Is it normal to want to be known and popular on this site?

Be careful what you wish for. I'm told, almost on a daily basis, that I'm popular. I'll be honest, the first time someone posted a story about me, I was quite flattered. It was an ego boost to know that I'd been noticed. I think that's what you want.

But what do I get out of it now? I get people who are quite rightly sick of hearing my name mentioned every five minutes. I get people who are a little bit jealous. I get people who'd sooner I wasn't here at all. And I get hate mail. If my personality or self-image was more brittle, I'd take it personally. The reason it isn't more brittle is because I never went out looking for "popularity", whatever that is.

I started posting because I thought I could help, because I wanted to belong here, because I like(d) my fellow posters, and because occasionally I can have a laugh with people. If I'd set out mainly for popularity then my current position would have to be classed as a failure in personal terms. But looking at the four reasons I started posting (and that they haven't changed) it's a win. I do help occasionally, I do belong, I still like nearly everybody, and I do have a laugh.

I'll be honest, I feel a bit singled out sometimes, when all I really want to be is one of the gang. This happens in pretty much any online community I join and to some extent in real life.

If, despite this, you want the hate mail, the monthly declarations of someone calling themself your "nemesis" and then following you around the site for a bit, trying to trip you up. If you do want it, then I'll happily tell you what makes me like/dislike someone on the site. As a template for popularity, it'll probably take you a fair way. I could even tell you exactly how I answer questions (it's not a formula, but it is a kind of routine). But then again, would you really want that? Popularity based on someone else's observations or methods?

I asked myself a question earlier in the week. And it's a question I could ask anyone on IIN. If the answers were anonymised (i.e. just a long list with no usernames or numbers beside them), would you answer in the same way? If you got no kudos or credit or acknowledgement for it. The answer for me is yes. I'd have answered the same questions the same way. Because I'm not here solely for myself. I suspect quite a few would say no, though. And that's fine. But if you're here for yourself only, people will see it. Not only that, it'll be reflected in the answers you give to questions. And I don't think there's any way of pretending you're here for others, when you're actually not.

I just visualized some sort of IIN awards, kind of like the grammys haha

It sounds like you're more concerned about people noticing it then actually helping people, which is what it should be about. Being "known" on this site doesn't make you popular. Even the regulars here don't truly know each other.

This is a small online community, so I think everyone who comments often is popular here to an extent. I just comment to help people or say whatever. That's what you should do..don't worry about popularity.

I wanted to be popular in high school so I slept with the entire football team. And it worked, I became well known! I mean, I would cry myself to sleep every night because everyone including the teachers would call me mean names to my face, but at least everyone knew who I was!

HI! thanks for the compliment! :) i am not sure how popular i am on here, some people actually dont appreciate my comments and tell me to shut my mouth but i am just guessing they are the more sensitive types who cant handle honesty.

it doesnt matter how much you comment on here, as long as you are helpful and honest and dont just post stupid comments.... i still dont understand the whole nah caw or whatever it was, thing that was happening here a while back.

but i have made a few dear friends on here that i hope one day to meet and have a drink with :)

I'm poopular

Screw being popular, what I want is to get to know the posters on here that are popular! Most of the ones on your list (excluding dappled because sadly I found this sight after his posting stopped) have cracked me up at least once if not more in the last week. Funny group of brutally honest people who take an idea that could be made boring and repetitive and keep it lively every single day. The kinda group you wanna sit around a fire and drink beer with if you ask me. (I'm from the country and that's what we do, don't judge lolz)

I quite liked dappled's idea of a long line of anonymous posts - although usernames do help me to ignore some idiots (and I'm sure they know who they are). I don't crave any popularity online just as I don't in real life. In fact, when a topic hits a raw nerve with me I never hesitate to play devil's advocate with the opposing (unpopular) view.

I think dappled is sooo popular coz he is always so darned reasonable!!

You didn't have my permission to list my name, I'll sue you now! Oh crap, I don't live in the States.. fml.

Just write what you want to say, people will notice you. I just write what I think and if people agree and like what I say, great. If they don't, well I'm not going to go out of my way to make them like me.

I'll write more later, I'm kinda in a hurry to go finish the billions of meat balls I have to put in a homemade soup I'm making. BRB!

Some of my favorite users you didn't even mention. This saddens me.

Well anyway, yeah it's normal. Soldiers fight hard for little strips of ribbon and students sacrifice much for a sheet of paper that says they're educated. We all want recognition and praise =)

what i like is posters commenting and interacting and no one is more popular than the others they just form the conversation as a whole, of course i like to laugh but some dont , popular means nothing so many dont get a mention, so dont worry, also people feel angry like you think yr all that

Recognition is something everyone yearns for in one way or another, but from the anonymous weirdos on this site? No thanks... I guess you could just post your username here and everyone will know you as the user who wanted to be known? Also, keep in mind no one has ever been or will be more famous than dappled :P

Just comment a lot, and say useful and intelligent things. Don't be a popularity whore though, people will see through you straight away. Your main aim should be helping people.

Also, dappled and The Management will always we the most popular IIN users. Chasing popularity is pointless while they are here. And The Management will always be here, so you're instantly damned to insignificance ;)

Nobody even knows who I am either :(

Be a pretentious dick who thinks you know everything and insult the members who are less popular. Being a bully is cool but I would not advise it. If you are a female just flash your boobies since that always works and we all know this site is stupid enough to fall for it.

Oh u are! Everybody knows you(:

Everyone wants to be liked. Just be yourself:)

I want to be known

their is not a lot of user in this site. But i think every1 is popular in this site. I know like every user in site. I know what they going to say when they comment. Except the new users.

Yes, of course. It's just like real life here, some people have a cult of personality around them and others don't. I've been here almost as long as Dappled and the closest I ever came to being popular was that disco thing which lasted about a week. I'm not really that upset over it though.
Anyways (if you are who I think you are), I like you and always appreciate your comments, if that means anything to you.

poor little diddums dappled. you want a cuddle?

dappled. i really enjoy your comments. i thinl you might be furniture but yiu are that vimtage soft recliner everybody wants and all furniture want to be. :)

Yeah, I've sort of been thinking the same way. But as long as I give good advice, I don't really care how people see me on this site.

this is nowhere near normal.

Oh. Every site such as this one always has well known people. I am well known on few. But never use the same username for every website. Most of the time I use the name if the band I sing it. This username is not that name lol.