Popularity

I must preface this post by telling you that I just watched "never been kissed" it delves deep into the high school hierarchy's core and reveals its curves and cruelties. It got me thinking . . .
Now, at the start of every class, the raw definition is inquired after-"what is ... economics, literature, history" and so I pose a question of my own, what is popularity? This is one of those things that is difficult to designate a definite denotation. Maybe that's because everyone knows exactly what it is, and will try to describe it by pointing to someone who IS popular. Well they certainly wouldn't be pointing at me. And yet I will not ever claim to have been immune to the innate yearning to be "popular." I mean, come on, it's in every chick flick anybody's ever seen. There is a high school prom queen on every t.v. show. And there is definitely popularity at every high school in the world. Alright, are you dying to know what popular means to one old guy named Webster who gave a definition to just about everything else? Popular: (adj.) regarded with favor, approval, or affection by people in general.
It is absolutely impossible to try to discuss popularity without shoving one's fingers into the stereotype pie. And if we're discussing stereotypes in relation to Webster's definition, I don't know of many "popular girls" who are regarded with any degree of favor, approval or affection. Hmmmm. Where am I going with this-I don't know.
I think that it is that time where we roll up our sleeves and lay down NOT what popular means, but what it takes to get one there;
-Well, you have to dress cute, follow the latest fashions, and ALWAYS look your best {Okay yeah, that last part TOTALLY rules me OUT}
-These girls always seem to have a man, not just any man, but THE man {also definitely puts me out of the running}
-Finally, they never seem to really make mistakes; they don't ever make a complete fool of themselves, they don't trip and fall, they never violate major faux pas, and they never ever let themselves look below anybody else {I'm am doing really badly at my own little list here!}

So what. Frankly nobody is perfect, we all know it, but this elite group seems to get pretty flippin' close. Maybe it's not a mistake that popular and perfect both start with "p" {but then again so does the word Prune}

I think what it comes down to is that everybody wants to be accepted, and they will do anything to get close. Is that why some people throw their life away just to move up a rung in the social ladder. [Unfortunately that cheap little push up only shoves one down beyond saving.] It's vile and nasty among youth today, they deal with it EVERYWHERE. It is hard to be a kid. This sounds silly considering I am only 17, and like I said earlier, I feel pressures and worry about things just like anybody else. But, I like to pretend that I can get myself past all that and look above and beyond. Maybe that's my problem. I so want to get up and fly, but I'm unfortunately tethered to the ground with my own human desires that I don't even want to see.
Everybody wants favor, approval and acceptance . . . love, a home, and something to take pride in. Why can't everybody be popular. Why are there only a select few that earn that privilege {another "p"}. Have they unlocked some great secret, or did they just happen to wear the right outfit on the first day of school. Maybe, {listen carefully} nobody wants the word to get out that everybody can be special, and accepted {especially those "p" people} so they raise the standard, or distort the rules so that no one else can make it to the top. HEY YOU- we can make our own rules too! I decide that everyone who knows who they want to be, and is going to make something of themselves, and contribute to society should be deemed worthy to have some special title. I know that I want one. and maybe then, people would actually strive for greatness, instead of some shallow wasteland that ends after graduation day. My hope is that one day teenage girls will hope that they can be not only prom queen {if they really want it} but with that opportunity will go out and make a difference in people's lives and make goodness, progress, and freedom a little more popular.