I'm not popular

I always have to listen to the people at work talking about "American Idol" and how it's the greatest show ever and they can't wait to see what happens next and so on and so on. I can't get into that show. I think if someone wants to be discovered they should do it the old fashioned way... playing their music in dumpy night clubs, school dances and motel parking lots. Not really, but I just don't get all the emphasis that's put on being popular. I can see younger kids who look to some of these people, going on to be stars in their field, as idols, but there are lots of older people watching Idol and getting into it. So many folks today think that you aren't anyone until you're famous. That transcends from national tv shows all the way to the workplace, where "popular" people get the better jobs and the hard-working average Joe gets diddly squat. I guess it's always been that way to a certain extent, but is it getting worse or is it just me? On job applications anymore they almost always ask you what sports you played in school, and what extracurricular activities you did. I think most places want a local sports star working for them to draw people in, even if he might be the laziest person imaginable. I first realized that several years ago when I was working at a large supermarket. I'd been there several years and had only gotten a brief "hello" from the owner whenever he happened to pass by. However, when they hired a 16 year old kid who was an all star lineman at the local high school the owner made it a point to stop and talk to him everyday, asking him how he was doing, and could they get him anything... an extra lunch break, dancing girls, a raise. All the while he stood there with his hands in his pockets saying intelligent things like "yeah", "ok", "uh-huh","I think I made three tackles". That was his usual stance... hands in his pockets.

Maybe I'm being just an old coot, and I feel I'm being hypocritical because when I was younger I worked for a state senator and enjoyed meeting "important" people from the political and media arena. But there again, I was young and in awe of those famous people. Nowadays I would much rather talk to people who go about their lives humbly and without a lot of fanfare, whether they happen to be important people or not.