Great Uncle Fred? Why are some people more popular than other people? I am averagely popular but I am nothing like as popular as the most popular person in the class whoo is Archie Tommax. He`s not special. He’s about the fifth cleverest in the class. He’s about the third or fourth sportiest. He doesn’t have any skin diseases or asthma or even specks. He tells quite funny jokes and he doesn’t smell at all. He is good at speaking to people. He sort of becomes the person he is speaking to, even teachers and girls and really unpopular people like Hugo Potts. He sort of melts into them. But why are some popular than other people?(Jack, Autumn 2007)

I think you have answered your own question. To be popular you must be reasonably intelligent, reasonably presentable, reasonably physical, reasonably affable. Not too much of anything. Unthreatening. And good at making the other person feel that they matter. A bit like Tony Blair. Remember him? Maybe your Archie Tommax should become a politician... But one thing to remember! Unless you do actually want to be a politician, stop thinking about popularity, eh? It isn’t worth two beans, or even one bean! Just try your best and be good to people. Popularity comes and goes. Ignore it.

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