Popular! You're gonna be Pop Uu Lar...

 Not sure why, but I have had the song "Popular" from the Broadway musical "Wicked" on my mind. It invades my brain whenever anyone says the word popular or popularity like I have some movie musical disease infiltrating. It is getting so bad that I will actually sing the word pop Uu lar out loud in the middle of conversation because the thought is so pervasive.

I wonder, at times, about the issue of popularity.
I don't think I was ever the popular type because I always wanted to be different, but one of my friends burst my bubble the other day by qualifying me as popular since I was more popular than her in school.  Was I?  I remember having a bunch of friends and then not having a bunch of friends and coming into a world of just knowing a garbage load of people. but I never felt like anyone was a lifelong friend. (at the time) The weird thing about all the people I know...I am BAD at remembering names. So I might know you, talk with you at great length, and still forget your name until I get reminded about 20 times. totally strange.

I actually hope I am not really popular in the negative sense. Why would anyone want others to envy them or think they are too cool to approach? I remember being enraptured with the "popular kids" in junior high. It is mind boggling to even think about those memories. I do have to say that many of those kids have turned out to be real friends to me, but I am looking at the problematic envy and pride that comes with the territory. How does anyone become popular? Who determines this classification? Don't we all start out as children and all grow up to be adults? It is so arbitrary, so hurtful, so middle school.

Popular can be positive though if the right qualities are admired and elevated. If we are talking about having a lot of friends because you are a fabulous person, that is what I want. and fabulous meaning loving, kind, giving, etc.





One of my favorite parts of the song is:

they were POPULAR!
please! it's all about popular.
it's not about aptitude,
it's the way you're viewed,
so it's very shrewd to be,
very very popular like ME!

I love it because it reminds me how important aptitude really is and that our outside appearance pales in comparison to the amazingness within, if we focus on the truly valuable things in life.


1 comment:

  1. I have to say, I still catch myself admiring those people who just seem to have some ineffable charismatic quality. People just like them. What IS that magnetic quality some people have? Sometimes I wish I had it because it always seems like they can do no wrong and things just get handed to them all the time because they're just so dang loveable and/or cool. But just like everyone else, I'm sure they have their problems and insecurities, even if they aren't apparent. Maybe even their own charisma is a stumbling block to them, preventing them from refining the inner man because the outer man is just so naturally beloved. OR--maybe that's just what I tell myself so that I'll feel better about being a complete dork. Haha!

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