We often hear the sentiment repeated to "be yourself" and not "try to blend in for the sake of being popular". The image of a solitary thinker alienated by the masses of sheep-like people is often invoked, and in a way being popular is seen as a foolish thing - demeaning to intellect and creativity. Real outstanding thinkers are supposed to stand out from the crowd.
Rubbish.
The days when Galileo was persecuted by the Church for maintaining that the earth revolved around the sun are long gone. Nowadays people who stand out are celebrated - Steve Jobs is practically deified, scientists like Einstein and Hawking garner immense respect, and people who dress weirdly like Lady Gaga have a cult following.
Being outstanding or unique in no way makes one disliked in today's world. People of today are definitely more open minded than any time in history, sometimes too open minded, as we can see from UFO cults.
The attractiveness of the idea "being great means being unpopular" is that if one is unpopular one can use that statement to comfort oneself. Which is totally stupid.
Most unlikeable people are unlikeable not because they are unconventional, but because they are unpleasant. Or unsociable. So instead of brooding on their greatness, I would suggest fixing what is wrong.
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