Is it possible to grow up to be a popular person?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of popularity, exploring whether it is possible to grow up to be a popular person. Participants share their thoughts on the factors contributing to popularity, including attractiveness, confidence, charisma, and social skills, while considering different contexts such as adolescence and adulthood.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that attractiveness plays a significant role in popularity, with a belief that attractive individuals are often perceived as more intelligent.
  • Others argue that confidence is a crucial factor, noting that being outgoing and engaging with others can enhance one's popularity.
  • A participant mentions that charisma is an important missing element in the discussion about popularity.
  • There are claims that the reasons for popularity evolve from middle school to adulthood, with different traits becoming more valued as people mature.
  • Some express that being true to oneself may lead to decreased popularity, as it can involve addressing serious issues that others might avoid.
  • A suggestion is made that engaging in visible activities, like drawing in public, can help in meeting new people and forming connections.
  • One participant reflects on their personal experiences with popularity, indicating fluctuations between being popular and feeling isolated.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the factors that contribute to popularity, with multiple competing views presented regarding the importance of attractiveness, confidence, social skills, and authenticity.

Contextual Notes

Some discussions touch on the impact of context, such as age and social environment, on the perception of popularity, but these factors remain unresolved and are not universally agreed upon.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals exploring social dynamics, personal development, or those seeking to understand the complexities of popularity in various social contexts.

the toppest reason of popularity is


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En_lizard
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There are some people who are respected, loved, and cared for by almost anyone. Is there any mystery behind that? Is it possible to grow up to be a popular person? If there are ways for that and you are aware of them please share them with me. Dont forget to explain your reasons for your choice!
 
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En_lizard said:
there are some people whore respected , loved and cared by almost anyone. is there any mystery behind that? is it possible to grow up to a popular person? if there is ways for that and youre aware of them please share them with me.

Yikes, careful with the spelling! Sometimes small mistakes don't matter, but sometimes they do. If Zidane is reading this thread ...
 
George Jones said:
Yikes, careful with the spelling! Sometimes small mistakes don't matter, but sometimes they do. If Zidane is reading this thread ...

the very first attempt for hijacking my thread? c'me on! the listener must be wise. its clear that's who are not whore. and what made zidande furious wasnt a typo nor a misunderstanding. it was a swear. the guy has told him "i prefer your sister" in response to zidane's question which was " do you want my shirt?"
 
George Jones said:
Yikes, careful with the spelling! Sometimes small mistakes don't matter, but sometimes they do. If Zidane is reading this thread ...

:smile::smile:

People who are attractive are also perceived to be smart unless they're just so dumb that there's no denying it. In other words, most attractive people aren't perceived to be of average intelligence - they're perceived as being either very smart or very dumb.
 
BobG said:
:smile::smile:

People who are attractive are also perceived to be smart unless they're just so dumb that there's no denying it. In other words, most attractive people aren't perceived to be of average intelligence - they're perceived as being either very smart or very dumb.

attractiveness could be a reason for popularity even for men? does that work for impressing anyone or only opposite sex? :confused:
 
En_lizard said:
attractiveness could be a reason for popularity even for men? does that work for impressing anyone or only opposite sex? :confused:

It works for both, but more so for women. In fact, if you start comparing pairs of men/women, the attractiveness of the woman a man is with is more significant than the attractiveness of the man when people form first impressions of the man.

The Effects of Attractiveness on Popularity

Granted, their own experiment was conducted in a bar, which probably has an impact on the results of their experiment, but they also cite some other studies which support the idea that popularity is directly related to attractiveness.

Of course, not only did they observe how many times a person was approached by someone else in the bar, they also observed how many times a person approached someone else. Attractive people are more likely to approach other people which can definitely affect a person's popularity.

It might be true that attitude is the most important determinant of whether a person is popular and the main impact of attractiveness is on the person's own self-esteem and confidence. An attractive person who's afraid to talk to people isn't going to be very popular.
 
I wish I knew. Popularity is as elusive to me as courage to the Cowardly Lion or a heart to the Tin Man.

But I think one word missing from the list is charisma.
 
Confidence. Pretty much everyone in my entire dorm invites me places and says hey to me while walking past. My dorm has around 120 people. It's insane how many people will go out of their way to talk to me or chill with me now. I'm just confident and say something to everyone who walks by me (in my dorm at least...). There are a few of us like this in my dorm, and the only correlation is confidence. This causes people to start talking to you, and also for you to start talking to them. When someone is walking by with their head down and bad posture, nobody will say anything to them (lol I say "hey, what's up?" to those people sometimes, but they rarely respond).

EDIT: Lol, I think I may have sounded like jasonrox right there.
 
DaveC426913 said:
I wish I knew. Popularity is as elusive to me as courage to the Cowardly Lion or a heart to the Tin Man.

