How to be popular?

Just_Mel_ wrote: »

How can I be popular on MFP? Is there some kind of handbook?

Ya know, I've been giving this particular post a whole lotta thought, especially this morning . And yes, while it does come off as sounding high schoolish, there are definitely still cliques everywhere, exactly like then, the popular versus the ones who are honest and put themselves out there but yet get the hate or ignore or disagrees or whatever that makes them feel sad, unwanted, etc. So yes, sometimes it definitely feels like high school all over again.

I detested high school for these reasons. There were always bf/gf pairs everywhere or groups of laughing giggling teen girls running through the hallways. Not me. I was the wallflower, kept to myself, afraid of making waves, exxxtremely self conscious about everything. Yeh, I had a group of 'friends' I hung out with, but was so quiet and just meekly followed them wherever they went; we were kind of known as losers, didn't fit in anywhere, not sports, not books, not band or cheerleading, etc., etc.. The only time I opened up about myself was when I became an alcoholic when I could legally drink at 18 and was no longer entrapped by the societal pressures and expectations of meeting high school clique protocol. Alcohol has a funny way of making you talk and feel like you're making sense, if only to yourself, makes you feel like you fit in somewhere.

Now I don't drink anymore so feel I can unload, vent, share, discuss, laugh with people here on the forums due to the similar feeling of safety and acceptance that alcohol provided me back then. This is the 3rd forum I've ever felt 'close' to, where I can separate people either by their pictures, the way they speak, their jokes, and you all become a certain persona to me, easily memorable and enjoyed and liked/loved/cared about in my own way You become a part of my life that I enjoy immensely and take with me throughout my day until I return the next day to take in more.

Very VERY seldom have I ever clicked a disagree button and it was usually due to someone else being ganged up on who I didn't think deserved it. I'm the 1st to admit I'm slow at getting stuff(so I know I've missed stuff along the way ), especially when everybody else seems to know and things get discussed on everybody's friend walls of which I'm not a part. But evidently the disagrees get to a lot of people(me included) because many of them feel clicked in judgement, hatred, not merely disagreeing but more. And while people feel they're safe to hide behind the anonymity of the click of a button, just know there are people who feel that as a punch to the gut; they take it personally. It affects them because they actually do have feelings. Here they've been sharing thoughts and then comes a disagree. WTH?

And it's not just about the disagree button; I've learned to ignore it most of the time because I think it's up there with the high schoolish feeling. It's about things such as if you don't have anything good to say then STFU. I'm guilty of this as well in a few instances and wish I could take back the words and thoughts I expressed. It's about support for another person, reaching out if someone needs something. It's about finding the good in life, in people, making them laugh, sharing ideas, offering to be a post for someone.

Oh you guys know. You get it.

Play nice. Welcome everybody. Be kind. And listen with your heart.

And have a great day.

Revolu7 wrote: »

I think posting in the back thread seems to be a great popularity booster!

Nah...bumped me down a few