On Being Liked
Everyone wants to be liked. It is the ultimate desire of many schoolchildren. Kids want to be liked by their peers (but are often indifferent to being liked by their parents) and many parents want to be liked by their children. Their children call them by their first names, putting their parents on the same level as their peers. Parents who are not respected by their children are unable to provide moral guidance. Even if they like you, why should your children listen to you rather than their peers? Especially when they consider you as being out of touch.
Being liked is not the same as being respected. People like others who can amuse them and divert their minds from their day-to-day existence, or who can boost their egos. If you provide proper guidance and good advice to people, they may not like you for it.
Being liked is easy. Here's some ways you can do it:
- Tell funny stories and jokes. People will find you amusing and will seek you out. Unless you tell funny stories at the wrong time, or tell inappropriate ones.
- Appear on TV. This, for some reason, will ensure popularity among a certain section of society.
- Become rich. People will like you for your money.
- Become a drug dealer. A certain section of society will seek you out
- Perform magic tricks; this has the advantage of possibly making you popular among people who can’t even speak your language. Again, you have to perform magic tricks in the right context.
Being popular does not mean that you are respected. People may even consider you a bit of a buffoon.
The present-day obsession with being liked is due to the lack of self-esteem that many people have. If people like you then it is a confirmation that you must be doing something right. Many people seek wealth for similar reasons (and wealth can, to an extent, buy popularity). Rich people and drug dealers become wary of their new friends. Do they like them only for their money or access to drugs? If you become a raconteur, a joker or trickster you have a similar issue: people may like you just because you can amuse them and provide a diversion.
