Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1925-08-27
In Confidence
WHAT MAKES FOR
PERSONAL POPULARITY ?

w MAI MANIo IoN
PERSONAL POPULARITY?
Dear Miss Flo :-Perhaps to you
my problem will seem like the silly
troubles of bashful girl To me,
though, it is the greatest trouble IN
the world. am nineteen years old
and practically without friends. l
meet many people, but for some rea-
son I can have no gift for converse
ton, and when am in crowd, | am
striker dumb. | have been told that
it is only self-consciousness. Ii this
is so, how can | overcome it! How
can l open an interesting conversa-
ton? am so lonely and crave COM
panionship. Madge.
What is the meaning of self-con-
seriousness, Madge? Is it that you are
so conscious of yourself that you can
not be coscious of other things; so
conscious that you make wall
around yourself and leave yourself
hungry and alone and desperate? No,
Madge, l don't think yours little
trouble. Your problem is one in which
we are all Interested We all know
the loneliness, shyness and hunger
for power and charm. We all want
folks to like us and depend upon US.
! We all want power over their spirits
and the only way those things are
to be had is to break down that wall.
In all those lonely hours have you
ever stopped to study out why some
girls and boys are so popular? 1t Is
not because they are good looking,
because some of the prettiest girls
are unpopular and some of the home
Hest have many friends. 1t isn't be-
cause they are clever and witty, be-
cause the very witty people are often
detested for their very brilliancy. 1t
isn't because of their fine clothes, be-
cause many shabby boy or girl
leads the crowd. It's just knack they
have of making life seem brighter
and more cheerful for others that
makes them popular. Human nature
is self, Madge. 1t wants amusement
inspiration, or comfort, so it seeks
out the people who can give it those
things.
Study the popular people and
you will find that this is true. They
are sought for something they have
to give-sometime it is just sympa
thetic Notwithstanding it is {
spirit that stirs their own blood anc
makes life seem more of lark.
When you cannot offer people any
thing, you drive them away from
you. Give people your attention. The!
want you to think about them. An'
if you are filling your mind witt
thoughts of yourself you can't b.
filling your mind with thought of otl
ers. Human ingenuity has never beef
able to invent Canned" talk tina
has any pep to it. The real thing mus
be spontaneous and must sprins
from the time, the place and the per
son. Of course, the gift of CAB is ;
talent that comes by nature. Some
people are born with it. But those
who Jack this talent need not mourn
in dumb despair.
Begin to think of life as silver
screen and the people you meet as
actors. Say to others the things you
would like to have said to you. You
like people to show an interest in
you and your affairs. You like them
to remember if they have met you
before. If you have a talent, you like
to have it omplimented. If you have
done them any kindness you like to
have it mentioned. And other people
are just like you in that respect.
You don like people who brag OF
you, you get tired of listening to 9TH
er peoples trouble and all of their
family affairs, you don't like people
who argue and who are opinionated
and who lay down the law about ev-
erything. Therefore, put the soft ped
al on your own achievements and be
mum about your sorrows if you want
to be interesting as talker.
Above all, never be sarcastic. New
er say things that stab or hurt. Never
hold people up to ridicule. Anybody
can be funny at somebody else's ex-
pense, and ridicule requires the least
brains of all. In a word, follow the
golden rule in conversation. Then,
suddenly, before you know it, you
will have forgotten about yourself
and your fears and you will have be-
come a part of the great play.