Fake relationships, few of them. Shallow superficial acquaintances, millions of them.

Pros. Partying. Lots of fun. Drama. May attract a lot of hot-bodied people and a lot of kind-hearted people. Getting to know people better.

Do you appreciate someone more or less because they are popular?
Depends. I'd appreciate them if it's for a good reason...the same to the unpopular ones. Otherwise...
 
If you're popular with yourself, you've got it made.
 
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