Better to be popular or talented?

Post Reply New Topic

Was wondering what peoples opinions were. Is it better to be talented or popular?

If you want to keep a job, being popular is often better than being talented.

If you're working for yourself, being talented is often better than being popular.

If you go through life relying on other people, then it's who you know, not what you know that matters.

If you prefer to do things by yourself, then it's what you know and not who you know that matters.

I've discovered that being popular is about telling humourous stories, something I've never been good at.
Sometimes it is about making mean jokes about others - even people who you are meant to care about. Or telling stupid things that you did, such as getting hurt.

I'm quite a safe person, so doing crazy unsafe things, drug/alcohol to excess, even risky sexual activities not my thing.

Better to he talented by far.

Popularity is dependent on what others think and to maintain that is impossible.

popular.
you don't need talent to do well in this world, just connections.
most NTs tend to be popular these days (they all love each other and bask in each others neurotypicality with the help of aspie-made social network sites and the like) so this works very well to their advantage.
you get plenty of sex, plenty of good job offers, plenty of friends, pretty much all you need to get by in the world.

It's better to be talented. Friends come and go, but your skills stay with you for life.

The neurotypical world isn't some utopia where problems never arise. Even NTs come across many roadblocks in their lives. There are plenty of unemployed, friendless virgins in the world who are not autistic.

lol, no there aren't. you probably just tell yourself this so you don't feel so bad about your situation.
i never knew a SINGLE other loner except for me at all the schools i went to.
they're all connected to each other on FB and are always posting social stuff, they all have GFs even if they cycle through them, and they all partied and had fun in their youth.
whenever i'm outside i always see ugly guys with gfs sometimes even model-like.
long term NT NEETs without disabilities are almost unheard of.
having a job, friends, and a sex life are all completely normal things, so if you're missing out on them then you are likely NOT normal, it's basic logic really.

Its hard to choose, but popular isn't a great thing because isn't intemporal. Today, you can be popular, tomorrow not. On school, its much better be talented than popular, because you'll grow up and popular kids maybe aren't popular after that.

And you can be popular with your talented.

Another thing is connections and sales profile. That's is a good thing to have. But popular is ephemeral

Popularity is not the same as being liked and having close, lasting friendships. Popularity seems dependent on following the prevailing trend, something I never did (or couldn't seem to fathom).

Talent is having a knack for a specific area of expertise. Hard work backs it up. Better to have knowledge, both general and specific and to have the willingness to work to back it up.

There are a lot of "popular" people who are ignorant, stupid and reckless. This kind of popularity doesn't last and isn't consistent with a long life.

Social skills are important, so I've learnt. I know of 3 people (all in their 20s now) who didn't graduate high school and got into drugs and all that sort of stuff in high school, and didn't go to college or university, but are all in good jobs now, getting promotions and earning lots of money, and that is because they got the social skills, and probably know the right people and so on. They are all really popular, outgoing and live high social lives. And no I am not exaggerating.

I kept at school, graduated high school, went to college, done volunteering, and look what job I'm in now; a cleaner on low wage. And you know why? Because I lack social skills and have low confidence. So this has taught me that you can do badly in school and have no qualifications because you didn't even try, but as long as you have brilliant social skills, life gets handed to you on a plate.

I value my talents much more than most human beings, and I think popularity is very stupid and extremely overrated. Most people who are popular only become that way by being sheep, giving in to peer pressure, never thinking for themselves. What makes me happy and secure is much more important than what a bunch of idiot sheeple think.

I love my cartoons characters more than almost any human being I know. They will be with me forever, in my heart and mind, while the so-called real friends break up, grow apart, betray, abandon, or just turn out to be scum.

Regarding many creative people, e.g. artists of the times, its striking how some only achieved the fame their work deserved posthumously, which does call to question what choice is 'better' for the individual. On one hand, being talented at something does not guarantee you happiness, while popularity sometimes goes to people's heads and rots away at their personalities and the happiness of those around them.

I would really love to have some talent that I can use for work...as to being popular.... Been there, done that...not my thing...

How about talented with social skills? You can have social skills without being crazy popular.

The world rolls on soft skills. People will tolerate a talented person who has no soft skills as long as they bring crazy value to the company. The minute the grief factor exceeds the talent, you get tossed.

I wasn't always the most talented or popular person at work, but I never went without a job. Even on disability, I managed to score a part time gig. My husband is insanely talent at what he does. He does beautiful work, with an eye for detail that is crazy good. He bombs the phone interviews/face to face ones. It is beyond unfair. He can't rewire his brain to see all the unspoken communication going on.

Popular (as in not everyone actively hating your guts) vs talented (but no social skills), popular wins. People will cut an easy going, friendly person a huge chunk of slack. The talented, nerve grating person won't get a pinch of slack.

If talent did win out, all the talented, degreed people on this board would be gainfully employed.