Why do people pretend? When is pretending innocent? When does it become dangerous?
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Haley Krivensky
1/14/2013 02:03:41 pm
I think there are many reasons why people pretend. Everyone has pretended to some extent in some point in their lives and each for a different reason. Children pretend because they do not know any better. Grown people pretend because of multiple reasons. Some people might pretend to cover up who they really are, or to try to make it seem like they are someone they are not. Some people might just pretend with little things such as: pretending things are okay when in reality they are not. These small things could help people deal with situations in their lives. That's when pretending is innocent. Pretending can also become dangerous, however. If someone is lying and pretending so much that it affects their lives negatively, that's when it becomes dangerous. It's not healthy to lie about everything in your life to the point where your friendships are ruined, your job is impacted negatively, or your life as a whole is being destroyed. Sometimes people don't even mean to pretend, but other times they purposely lie to receive a desired result. Unfortunately, that result is usually not a positive one.
Amanda Donofrio
1/15/2013 12:59:29 am
Haley, I agree when you say it can be dangerous when pretending about your health can be detrimental. I forgot to include this in my own blog but I feel that is one case where pretending is no longer acceptable. Some people might not want to share their being because they don't want to worry others, but it can only get worse if you keep those bad conditions to yourself.
Brennen Diaz
1/15/2013 06:54:14 am
Good point Haley. I agree that an overdose on pretending and lying can impact your life negatively. And the fact that pretending when we were kids is different than when we do it as adults.
Shayne Fitol
1/15/2013 09:37:19 am
You are definitely right about the multitude of different reasons as to why people pretend, and about the fact that everyone pretends in their lives. I like some of the examples you gave about why certain people may pretend, such as to cover up who they really are or to pretend things are okay when they aren't.
Katheryn
1/16/2013 07:15:21 am
I agree with you that children pretend for different reasons than adults.
Christina M
1/16/2013 11:25:09 am
Haley, I agree with your argument. I think pretending becomes dangerous when people confuse pretending with lying. It is only ok to pretend if others know you are pretending.
Dan Mott
1/17/2013 07:54:35 am
I like how you mentioned not to lie to the point where it ruins your life, like relationships and career. I agree. Good post!
Maria Castelot
1/17/2013 09:29:24 am
Haley, you made a great point when you said that people lie to receive a desired result. people are so quick to say whatever they think will please those around them but don't realize the bad effects it could have in a later situation. People should just be themselves and they will find others will like them for who they are more than who they pretend to be.
Rob Costigan
1/17/2013 10:43:49 am
I certainly agree with your part about the children not knowing any better, Haley. Overall a great answer to the question.
Bridget Borowy
1/17/2013 04:04:51 pm
I agree Haley that it can be dangerous for people to pretend. I think that sometimes if people do it too much that they can start to do it without realizing. At this point it becomes compulsive lying. This kind of situation can hurt a lot of people.
Victoria Marino
1/17/2013 10:07:09 pm
Haley, I agree completely with what you said. Especially when you said that sometimes people do not know better and do not meant to pretend, because it is so true. People can get caught up and in some cases they don't even mean it.
Amanda Donofrio
1/15/2013 12:55:12 am
A variety of situations come to mind while reading this blog. On a day to day basis I see people pretending to be ones friend. Every now and then I hear how others pretend to be drunk at party. People even pretend to be happy when they're not. Why do we feel the need to pretend to be something we're not? Popular social media networks, such as Twitter and Instagram, can easily portray a skewed version of the truth. Even a smile can trick someone into believing you're happy! Whatever the case may be, it all comes down to one logical reason behind it; insecurity. People owe it to themselves to be who they are, whether it be happy, depressed, stressed or hyper! Yet, insecurity often gets in the way of showing who they really are. As we get older, the insecure feelings may subside and the more confident we become.
Haley Krivensky
1/16/2013 01:30:58 pm
I like how you brought up the fact that people pretend because they're insecure. I agree that people try to cover up who they really are just because they might have some insecurities.
Kaitlyn Twombly
1/16/2013 02:00:52 pm
Great Blog Amanda! You have brought up great examples. I especially agree with the point you make about people pretending because they are insecure. Well done.
Meredith Folsom
1/16/2013 02:45:51 pm
I agree Amanda! I feel like people only really pretend because they are insecure, especially on social networks.
