Being popular doesn’t make you right
One of those things that I’m always trying to get across to my children is that being popular doesn’t make you right.
There certainly seems to be an assumption around that if you are the most popular person then somehow that automatically means that you are right. Perhaps this is one of those situations where the press has encouraged us to think this way.
I have always found this to be a worrying trend. It means that right or wrong is decided by a general consensus of popularity. It must be right if it feels good (regardless of the consequences for the rest of humanity) seems to be the order of the day.
Is this really a good way to decide what is right and what is wrong? My good feelings might result in unhappiness for another. My overfilled stomach might be taking food from a starving mouth. My drunken and destructive revelries might be putting someone out of business or breaking a good relationship.
Popularity is a very poor way to make choices.
I don’t think Jesus is as popular today in the U.K. as perhaps he once was. This doesn’t make him wrong it just makes him less popular. Perhaps Jesus’ popularity depends too much on how people perceive his followers. Perhaps how people perceive his followers depends too much on the popular press and popular stars and pop singers and popular comedians?
So what about you? Do you decide what is right or wrong based on popular opinion? Do you just follow the crowd and do what they do? Or perhaps you want to think for yourself and make your own choices.
Whatever you decide make sure you always remember that being popular doesn’t make you right.
