Popularity

I'm really hungry at the moment. Just got back from a long day at uni.

Starting a post with a question is usually kind of thought provoking. But I don't really want to provoke thoughts. 'Provoke' somehow seems to have negative connotations for me. I'm not really sure why. Somehow I always seem to relate it to provoking a fight or something of the sort. So instead, I think I'll just post about something else.

Its a little bit unclear as to when somebody becomes popular. Theres no actual line that distinguishes someone from the average person to someone who is popular. Dicctionary.com defines it thus:

pop·u·lar
adj.
1. Widely liked or appreciated: a popular resort.
2. Liked by acquaintances; sought after for company: “Beware of over-great pleasure in being popular or even beloved” (Margaret Fuller).
3. Of, representing, or carried on by the people at large: the popular vote.
4. Fit for, adapted to, or reflecting the taste of the people at large: popular entertainment; popular science.
5. Accepted by or prevalent among the people in general: a popular misunderstanding of the issue.
6. Suited to or within the means of ordinary people: popular prices.
7. Originating among the people: popular legend.

I think the defintion I'd be on about tonight would probably be numbers one and two.

Today I had the rare experience of actually being called popular. It was kind of amusing actually. I walked into a lecture late (as usual), heard my name, and turned to see Kerry sitting there pointing at the seat next to her. So I start walking up the stairs, but then realised that there were way too many people in the way. It was a psychology lecture, so not one where you can easily move into the middle of a bunch of seats without telling everyone else to shove out of the way. So I kind of give up, motion to Kerry that I'm just gonna go sit somewhere else, and move along.

Then I see Karen on the other side, same situation.

Then I see Loretta, sitting on the edge. Easiest person to sit next to since the lecture is packed and all I get is to sit on the walkway. Karen gives me a funny look. Before she knew me in uni, she used to think I was a pimp of sorts. Apparently whenever she saw me, I was with some girl chatting away. She actually only told me about this last year, and its been kind of an on going joke since. Obviously this was one of those days where it would get full treatment. For those of you who read the Viking Mistresses blog, you'll notice that the link to this blog has me listed as Mr. Pimp. Well thats where it comes from.

Its quite funny really, because I don't think of myself as relatively popular. Its just that I go to places where people I know are. And the reason I know those people is because I go to those places. A cycle of knowingness.

So if you're liked "widely", it makes you popular. If you have friends who come from different places, and do different things, then you're popular. Its strange, because that means that if most or all of the people you know are from the same place, then you can't technically be popular. Although I guess, to the people that you know, you aren't popular because they know everyone you know.

That brings me on to something else. A lot of people judge others popularity on the amount and type of people whom the judgee knows compared to those that judger knows. While popularity is probably a relative term, just because someone you know knows lots of people that you don't know, it doesn't necesarily mean that they're popular.

Another thing is: Who really wants to be popular? If you ask me, I'd rather have fewer friends who are better friends than a whole crowd of people I only know by name and which course they do at university. Its kind of shallow if you ask me.

Closing comment: Popularity is a funny thing, don't mess with it.

P.S. Sorry for the post going up so much later than the specified time, I had to go on a little adventure.