Ally Caple
1/17/2013 09:40:34 am
See, in my blog post and what I focused on, I didn't feel that discussing insecurity was necessary. But with this, I absolutely agree. When it comes to people acting a certain way rather than pretending to pose as a total other person altogether, that just shows one person who's trying to deal with themselves and find their place.
Christina Buswell
1/17/2013 11:33:26 am
Amanda, I agree with what you are saying. Pretending stems from insecurity.
Jackie
1/17/2013 01:17:15 pm
Great job guys, I agree with everything you said. Although I didnt mention it, I was thinking the same thing. Once pretending reaches an adult level pretending is just a cop out from real life.
Brennen Diaz
1/15/2013 06:51:19 am
Well, people start "pretending" at a very young age. For instance, I pretended I was fighting Orks from Lord of the Rings in my backyard when I was a kid. And I pretended I was the Red Ranger in Power Rangers. It was my imagination that got the best of me. And this is clearly innocent and eventually kids grow out of this stage; well a majority do. Now, when you are an adult and you hear about people pretending or lying you do not think of them playing outside by themselves. I believe people pretend because they are not comfortable with who they are and what they represent. They are unhappy and unsatisfied with themselves and do not want to face the truth. This is the "pretending" that can lead to dangerous things. If you pretend long enough to your friends and yourself; soon you will start to believe it and that is when things get ugly. Also, in the case of murderers and criminals; some in history have thought that they were in 'another world" or thought people were demons and such. Pretending distorted them from reality and the truth. Nonetheless, just because you pretend does not mean you are a murderer or going to be one. I personally, do not think it is healthy. I like to compare to McDonalds. Might sound and taste good, but not healthy for you.
Lauren Barry
1/16/2013 07:47:12 am
Brennen, your comment about criminals and murderers pretending is so true. It really is all too common that we hear them discussing some sort of different world they were in when they committed their crime. Good points!
Kyle Blake
1/17/2013 07:00:32 am
Instead of being the red power ranger, I acted as either batman or spiderman. I prefer batman though.
Kristina Lacasse
1/17/2013 08:48:05 am
I agree with the dangers of the crimals. I think that this "fantasy" takes over too much of their life and that gets bad. Once it starts, it continues in a downward spiral and it's hard to get back to reality. 1/15/2013 01:26:28 pm
Pretending was once a fun thing as a kid, but now it's not as fun anymore because reality is set in. I find as I'm babysitting and the kids wanna play house, I don't enjoy it nearly as much as I used to, because innocence and imagination have diminished. Playing with kids and pretending is the innocent kind because kids haven't really seen the world and are able to have crazy imaginations, and there is nothing wrong with that. The adult pretending however usually comes from fear and insecurities. People try to hide behind something they're not, or something they made up because they are afraid of people seeing who they really are. These kinds of people usually have a lot of trust issues. I'm reminded of a What Not to Wear episode of some 29 yr old woman who dressed up in themes and costumes as her normal wardrobe. She was pretending. The problem with that was no one took her seriously as a person because she wasn't consistant, and seemed immature. For children, they can pretend all they want. For adults, it starts to get dangerous.
Mrs. Elbakry
1/15/2013 02:25:25 pm
Kara, excellent points. Why do some adults loose that passionate imagination they had as children.
Dan K
1/17/2013 05:09:42 am
To answer your question Mrs. Elbakry, I feel that adults lose their passionate imaginations because they are learning to be responsible and mature. These two things prevent these imaginations and the illusions of inanimate figures because they have to deal with real world problems and tasks which requires them to stop imagining and actually make real life choices.
Alex Mardis
1/17/2013 12:16:11 pm
I feel the same way as you do Kara, being a child was so awesome compared to now! I could literally be entertained for hours just pretending I was a soldier in my backyard. And now everything in life is aimed towards a bigger more important goal whether it be school, work, etc.
Katheryn Byrnes
1/16/2013 07:13:04 am
Everyone prevents at one point in there life. Some people prevent for different reasons than others. Most teenagers and young adults pretend because they want to fit in. They believe that their ‘friends’ will not like them unless they are someone different. Some people also hate who they so they prevent to be someone else. Also, lots of people prevent because they want people to believe that they are fine when their life is anything but fine. Sometimes when people pretend it is to protect them and others from what they are feeling. Other times when they prevent it is bad because they can never figure out who they really are. So, when you are living your life preventing, you can never figure out whom you are and what you want to do with your life. This is dangerous and bad because living a fake life is not your own.
