It's like eating, drinking, sex - one of the most basic needs of our species: we all want to be popular, to be liked by other people, sometimes even adored. But why is that? What makes some people popular and others not? And what happens if everyone likes us - is that really good for us? We all know the feeling of not being popular. When we are the last to be chosen for a team in gym class. When everyone is invited to a party - except us. Or when we are fired. Even internet celebrities with over a million clicks like Felix Lobrecht are no strangers to this: "I've actually always felt a bit like an alien in my whole life," he says, "never really belonging." Not belonging, being unpopular - that hurts like hell. Social exclusion activates the same pain systems in the brain as when someone physically hurts us. And it makes us sick when we are permanently unpopular. We can't always influence whether others like us or not. The first impression plays an important role. In a fraction of a second, we check superficialities such as clothing, body language, facial expressions, ethnicity, gender, voice and even smell. And then decide: friend or foe? But we can influence other things. The most popular people adapt well, are helpful, they are often in a good mood and are entertaining. What else helps is explained in this episode by "42 - The Answer to Almost Everything". Science documentary series, directed by Fabian Herriger (D 2024, 25 min) Sources and further links: What happens when others don't like us? It makes us physically and mentally ill... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti... ... it weakens our immune system ... https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1997-0... ... and hurts so much that even painkillers help. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20548... Why do we want to be popular at all costs? We humans need the group to survive… https://www.swr.de/swr2/wissen/die-be... … “social recognition acts like a drug”, https://www.zeit.de/zeit-wissen/2013/... … and that can even make us addicted, for example with likes on social media. https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/th... And how do we become popular? By asking a lot of questions… https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28447... … through the so-called pratfall effect… https://link.springer.com/article/10.... or by talking a lot. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35818... Music in this episode (a selection) Janko Nilovic - Drug Song Nosaj Thing - Aquarium The Streets - Blinded By The Lights #popular #popularity #42 Video available until 26/05/2027 Link to the media library: https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/115510-... Subscribe to the ARTE YouTube channel: / artede Follow us on social networks: Facebook: / arte.tv Twitter: / artede Instagram: / arte.tv