The Desire To Be Popular Is A Common Adolescent Phenomenon

A teenager goes through a wide variety of physical and mental changes. In adolescence, nothing is simple, and the opinions of others about themselves are very important.  That’s why many young people want to be popular with their friends and classmates.

All young people thirst for the approval of their friends – some more and others less. Some can go a long way to please, making the desire to be popular become the most important thing in their lives.

A young person can use a variety of strategies to become popular. These include investing in appearance, developing social skills, and owning the latest technological equipment.

In some cases, however, the desire to be popular can become obsessive and dangerous.  The extreme need to get plenty of friends or likes on social media can lead to risky behavior.

What does the desire to be popular mean to a young person?

Today’s popular young man has a lot of friends and he feels loved.  However, a lot of friends today means something completely different than even a few years ago.  Before six or seven good friends were enough, now a young person counts as friends all the friends acquired through social media, which can be up to thousands.

There are many ways a young person can maintain their popularity. Some teens are popular because they have good social skills, a sense of humor, or values.  Others are popular because they are confident, good at school or sports, or are in good shape.

A popular young person has more power than other young people.  What a popular young person does or does not do, and who are his or her friends, influences the behavior of the people around him or her.

As a result of all this, it may be that less popular young people receive negative comments on social media that have a nasty effect on the person.

Why is it so important for a young person to be popular?

In adolescence, the opinions of others are extremely important. The young person needs to feel part of the group, which is why he or she has a strong desire to gain the approval of others.

Most young people want to be popular in order to feel more confident.  It is certain that during the developmental stage of adolescence, a teenager feels a great deal of uncertainty about, among other things, his physical appearance, character, and financial status. To get this insecurity out of his mind, the teenager seeks approval from other young people. A teenager may feel that he or she should have a lot of friends and he or she should look good in the eyes of others.

The young person wants to wear clothes that are fashionable, fit well and are similar to everyone else – the young person may even start some new clothing trend. Many teens aim to be the same as all other young people, especially those like their popular peers.

A young obsession with the search for popularity

If a young person’s popularity is based on intelligence or social or athletic abilities, the desire may be popular to be a positive motivator. The fact that a teenager has a lot of friends and he or she knows how to interact with others is helpful for the future of this.

A problematic situation arises when a young person’s popularity is based primarily on an external being, such as his or her clothing or which smartphone he or she owns. This can lead to several problems. One of these problems is that a young person may enter into human relationships that are based on superficiality and are only temporary.

Another problem is that the teenager is trying to be something that is not, just to gain the approval of other young people. Some may even suppress their true feelings if they feel they don’t like others enough.

In extreme cases, a young person seeking aspiration may behave inappropriately, endangering both his or her physical and mental well-being.  Such behavior may include, for example, adding revealing images to social media channels or mocking other young people to feel better.

The role of parents

Parents can help a young person channel feelings of insecurity more sensibly and prevent this excessive need to be popular. This means strengthening a teen’s self-esteem and encouraging him or her to form healthy friendships.

For some hobbies, such as team sports or musical hobbies, it is ideal to establish close and deep friendships. Parents can also talk to the young person about the importance of caring for relationships between true friends.

A young person’s desire to be popular should not cause them to break the friendships that the teenager has had since childhood. So encourage your child to make friendships that will last a lifetime.

In summary, we can say that the desire for popularity of adolescence can also be positive and useful. However, it has its own risks that both parents and young people need to be aware of.