Lauren Barry
1/16/2013 07:45:13 am
Go and look up the verb pretend in the dictionary. Generally speaking you get five different, yet similar definitions. The most prominent definition is “to cause or attempt to cause (what is not so) to seem so.” Seeing what the definition of pretend is makes the answer to “Why do people pretend?” so obvious. People pretend to create something that’s not there. Whether we know it or not, we see people pretend every minute of every day. Sometimes the pretending we see is innocent, but most of the time it is not. The most innocent form of pretending is a child pretending he is Superman or Spiderman saving the day. Children pretend because it was what we are taught to do growing up; use your imagination. That imagination that is encouraged to us can sometimes become the worst characteristic we have as an adult. Growing up every person is thrown a challenge or two, some even more. When faced with these challenges whether they are social challenges, emotional challenges, or academic challenges, sometimes our best solution is to pretend they don’t exist. This right here is when pretending becomes dangerous. When a person uses their imagination to make it seem like everything is okay when it is not, they begin hurting themselves with their act of pretending. All in all, pretending as a child is what we are taught to do, our imaginations bring us to places we never thought possible. When we let that act of pretending follow us into adulthood, it becomes dangerous and causes problems more often than not.
Meghan Giannettino
1/17/2013 06:44:44 am
Lauren I would have to slightly disagree that pretending when your an adult is not as always harmful as it seems, but yes it could get too serious.
Kaitlyn
1/17/2013 06:51:09 am
I like how you compared how pretending is different for kids than it is for adults, I agree how what's fun for a child to do would be dangerous if they kept on lying and pretending when they got older.
Kaitlyn Twombly
1/16/2013 01:59:04 pm
I think that there are several reasons why people pretend. The first and I believe most common reason, for adults at least, is insecurities. Pretending is almost a defense mechanism to camouflage them. Another reason is that people naturally want to conform to their surrounding peers. The last reason, and one that I can admit to being the motive behind my occasional pretending, is that it is sometimes simply easier. For example, many people including myself would much rather put a smile on their face than explain a bothersome situation to people. In addition, sometimes it is simply easier to pretend you agree with someone even when you don't, or pretend to not see someone to avoid confrontation. The instances are really endless, but I think I've made my point that pretending is just easy. Pretending is obviously innocent as a child during playtime. I think it is natural and healthy for a child to pretend and let their imaginations run wild. I even believe that pretending is innocent as an adult in some situations, such as pretending your happy even though you may not be. Pretending, as an adult or child, becomes dangerous when lying comes into play. When someone pretends to be a friend, or pretends to be trustworthy, betrayal is the only result. People pretend for all types of reasons, but adult or child, certain pretending becomes extremely dangerous when it begins to negatively affect someone else.
Chris F
1/17/2013 09:34:48 am
The three points you brought up in the beginning are very true, I definitely agree.
Meredith Folsom
1/16/2013 02:44:26 pm
Like everyone else has said, there are two types of pretending. Pretending to yourself and pretending to others. When you pretend to yourself it’s usually because you are trying to convince yourself that you’re fine. That’s not a big deal. Usually pretending that you are fine will help the situation. However, when you start pretending with others then it’s not the same. Like Amanda said, when you pretend to be someone’s friend or pretend to be drunk at a party it’ s because you are probably insecure. People only pretend because he or she is not comfortable with oneself. If you are truly happy with yourself you don’t feel the need to pretend to “be someone else”. But pretending can be positive too, I believe that as we grow older we lose the imagination to pretend. It’s something that we should not lose, just monitor. We can’t pretend about everything, but having an imagination is key!
Trevor Haigh
1/17/2013 07:08:04 am
I like your point about imagination. It's almost as if as we get older, imagination and creativity are frowned upon. It's truly sad and I agree that possessing imagination as an adult is a great thing.
