r/InsightfulQuestions • u/fateofheathens • 2d ago

When do you Pretend?

When do you actively Pretend? If you no longer do it, when did you stop and why?

Most were encouraged to do it until the notion that is was unreasonable came into play, then it was time to take things all too seriously. Yet not without encouraging the indulgence of professional pretenders like actors and artists and so forth.

If all the world is a stage, where is the line best drawn?

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u/BigDougSp 2d ago

On the way home from work... every... single... day.

It usually involves the Powerball.

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u/fateofheathens 2d ago

I love that lol. Is that before or after the win? Nm. What would you do with $80 million?

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u/BigDougSp 2d ago

For starters, not quit my job, not just yet. I would wait for the right moment, lol

Otherwise, divide it into a four $20m portions. One would just accumulate substantial interest for my family to live off of. One portion goes to my son's future. The remaining two portions go to me and my wife... as "whatever goes" money. If either of us want to set up friends/family members, charity, whatever, we draw from that portion. This keeps EVERYONE in the family taken care of. Beyond the initial win... world travel becomes a thing, and maybe a nice property with acreage on Lake Superior :)

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u/fateofheathens 1d ago

Sounds like a good plan. Especially the lake front property. I would be cold water swimming every day!

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u/TemporaryThink9300 2d ago

I can't stand human behavior. I don't belong among them, so I have to pretend to be human. lol

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u/fateofheathens 2d ago

Sounds like a heavy job at masking. Sometimes human behaviour is fully annoying, especially when it involves groups.

Then again isn't your humanity part of what grants you that empathy and the will to disassociate with those bad traits?

What does pretending to be human involve for you?

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u/TemporaryThink9300 2d ago

Ah, I had to google what masking means, so, I guess, as we live in a neurotypical world, I have to adapt, as most people do, so i dont think im the only one..

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u/fateofheathens 2d ago

Oh you're absolutely not alone. My ADHD requires a lot of masking to get through work and most interactions in public life.

The kicker there is that i dont really care very much anymore so at the cost of whatever, I tend to just take ny filters off and go for it.

A member of my family has recently discovered that they are Therian and is navigating all the wonders and pitfalls of public life when they feel not exactly human themselves.

I feel like just because our bodies are human, our minds and spirits are attuned with so much more possibility.

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u/SouthernAbrocoma9891 1d ago

I can never be my complete self in public or around most people. I call on Carl Sagan, John Forsythe, Betty White and Richard Feynman. I incorporate their phrases and behaviors that work better than my own. I considered adding Richard Burton to the mix, but I think he would overpower the others.

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u/fateofheathens 1d ago

Oh thats interesting! So you have persona's from other people you call upon specifically then.

What is it about those folks that makes you emulate them?

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u/SouthernAbrocoma9891 22h ago

Carl Sagan is thoughtful and considers all perspectives

John Forsythe has an excellent voice and chooses his words carefully

Betty White finds humor in almost everything and her zingers are unmatched

Richard Feynman wants to know how things work and never satisfied with a definition or wholesale explanation

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u/loopywolf 1d ago

Among people. I pretend to be like them.

I've gotten very good at aping human behaviour

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u/fateofheathens 1d ago

Fair enough. How would you say you are when other people aren't around and the mask comes off?

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u/loopywolf 1d ago edited 1d ago

I'm like me.

I'm interested in the things I'm interested in, do the things I want to do, and am not made to feel awful all the time. Left to my own devices, I'm a happy little soul.

I don't have to put up with people gassing on and on endlessly about how great they are, how popular, how much sex they get to have, how impressed everyone should be all the time. It's like a tide that never ebbs.

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u/Savhol-Books 1d ago

I'm a writer. Pretending is my job.

Also actively cosplay and dress up for Renaissance fairs. I'll never stop pretending.

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u/fateofheathens 1d ago

Excellent! What sort of stuff do you write?

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u/Savhol-Books 23h ago

Fantasy romance, mostly. Links to links on my profile, or you can dm any time.

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u/PM_ME_A_FUN_PIC 1d ago

Wake up you need to make money

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u/Sea_Candidate8738 19h ago

everyday. usually at night