But I think one word missing from the list is charisma.

If you're not popular, Dave, it's because you're not exploiting your drawing skills in the right way.

First, get out your sketchbook and get a good drawing started. Once it's well along and looking good, find a cafe in your vicinity with a lot of customers. Get a cup of coffee, or whatever, and sit in there with your sketchbook working on the drawing. Pick a table where you're quite visible: don't hide in a corner. It will be apparent to you almost instantly that people are interested: they'll be glancing over at the drawing, and slowing down as they pass the table to check it out.

Now and then it will be apparent that someone is really interested: they especially hesitate and linger. You can look up and acknowledge them, even say "Hi." That usually precipitates a conversation.

It's a good idea to go to the restroom often leaving the drawing out in full view on the table for more shy people to stroll over and get a better look at it. Later they will often come over and say "I noticed your sketch earlier. That's really cool. You do this for a living?" or some such.

There's no end to the amount of exposure you'll get, the number of people you'll meet, and new friends you'll make. People like artists just cause they're artists. Just seeing you sitting there drawing will prejudice them in your favor.
 
  • #10
The reasons for popularity change dramatically from middle school up through adulthood. In middle school, being physically attractive is usually enough; being physically attractive and funny is almost a guarantee.

As you get older, people start realizing that stability, intellect, accomplishment, and kindness are much more valuable traits. In my experience, the most popular adults are those who are genuine, interesting, and go out of their way to take care of the people around them. I don't mean they play Mother Hen -- they just always notice when someone needs a kind word, and say it.

- Warren
 
  • #11
I've gone through phases where I've been popular, and others when I become very isolated. In the end I find that the more I'm true I am to myself, the less popular I am.

I think the problem is that social skills require effort, and in most situations I don't care to make the effort any more. I don't mean to say that I'm unfriendly, but I usually have one eye on my watch. I only care to be popular among the people who really matter to me.
 
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  • #12
zoobyshoe said:
If you're not popular, Dave, it's because you're not exploiting your drawing skills in the right way.

First, get out your sketchbook and get a good drawing started. Once it's well along and looking good, find a cafe in your vicinity with a lot of customers...

But popularity isn't about making acquaintances, it's about keepnig them. Moreso, it's about other people wanting to hang with you.

In my next life I will choose to follow sports - whether I like it or not. I know of few other more universally accepted ways for men to interact.
 
  • #13
The answer is the right combination of all your options, so I will chose none of them.
 
  • #14
Ivan Seeking said:
I've gone through phases where I've been popular, and others when I become very isolated. In the end I find that the more I'm true I am to myself, the less popular I am.
Being true to yourself usually involves knowing where you stand on important issues. Popular people instinctively avoid bringing people's attention to important issues that might get them concerned, worried, or fretful. They're all about feeling good.
 
  • #15
I am lucky to be married to a woman with a gift for social skills; ironically she's also full of several social paranoias and anxieties. It's an odd combination. But her social skills can be summed up with a simple lesson she taught me 15 years ago:

"Take a healthy interest in other people's doings!"

In other words, be interested in the people you are with (key word is "healthy," don't be obsessive). People who get to know my wife go out of their way to do things with/for her. e.g. after each of our 3 kids were born, her group of friends organized themselves to provide over a weeks worth of home cooked meals. All three times! No shake n bake here, Each tried to out do the other. I've never eaten so well.

She doesn't pretend, she doesn't try to be someone she's not, she simply expresses happiness when seeing someone she likes, and prompts people to talk about themselves, and engages in intelligent conversation. For some it is effortless.

Oh yeah, remember people's names. that helps.
 
  • #16
It's funny---I was the first one to vote for 'wisdom and intelligece (sic)' on a forum where that is, I thought would be, considered important.

(isn't Einstein, Maxwell, etc. popular?)
 
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  • #17
Other - "Social Skills"... duh?
 
  • #18
cyrusabdollahi said:
The answer is the right combination of all your options, so I will chose none of them.

This seems to come up once in a while---are there more options for 'polling'? (giving the person ability to 'rank' the choices --like 1st, 2nd, 3rd... or percentage)?
 
  • #19
En_lizard said:
There are some people who are respected, loved, and cared for by almost anyone. Is there any mystery behind that? Is it possible to grow up to be a popular person? If there are ways for that and you are aware of them please share them with me. Dont forget to explain your reasons for your choice!

see what the queen of loung has done to my first post:!)
evo why have you changed cared to care for? what i wanted to say was the situation where anyone care about what someone says or does. isn't care for use for the situation when you take care of someone?
 
  • #20
BobG said:
It works for both, but more so for women. In fact, if you start comparing pairs of men/women, the attractiveness of the woman a man is with is more significant than the attractiveness of the man when people form first impressions of the man.