Dan K
1/17/2013 05:18:19 am
Everyone has pretended before. Whether it was an imaginary friend or a game. As we grow older though the things of the past seem to be beneath us. These once emotions and heart-warming spirits fade as if they never existed. Adults should not pretend, but that does not mean they should not imagine. Pretending is when someone makes something non-real become real in their own mind. Although many might find this childish and harmless, it could be very dangerous. These imaginary figures could tell people do stupid things in their mind and could really hurt people. Pretending is innocent when a child does it, for the most part. I remember when i was younger that i use to listen to my imaginary friend when he told me to do many things. Once, he told me to jump off the top of playground set and i did it, i broke my leg because of that false sense of security that my "friend" gave me. Pretending is not innocent and it should not be overdone for kids or adults. People can hurt themselves or others if they let it take over their life and the decisions they make.
Nick Casablanca
1/17/2013 07:09:34 am
Good points Dan. I like how you point out how pretending becomes underneath us as we grow older and begin to imagine rather than pretend.
andrew lynch
1/17/2013 10:04:50 am
Haha, it is a scary thought to think about what your imaginary friend would make you do if you listened to him right now. 1/17/2013 10:13:08 am
Dan, you're kidding. I don't believe you jumped off a playground set and broke your leg, but I agree that pretending could be dangerous.
Christina M
1/17/2013 05:42:18 am
I think people pretend for numerous reasons. As children, we pretend to be super heros or villans to simply have fun. As adults we pretend to cover up things that we are not necessarily proud of such as a job or a house. As people get older they imagine what they want their lives to be. Some people achieve all of their goals and live the life they always wanted. Unfortunetly not everyone is this lucky. People who are ashamed and or disappointed in themselves for not attaining the life that they hoped for sometimes pretend to hide other people from seeing their failures. For example, in the TV show Shameless Fiona got asked out on a date with an older man who is extremely wealthy. When he asks Fiona where he should pick her up she tells him an address on the North side of town (the nicer/more wealthy neighborhood). Fiona was ashamed of living on the South side of town and pretended she lived on the North side.
Danielle O'Banner
1/17/2013 08:24:48 am
Absolutely loving the shameless, reference because it's a great show! But overall good points, especially about how pretending can be dangerous because it makes us live in a fantasy versus reality.
Meghan Giannettino
1/17/2013 06:41:23 am
I feel people in particular adults pretend because it reminds us of a more fun simpler time. To when we where a young child. Sometimes I still wish I can go back again to being a kid. Who doesn't want to go back to being a kid? Some of our greatest childhood memories were playing pretend. When you pretend you can be any one, do anything, and be in any place or time. It's something people do to feel comfort, to feel innocent. Not so innocent when it becomes to be life threatening to yourself and to others around you. For instants believing you can do something drastically crazy that consumes your entire life to the point where you cannot live a day to day life. “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
andrew lynch
1/17/2013 10:07:14 am
I agree, people do pretend as a way of relief. It brings you back to a time when you had no worries, and just relaxes you
Kaitlyn
1/17/2013 06:48:29 am
People pretend for many reasons, maybe to impress people, maybe to get out of doing something they don’t want to. Everyone does it for different reasons. For the most part, it doesn’t seem too dangerous at the time. It can make people less trusting of each other though. I think that is when it does become dangerous, both to the person being dishonest and the people around them. Even though often when people pretend around each other it might not be malicious, it could seem that way. For example, we all probably know someone who exaggerates what they can do, whether they pretend to be braver or smarter or anything else. I don’t think that is very harmful to people other than them. It would likely be more harmful to the person themselves when people inevitably stop trusting them than to anyone else. The biggest way it could hurt someone else is if they pretended to be something they weren’t to someone who relied on them.
Kyle Blake
1/17/2013 06:58:25 am
Pretending is a major part of many lives all around the world. People pretend for many different reasons. This can be to make your image better or to have people perceive you as a better person. In my opinion, if people don't accept you for who you really are, then they need help. Kids pretend to be their favorite superhero when they are young. This type of pretending causes no harm to the people around. However, when people pretend to be another person, it can be detrimental. This usually happens in high school because most high schoolers are very judgmental and you want to impress. When a persons life is made of pretending to be someone else, it will run their life, and eventually they will crash. A variety of personalities is what create diversity in cultures and interactions.
Trevor Haigh
1/17/2013 07:06:08 am
People like to pretend because of the innate human desire for what they can't, or don't have. In general, people want what they don't have and they are rarely satisfied with what they do. Also, it could have to do with the want to conform.
Zach Antonio
1/17/2013 02:02:51 pm
I agree with you Trevor when you said that people want what they don't or can't have, and will often fantasize or pretend to have whatever that is. Truthfully, I agreed with essentially all of your points, but that is the one that I feel is the most accurate.
