Avoid popularity if you would have peace.
Abraham Lincoln
By nature we as people want some attention. Babies cry when they need attention be it for a dirty diaper or food or just love. Toddlers and young children do things they shouldnt to get attentions. Teenagers do things to their hair and put things in their face and wear outlandish clothes for attention. Women let their boobs or butts hang out and men, well, men are just men 
Everyone needs attention.
The internet and social networking make getting attention very easy and thereby offers one the ability to be popular outside of real life! One can hide behind a computer screen and pretend to be anybody they want. One can say they are a six time national level competitor and act like they know the answer to everything or they can post pictures of everything but their face and say thats their body. One can invent an entirely new persona, or two or three. One is only limited by their imagination and the speed of their fingertips.
As one gains popularity there is also going to be a gaining of people who hate you. It is just a fact. Whether you are true or made up, if you are getting more attention than somebody who needs attention, they are going to hate you and try their best to bring you down. Expect it!
On stage the main spotlight can only be on one person or in one spot at a time. Regardless of whether it is an internet forum, blog, space or a real room or event or office or whatever, there can only be one at the top. If you are that one at the top, people are going to try and knock you down! People are going to spread lies about you, tell rumors about you, make fun of you, try and make you look bad or stupid. It just the way it works.
If you want to be at the top, expect people to try and bring you down! As a kid my sisters and i used to play king of the hill. One person would be on top and the others would try and knock that person off of the top so that they could be there. Today the game is still played but rather than the physical pushing it is via internet bullying and hating. If you want to be the most popular expect to be the most hated as well.
Life isnt fair and it never will be. Those at the bottom will always long to be at the top and those at the top will always tumble off and the world will continue to go round and round. Dont fret the hate if you desire the popularity, it comes with the territory!
