We're biosocial creatures, and as such, we can't do on our own all the time. Some of us need time alone more than others, and some of us require a lot of personal space and time, but even the most reclusive of us require a partner, a conversation, a friend, love.

There's nothing wrong with desiring popularity; denying our wishes to ourselves because they come from ego has no good reason. It's fine to be proud of your work and to have others recognize its quality: if anything, it serves as a public measure of your level of experience and skillfulness as an artisan. It's those who crave popularity more than they crave decency or high moral standing that spoil the notion for all of us. We shouldn't measure anything by its worst followers: some, like Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, use their popularity to a very good end and are ought to be praised for it.

I don't think our work is pointless, even if it may feel as such sometimes. Those moments indicate the times when we forgot for what we live: to enjoy, to have fun, to fulfill desires (all to a reasonable degree, of course). I enjoy the hell out of writing, even though at times I seemingly don't want to do it; it doesn't mean that I find it pointless - it means that I'm afraid to fail at a craft I put myself to a high spot at; if I tell myself that it is and I should just quit, I'll lie to myself, and I should be ashamed of myself for even thinking that.

Therefore, that we use others' approval and praise to fuel our motivation isn't to the end of making our work less pointless: it's to make it more meaningful. If it's not just you who enjoys what you do, it's great! Someone else actually enjoys your work, too! Maybe they'll learn from you; maybe they'll teach you; maybe you'll learn from each other. Maybe you can use your fame to influence the world for the better as a result. It's all about how you use it.

Still, be hated. If you're doing something against the consensus and you believe it to be a good cause, the amount of people whose pink shades have been disturbed is a direct measure of your influence.

But I don't know if indulging those desires is the answer, certainly not all of the time. MAybe the answer is learning how to deal with disappointment and then manage the desire.

Certainly not at all times: othewise leads to obesity, overload of information, overdose of vitamins, water poisoning... There's a good measure for everything.

Indeed, managing your feelings and learning from the world is important, but it's not the answer - only a part of it. Denying yourself to yourself will never lead to anything good: what you feel is what you feel, it's the rightest thing for you at any given time. Not always you have to act on your feelings: making decisions under the influence of anger will lead you to a grave rather quickly. One must recognize what they feel and act according to their ideals despite that. There are plenty of things that will cloud our mind, even within us. It doesn't mean we should let them; know that your enemy is there, and you can defend yourself against them.

That being said, humbleness is a valuable trait. Humbleness means to remember that we're all humans, with feelings, fears and dreams, even though one may have achieved more personally. Once we forget that, violence aspires, for it's easy to hurt someone you don't consider an equal, - and it never brought any good to the world; ignorance aspires, for it's easy to forget that we aren't omniscient and all-capable when you've achieved much already, - it, neither, brought anything worthy to the world.