The myth of popularity?

[philly2bits]

Sometimes I like to punish myself by actually watching the political channels on TV. With the campaign going on here in America it's hard to miss. With nothing of substance being said yet and with 24 hours to fill, the news tends to bring on talking heads to fill the gaps. One of them was complaining how the news has it's own agenda and reports some candidates are more popular when in reality they are not. They used a phrase close to the thread title.

This got me thinking about some books or articles I have read that do support this. Most people will automatically believe what they are told provided: 1. The source is not immediately unreliable or 2. The person being told doesn't have enough first hand knowledge to refute them.

Couple this with the fact people are also more drawn to popular people.(Studies have shown people are more likely to add a friend on Facebook if they have many friends already. Up to a point.)

What are your thoughts on this with regards to SA? Are we doomed to a friendless life? Should we spread rumors of our own popularity? Does making friends become easier like the above would suggest?

Also, while I did talk about politics and the media it was only as an example and by not means is what this thread is about. I'd appreciate it if you would do me a favor and leave them out of it. Thank you.

 

[Sial Axetder]

Well you see Philly, politics are a different kind of lying, cheating, ba --- haha.

With popularity we naturally assume comes many numbers, we all know this.
With SA, AvPD, SP we see lower numbers, we know this, too. And assume unpopular.

We, with those ailments, do not and should not have to suffer. A positive outlook, often true, we do find ourselves few but great friends. I'd have the few over the many any day.

Popularity can be viewed on an individual bases. While one sees many people with the other a popularity to strive for I, for example, am quite well with the popularity of the few that know me. Some are some are not.

Are we doomed to forego our natural lives in vivid solitude? It's all about choice.

Should we spread rumors? No, of course not. Spread your knowledge instead.

Making friends is not simple nor is it complicated. A wise man told me this:
"... go out and do [all] the things that you once avoided... You are building self esteem by having something to talk about and broadening your personality..." Does it get easier? Does it matter? Enjoy yourself and let others in to enjoy it with you.

I added my points. Hopefully provided answers that may help in some way.

 

[coyote]

i used to put a great deal of effort into appearing to be fascinating, in the hopes that it would draw people closer to me

i would even go so far as to fabricate details of my past in order to be more interesting

what i found, however, is that it merely caused me to keep people at a greater distance, because i feared that they would discover the truth behind the lies

i also found that i have been able to form the best and closest relationships with the people that i have been the most real, honest, free, and unrestrained with

there may not be as many of them, but they are far more valuable

i can only wonder what kind of hell the politicians and their spin-doctors live in, surrounded at every turn by the web of deceit they've spun for themselves

 

[deleted #89]

Popularity is the quality of being well-liked or common, or having a high social status. The reality is that popularity is really just an illusion. You think you will be happier if you become popular but the fact is that genuinely happy people don't care to be popular. Take for example Micheal Jackson. We could say that he was one of the most popular person in the world but at the same time I guarantee you that he was crying/suffering when nobody was looking. Its an extreme example of popularity but also very valid.........

 

[Hamelech]

Precisely in political issues popularity is the most important trait in a candidate or a leader without any doubt, specially in a democracy. In fact, out of this terrain being popular is one of the most important things on life, or at least not being so unpopular to be treated like a social piñata. One can't be happy if doesn't feel beloved.