popularity2

[cgeorge]

Is popularity the most important thing in the world? Not at all. Many people don’t know this and end up spending wasted time trying to be better than everyone else around them and making sure those people know it. It’s okay to want people to like you, but some people can get a little carried away.
One should not have the feeling to be mean towards others just to put themselves ahead. When teens want to become “popular”, they often do things they shouldn’t even when they know they’re wrong. They often put others down around them to make them look and feel good.
If you have a large group of friend then you by definition are popular. Being popular just o be part of a certain crowd is pointless. You have to ac just like them or they will not be your friend anymore. You need their approval for anything. There is no point to it. It would be much more fun and healthy to have a large group of friends that you can be yourself around.
Being able to be yourself around your friends is actually healthier. That’s what being social is; not doing the same as everyone else. When children first start school, they seem to be friends with anyone. In kindergarten, you haven’t developed your judgmental characteristics yet. Maybe teenagers can actually learn from and five or six year old.
It’s also sad that popular people try to avoid talking to or being seen with people because of they way they look or clothes they are wearing. They think that they will be less of a person if they do. They are wrong they are being more of a person. Everyone has their own style and popularity shouldn’t be one of them.
In the book Nineteen Minutes, Peter had a pie chart that had certain labels such as, popular unpopular, ect... . He put Josie in a group “people that are nice to everyone”. Josie did not like this because it might hurt her chance at staying popular. Being nice to everyone is not a bad thing, as a matter of fact, its great thing.
In conclusion, I believe that people should be themselves. They will lead much more fulfilling life and have a lot more fun. Being popular is overrated and just stupid. Giving up things and people you love just to be part of a certain crowd makes you the biggest hypocrite ever.

[glennb]

I agree entirely with your whole paper. Especially about the part where people should be themselves. It is true that so many students get wrapped up in becoming popular that they loose site of what's really important.

I also agree that if you have friends who like you for who you are then you are popular. You shouldn't need the approval of other students just to fit in.

[asalerno]

I also agree with most of your paper. I think it is good for someone to be themself and I think it is even better when someone has someone else who is the same as a friend. I think it is even better if there is a whole group of people just like you mentioned. If you have friends you enjoy being good friends with, then there is no need to try to be popular.
I however, did not agree with you when you said, "It’s also sad that popular people try to avoid talking to or being seen with people because of they way they look or clothes they are wearing." I think that people who do judge people based on what they wear are pathetic. However, I do not think a lot of people ignore people based on what they wear. But, if people do they shouldn't even be given the time of your day.

[samanthabonora]

i agree entrirely with everything that you've mentioned here. For instance a strong part of what i believe in your paper is when you wrote, "If you have a large group of friend then you by definition are popular", because this is saying the truth, that you are in fact popular. The popular that people these days in high schools everywhere is fabrication of the word. What we have come to believe of the word, 'popualrity' is not what it seems to be. The real word for what we think it means would something more like, fake or cliquey. Because popularity isnt a personality or a 'style' as you say here, "Everyone has their own style and popularity shouldn’t be one of them." Popularity is the ability or the personality you have to be nice to everyone no matter what.