Debate#1- Topic: Popularity

How do you think popularity affects teenagers?? Is it a huge issue, or something too overated? If popualtiy weren't relevant do you think there would be as much depression and low self-esteem in youth?

Give your opinions, personal stories and what not...

it depends but yes i think its a very real issue

in all the movies etc ppl in the "popular group" are better off but really i think alot of those in the more popular circle are more depressed and i think it is a big issue, everyone wants to be accepted and liked

i think though it only really exsists for those who think its there if you couldnt care less weather you were popular or not your self esteem isnt lowerd cause of it

ummm i dunno if that made much sense but thats what i think even if noone else understands it . . .:s

really good responses guys.... keep on adding your opinions, im really interested as to what everyone has to offer on the subject.

ill be sure to add in my 2 cents in a couple days

Popularity for some is crucial, popularity for others, is non existent. Me and my friends don't follow trends, or make sure everything we say is right--We just hang around, tell jokes, and we couldn't have a better time.

I was a popular fellow, when I was in school. I encountered a bully when I was young, in a new school, and instead of ignoring him, I punched his lights out. Next day, we were best friends.

So popularity comes if you don't care about it.

In every high school theres always that social status issues. Every's so worried about it and often pay more attention at trying to be popular then their studies.

For example, i use to be popular and I thought it wsa awesome i'll admit. But that was before high school. When high school came along, i was just another face in the crowd. And you know what I don't mind it one bit. I have my own group of friends and we have good times.

So what if i don't situate myself in the lower foyer where all the supposed "cool" people are. I'm fine with that. I like how i am right now. I heart my friends to pieces even though we have our rough times. Because the way i think of it is, when your popular people expect things from you. And you have to live up to that expectation. I'm not popular, nor am i geek. I just somewhere in the middle. No expectations, nothing. =)

Anyways for so many people popularity is a huge issue and no matter how you try and show others it doesn't have to be, it always will be.

Whatever.

~Luvz~
~Angie~
xoxo

Through personal experince, I've found that there's 2 kinds of popularity. The superficial kind and the genuine kind.

Stereotypically, popular people are the beautiful, backstabbing jerks of the school all joined together to form an obnoxious clique. I'll admit, there's definitely a group like this in MY school... and I used to, kind of be a part of it (I'm not saying I'm beautiful or anything like that, I was just part of "that crowd"). That was until, they I realized none of them were really my true friends. They didn't care about me, just how I made them look. I went through a time when I really needed support and none of them could give it to me. They didn't care AT ALL about me.

But then I met another group of people. They weren't in the "cool crowd" or whatever you want to call it. But they were NICE. They would sit and talk to me when they saw that I was crying rather than tell me to 'get over it'.

It's kind of strange. I actually have more friends now than I ever did as a snobby 'popular person'. I don't have the problem of going into a classroom and not having anyone to sit next to which I was always worried about when I was younger, because I'm basically friends with everyone and no one really hates me except "the popular group" (because I turned into a 'freak'). I actually feel a lot more poular now that I have real friends because I just didn't fit into that drinking and partying and getting stoned group.

I miss my old friends sometimes. But when they start talking to me about people they hate or who so and so slept with and how slutty so and so looks, I remember why I'm not in that group anymore. It's just easier for me personally this way. I don't feel good about myself around them.

nice answer jackie:)

Personally I hate the sterotypical 'popular' people, perfect grades, perfect looks, good with the girls, football player. I myself am labeled 'freak' because I listen to metal, am not religious, and because I hate America and for that matter American football. But despite this I am considered popular because I'm what some would call a 'dare devil bad-ass' who will do anything just for the fun of it. Popularity to me seems stupid because people change themselves for the group, but is a necissary evil because if people didn't change for others then love would be a rare occerance, the basic law of love being do anything for your 'one' (or in my sisters case 'twenty') and change is included, because personally I wouldn't marry a chick that wasn't like me in any way

I go to a really small school (90 people in the grade) and so there really arn't the same groups as a bigger school because we all know everyone. There's one group that I suppose would be the "popular group". Because in fifth grade they decided to be the popular, and started calling themselves that. And to someone who doesn't know the like workings of our school they would be. All their clothes are the same, abercrombie or american eagle brand. But alot of them are really nice. And my group and thier group talks alot. But there are a few bad apples that like openly hate our group and try and well make us misrable. But then no one likes those people. There isn't any of the pretend to like them because they're high status. My group got all the superlitives, and all the guys like us. So its just their big heads that have convinced themselves of their popularity. And anyone who doesn't fit in these two groups, go into their own little group. But no one like hates them, we actually talk to them alot. Our school is really close. And I like it like that. I couldn't imagine not having friends in other groups. I think if it wasnt for the few in the "popular" group then our school would be in perfect harmony. So I think different groups are a good thing. but not the different group status's.

At my school, no one is really classified as "popular" because the small group of girls who THINK they are a lot better off than anyone else are total bitches! So yes, in their minds they are "popular" but in reality, they are hated. And that isnt popularity. Thats arogance.

What I call popularity is the people in my year that have respect for themselves, look out for other people, live their lives as themselves, and dont worry about what other people think of them. Thay are not the type that pile on makeup to make themselves feel accepted, or the kind tht dress likes sluts to get noticed for their bodies because their minds are so full of shit. They are the people that are naturally beautiful, and THOSE are the people I'M friends with. For example, i would say the most popular person i know is my best friend. Megan. She is always there for everyone, is liked by pretty much everyone, she is beautiful, and she has respect for herself. She aint part of the group of girls who look plastic, she is natural and beautiful. Those are the people i consider "popular" :)

Im 15 now. In middle school popularity was huge. It was pretty much 2 groups, the "popular" people and everyone else. Now in high school there are so many different groups it doesnt really matters. Preppies have there own group and are no longer the "popular" people. Going from a school of 400 to a school of over a thousand is very different and there are too many people to destictivley serpeare the "popular" people to the "un-popular" people.

like the answers guys... very interesting:)

i think popularity is only as popular as people make it to be... if you (along with everyone else) idolize certain people because of there looks, or personality then they are popualr. The people around us make us popular by association and what not. Sometimes theres a good popular (people that are liked because there nice and genuine) and bad popular (people who are liked because they look good). Theres so many different factors.

I think wanting to be popular is what everyone in school craves, and any one who says its not is lying. We all want to be noticed, and be liked. Even though we may not want to believe it people are dying to be popular, sometimes literally. Even in work places, people want to be like, stand out and be part of the "group". We all buy into it, we buy the right clothes, put on the makeup bite our tongues and act like robots. Popularity may be over rated but no doubt it is there. The celeberties and the magizines we buy to see the lastest things are proof of this.

JBN

thanks for all the opinions guys... i really enjoyed reading all your thoughts on the subject

I'll be sure to get another topic going soon and hopefully we'll have an even better response to it:) thanks again for sharing all your thoughts