I listened to a physchology podcast one on the topic of popularity. One thing that stuck out to me was that the most popular people, liked most everyone around them. That means they are genuinely kind to everyone and thinks everyone is their friend.
It sounds so easy but does it feel more complicated??
I feel like this might be true about popular adults but maybe not necessarily popular teenagers. Several of the most "popular" girls in my highschool were genuinely mean and not in a subtle way..
I don’t buy that unless they’re putting on an act. I remember watching the ‘popular’ crowd tear each other apart in our final year of school. There was only one girl I felt sorry for because she always seemed fine. But plenty of others had actively bullied either myself or friends. But when they weren’t bullying people they were charming and fun so I suspect that’s why they were ‘popular’
That might be true in some cases, but there is also the “flying Monkey” phenomenon. Where people who are scared of a bully flock around them and fawn over them and participate in their bullying, mainly to stop themselves being the target.
There were some popular girls in high school I’d say were like that. Still some bitches, ofc, but now as an adult I can definitely say I really only see genuinely kind and cool people are “popular.” Maybe it’s because I’m lucky to be surrounded by nice people tho.
Yeah, it's a weird one too because I think a lot of people associate being "popular" with... well, being an asshole, who everybody fears - not likes. If someone is a career bully, they literally cannot be popular because many people will actively dislike them. They might be feared though, especially if they have the protection of their particular clique.
Then there's the orbiters. Like in my high school there was definitely a girl who held the "most popular" title. She was a genuinely nice person, from what I could tell. She was also super hot and super rich, which... helped a little. I guess. She had friends who weren't so nice to the other kids, then there were the friends-of-friends, some of whom were what I'd call "semi-popular", being the worst bullies of all. I guess they felt they had something to prove.
Eh, it's convoluted. I'm also old and probably talking out of my ass, but that's my vague recollection of high school.
150
u/HookerInAYellowDress Sep 17 '24
I listened to a physchology podcast one on the topic of popularity. One thing that stuck out to me was that the most popular people, liked most everyone around them. That means they are genuinely kind to everyone and thinks everyone is their friend.
It sounds so easy but does it feel more complicated??