St Maximos the Confessor

The person who likes to be popular attends solely to the outward show of morality and to the wards of the flatterer.

With the first he hopes to attract the eyes and with the second the ears of those who are charmed and impressed only by what is visible and audible, and who judge virtue only with their senses.

Hence the desire to be popular may be described as an outward display of moral acts and language, as though for the sake of virtue but really is to impress other people.

St Maximos the Confessor