This is something that I've often wondered people's opinions about, since I have up until now, only gone by my own.  Do you think that people are predestined to be popular from the time they are very small, or do you think that people have a fighting chance to "make themselves" popular? I believe that they are predestined to be popular, and a lot of it has to do with how their parents were/are.  It's just funny because even though Vaughn is only barely 6, I can already see the "popular" kids forming in his class/school. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with social/economical status too. I remember when I was in school it was usually the rich kids, the kids who had doctors/lawyers/etc as parents, etc...who were the popular ones. It was very rare to see someone from the "other side of the tracks" become popular.

So what do you think?

To a certain degree yes.Some of the rich kids who families know each other and hang out with each other,but as the kids get older and into sports,music,looks these all have alot to do if your popular.Timmy had friends in elementary and middle school,but he was not really considered popular,until high school when his classes were with the above average students and he started doing more things with band.

I have often pondered this question from time to time. I really don't think it has to do with predestination as it has to do with determination and drive. There are some people who just have the drive to accomplish things and others (like myself  :-[ ) who do not. Also, I think there is something that is in people that will attract others to them-something that the person is not even aware of. If they are aware of it, that person may use it to his/her advantage.



Cat

Good question and I think it depends on confidence. If a person is confident regardless of their physical, emotional or mental deficiencies they have as much chance of being 'popular' as anyone else.

Cat mentioned drive which is also a quality many people look for in friends. People like people who are doers and go out of their way to make their lives happier.

Regardless, it's the quality of friendships that matter not the quantity.

Regardless, it's the quality of friendships that matter not the quantity.



You are so right about that. Unfortunately, most people mistake quantity for quality.



Cat

I've thought about this over the years, and I too believe being popular has a lot to do with one's confidence. I think social skills has something to do with it, as well. Some of the popular kids in my high school weren't from well-off families, but were extremely sociable and confident.

Of course, there are those kids from well-off families that were among the most popular at my school too.

Popularity is extremely overrated. I don't think kids are predestined to be popular (or unpopular). I was fairly popular through 6th grade: after that, it was like "who?".  ;D >:(

I may be too old to appreciate popularity now, but back in the day even 'rich kids' didn't get a free pass in that department. Sure, there were those whose parents had money who were popular, but that was more a function of the kid's personalities and the way they treated others than their parents' bank account size. Some of the coolest people I knew had rich parents... ditto with those who had borderline Chapter 11 parents.

Looks and achievement seem to have more an effect on popularity than socio-economic status. It's ironic in a way: the two "hottest" guys in my class were gay, and one guy, who was completely deaf, was the best wrestler in my class (as well as in the entire high school).

Sure, you need a dad like Billy Ray Cyrus to jumpstart (humptart?) a career like Miley Cyrus', but for the average person, life is what you make of it.

Ant

It's all about confidence.  In High School, I was unpopular because I was shy and unconfident to talk with people.  But for the most part though, I never really cared about being popular because I thought it was stupid how certain groups of people only hung with those in their crowd. 

I had a few select friends that I hung around with, and that's all I needed

You all make some excellent points..and I think that it does have a lot to do with self confidence too...although how one looks doesn't hurt their popularity either.

You all make some excellent points..and I think that it does have a lot to do with self confidence too...although how one looks doesn't hurt their popularity either.


You definitely get a head-start if you are attractive, this isn't bitterness or resentment just plain fact. If people are attracted to you just by the way you look, your need to make an effort lessens. Like what Julie Brown sings in 'Cause I'm a blonde:

" I never learned to read, and I never learned to cook.
  Why should I bother when I look like I look?"