The Effects of Attractiveness on Popularity

Granted, their own experiment was conducted in a bar, which probably has an impact on the results of their experiment, but they also cite some other studies which support the idea that popularity is directly related to attractiveness.

Of course, not only did they observe how many times a person was approached by someone else in the bar, they also observed how many times a person approached someone else. Attractive people are more likely to approach other people which can definitely affect a person's popularity.

It might be true that attitude is the most important determinant of whether a person is popular and the main impact of attractiveness is on the person's own self-esteem and confidence. An attractive person who's afraid to talk to people isn't going to be very popular.
i think there's more in attractiveness other than physical prettyness. we usually call someone attractive when there's something both in one's attitude and appearnce which attracts us to here don't we? i think even tone of ones voice could be very important factor.
 
  • #21
chroot said:
The reasons for popularity change dramatically from middle school up through adulthood. In middle school, being physically attractive is usually enough; being physically attractive and funny is almost a guarantee.

As you get older, people start realizing that stability, intellect, accomplishment, and kindness are much more valuable traits. In my experience, the most popular adults are those who are genuine, interesting, and go out of their way to take care of the people around them. I don't mean they play Mother Hen -- they just always notice when someone needs a kind word, and say it.

- Warren
i don't think so. it depends on whom you are with. the majority of people don't appreciate
intelect and accomplishment unless they are intelectual and successful themselves.
if you are a caring and supportive person then you are popular only when people need you.
 
  • #22
En_lizard said:
see what the queen of loung has done to my first post:!)
evo why have you changed cared to care for? what i wanted to say was the situation where anyone care about what someone says or does. isn't care for use for the situation when you take care of someone?
It wouldn't be correct English, I can change it to cared about, would that be closer to what you meant?
 
  • #23
Evo said:
It wouldn't be correct English, I can change it to cared about, would that be closer to what you meant?

if its not correct english, then no! i was thanking you, evo:smile:
 
  • #24
DaveC426913 said:
Ah, but how do you know that this is not because of some social skill you have and the art is simply a gateway?
I dunno. Just try it and see if it isn't the gateway to social skills you didn't know you had.
 
  • #25
I voted Attitude since its the closest to Charisma. I've seen all sorts of "popular" people from grossly over weight drag queens to grizzly old chain smoking hobos.
 
  • #26
TheStatutoryApe said:
I've seen all sorts of "popular" people from grossly over weight drag queens to grizzly old chain smoking hobos.
You must live in a very boring town. :biggrin:
 
  • #27
DaveC426913 said:
You must live in a very boring town. :biggrin:

Yeah, unless you're into show tunes or philosophy over a bottle of night train. ;-)
 
  • #28
TheStatutoryApe said:
Yeah, unless you're into show tunes or philosophy over a bottle of night train. ;-)
But you're right, and "attitude" is more to the point than the vaguer "charisma". "Charisma", after all, is a result of attitude. And there's no particular social status or normalcy required: once in a great while you do run into a bum or drunk who is very charming or otherwise appealing and seems to be known and liked over a large territory.
 
  • #29
Chi Meson said:
"Take a healthy interest in other people's doings!"

In other words, be interested in the people you are with (key word is "healthy," don't be obsessive).

Someone should have pointed out that distinction to J. Edgar Hoover.
 
  • #30
zoobyshoe said:
Being true to yourself usually involves knowing where you stand on important issues. Popular people instinctively avoid bringing people's attention to important issues that might get them concerned, worried, or fretful. They're all about feeling good.

I disagree.

I think it's wisdom and intelligence. But you need to be extroverted and willing to share your experiences. Also, do it in a friendly way.

For example, at my work, we have high school kids looking for alcohol and I'm old enough to buy it for them. Although everyone else does it, I never do it for them. They never looked at me as uncool because I didn't. They see that doing the right thing isn't so hard after all, but obviously they still go out and drink. They enjoy some of things I have to say like don't do so-and-so because it disrespects people and whatever. Yes, they listen from time and time again. Yet, teachers themselves can't get these people to stop. They think I'm cool because I guess I know what to say and I'll say the most ****ed up **** they've ever heard. But I'm literally true to myself.

I remember one time at a party they were making fun of a religious person. Although I'm not a religion fan myself, I stood up for the guy and told everyone that it wasn't cool and it was rude. They stopped.

If you show high value, people will never forget you. I was popular in high school even though I was shy, but that could also be because I did funny things (school plays), and I was big. Of course it was a small school, but everyone knew me and I have no idea who they are. They'll add me to facebook although I don't like that because I've never talked to them before and I can't tell who they are.

The bottom line is be true to yourself no matter what. The "cool" people that are not true to themselves aren't "cool" for very long.
 

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