The world we live in today have come to celebrate those at the top and relegated the “supposed” mediocre to the sidelines. The world only esteem those whose names are inscribed on billboards, newspapers and magazines. Those whose faces appear on the screens week in, week out. Those who dazzle on the red carpet with their fashion style and glamour.
Those whose voices are subtle on air. The world celebrates even idolize these people because they’ve become “popular” not because they’ve made a significant impact on the society as it were. Little wonder they are called “celebrities” which means people who are recognised. Question is, how about the “supposed” common people? Don’t they deserve to be celebrated for the things they do? If popularity was impact, shouldn’t everyone be popular?
Popularity and impact are two different concepts. While one talks about how known you are, the other talks about what you’re known for. Popularity talks about numbers, impact talks about lives. Today, the world celebrate numbers rather than lives.
Fact is, popular or not, you’re gonna die some day, what do you what to be remembered for? How many years would it take people to forget you ever existed? How many people will talk about you when you’re gone? Today, you find a man who still celebrates Michael Jackson who died years ago but hardly talks about his own father who died a month ago.
His father who obviously had more impact on his life than Michael is relegated to a box never to be opened again. This is what our world has come to value. A man would rather idolize a Michael Jackson who he probably never saw than his own father who taught him all he knows about life and paid his bills. That’s the world we live in.
It’s a world where popularity has become the new impact. People no longer want to make impact. People no longer want to affect lives positively. People no longer want to touch hearts. They wanna be popular by any means possible. These days, people wanna be instagram famous. They wanna be trending on twitter.
Question is, how about those who aren’t popular? Are they not humans? Shouldn’t they be celebrated? The truth is, true heroes don’t save lives because they wanna be known, they do it because it’s who they are.
They do it cause it’s the right thing to do. Today, the true heroes who make huge impacts in their own little way are seen as mediocre while those who are known for nothing are seen as priority.
No matter how big, rich or famous you wanna be in life, when you’re long gone, eventually, people will stop talking about you. This is because you left a name not a mark. If you’re popular today and your popularity doesn’t affect lives, touch hearts or possibly build character in a man, then you need to have a rethink.
However popular you are, can a man say because of you, he’s become a better person? Can he say he’s made better choices? These are lasting impacts that will echo even when you’re long gone not your name. I believe popularity should be channelled rightly.
I believe the world will be a better place if each and every one of us switch from always wanting to be celebrated to earning true celebration. Everyone cannot be popular but everyone can make an impact however little.
Popularity should be a plus to make bigger impact or a statement not a means to ride on the fact that thousands of people cheer your name on a daily. I believe this will create for us a better future and a better world from today. A world where impact redefines popularity. This is Danny world…
DANNY WORLD 