# Popularity & Integrity
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 11, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810 "2000-09-11T20:14:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Merlot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlot)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/1 "2000-09-11T20:14:48Z")
Can someone who is consumed with being popular also have integrity?
In my experience, if your goal is to be popular you are a chameleon. You change your ideals, opinions, clothes, etc… to what is most acceptable or popular. And although your “current” conviction is a conviction, it will change as soon as it is no longer popular.
I am one that sticks to my guns, so to speak, even when it is not popular.
Am I seeing things clearly? Please help!
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### Author:  [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2000, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/2 "2000-09-11T22:08:20Z")
Off to IMHO.
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### Author:  [@rockstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockstar)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2000, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/3 "2000-09-11T22:32:49Z")
Someone consumed with being popular probably won’t have any integrity. If his ideas and principles have to be what’s popular then he won’t have any principles of his own. One good example would have to be Al Gore.
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### Author:  [@Merlot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlot)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2000, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/4 "2000-09-11T22:41:54Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by rockstar \*
> \*\*Someone consumed with being popular probably won’t have any integrity. If his ideas and principles have to be what’s popular then he won’t have any principles of his own. One good example would have to be Al Gore. \*\*
rockstar,
Are you my husband? 😉 He, too, would never miss an opportunity to use Al Gore as a good example for bad integrity. 😃
Merlot
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### Author:  [@Kodyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kodyn)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2000, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/5 "2000-09-12T02:50:32Z")
I think that it’s possible, but not very probable. It all depends on what kind of people you are trying to be popular with, if you align yourself with a certain group (religious group, humanitarian, etc) you can be popular with a limited number of people without losing your integrity.
Anyway, just my two cents from personal observation.
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### Author:  [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2000, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/6 "2000-09-12T03:01:10Z")
Merlot,
How popular is popular? What is popular? If you want many people to respect you, then sticking to your convictions would probably earn you that, even if not everyone agreed with you. If you want everyone to “like” you, then I think you chameleon comment is correct.
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2000, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/7 "2000-09-12T10:25:23Z")
You can have integrity while still strivivng to get along with everyone. Discretion is the better part of valor.
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### Author:  [@uberDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uberDave)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2000, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/8 "2000-09-12T18:45:18Z")
As long as the crowd (like a school of fish) is going your way you can have integrity and let popularity consume your soul, all at the same time. But as soon as the prevailing wisdom shifts and you want to remain popular, integrity is hard to mantain.
If your integrity is solid, there will always be some with whom you will remain popular. But the crowd thins considerably.
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### Author:  [@uberDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uberDave)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2000, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/9 "2000-09-12T18:52:44Z")
P.S. Merlot, I love your name. A fine wine. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Merlot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlot)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2000, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popularity-integrity/32810/10 "2000-09-12T20:06:33Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by uberDave \*
> \*\*P.S. Merlot, I love your name. A fine wine. 🙂 \*\*
_blush_
😉