Nick Casablanca
1/17/2013 07:17:02 am
Everyone pretends at one point in their life, obviously when they were children. That is when it is innocent, because it is just child's play and all it should be. It is also only innocent when we do funny things that we are told by our imaginary friend that we pretend is really there. It will only become dangerous when children truly start doing things out of the ordinary that can possibly hurt themselves and other people. This is really when pretending is innocent. As far as for adults pretending, it is a bit silly. However, maybe we do both pretend and imagine to escape from reality for a bit, which can be dangerous in its own right when we get too caught up in what pretend or imagine.
Dan Mott
1/17/2013 07:53:42 am
Everyone pretends, unfortunatley. Kids do it innocently, trying to convey trust to friends and family. Kids want to fit in. That is all cute and what not, but that needs to stop at a certain age. When a teenager or adult pretends, it's immature and outright wrong. Not to mention so obnoxiously irritating. People pretend because they don't like who they are or how people receive their body image. Well too freaking bad if people don't like you. There is no reason for a person to pretend to be someone else, just be yourself.
Tim Osborn
1/17/2013 08:12:07 am
People pretend to escape from a life that they don't have. Think about a little kid who wants to be superman like in the picture. That kid wants to be because he isn't, he wants to be the hero. The young boy uses superman to get out of his normal life, maybe a life that has nothing going on. However, pretending is not always good. Take faking and injury as an example. It isn't good to fool people around you for sympathy. Or use the "Boy That Cried Wolf" as an example. If you keep pretending there is a wolf, no one will come to help you. Pretending to get away from reality to be in a fantasy sometimes is harmless, but other times its dangerous.
Justin Leone
1/17/2013 11:29:24 am
I agree with you on the pretending as a little kid. You bring up a good point.
Steve Mahoney
1/17/2013 01:19:36 pm
I agree that pretending should be for little kids. When you get older it becomes dangerous.
Danielle O'Banner
1/17/2013 08:22:48 am
People pretend for a lot of different reasons. And like everyone else has brought up you pretend as a child and then some people continue to pretend as teens and adults. As a child your pretending is innocent and just another way to have fun. I used to pretend that I was that I was a princess when I was younger, some kids pretend they’re racecar drivers, and my sisters now pretend that they're singers, but there was never anything wrong with that. It was innocence at its finest. Even now I pretend, I like to pretend I'm in Zac Brown Band when I sing to their music. (only when home alone of course). ;)
Amber Murray
1/17/2013 08:31:20 am
I think people pretend to escape from who they really are. Pretending is innocent when children are doing it. Also when someone is pretending to cover up their feelings or something they don't want to talk about. When I think of pretending I automatically think about people who fake their identity, mainly online. There are so many weird people out in the world today who pretend to be someone they're not. I think everyone has heard of some crazy story where people meet online. When then go to actually meet in person, it doesn't usually end well. It's because someone pretended to be someone they're not just to be creepy and weird. As people we have all pretended in one way or another, whether it's when we're children or not. Therefore pretending is ok to the extent that you're not being a really creepy old man on Facebook who's probably a pedifile.
Kristina Lacasse
1/17/2013 08:42:15 am
As children, we imagine ourselves in a world that is so much more fun than reality. Why would we choose to simply run around the backyard when we could believe we are superheros dodging obstacles? It is innocent fun, but even if they don’t realize it, they are still wishing that our world was more exciting. Adults lose this sense of great imagination as they mature and realize that reality limits people. They realize people can’t fly and save the world from the invading robots.
Richard Katrenya
1/17/2013 03:22:37 pm
In my opinion, pretending isn't always a bad thing. I dont think that "pretending is dangerous in most cases." Pretending is circumstantial; how old you are, what you're pretending about, etc etc.
Maria Castelot
1/17/2013 09:25:17 am
Everyone pretends. People pretend for different reasons depending on their age, personality, and their lifestyle. However, I think the biggest reason people pretend is to protect people. For an example, parents might pretend that everything is okay in a stressful situation in front of their child to keep them calm and safe. This sort of pretending is completely okay because no one is harming anyone. On the other hand, when someone is pretending to be someone they are not, then that is not okay what so ever. You commonly see this over social media. This could be dangerous and incredibly hurtful. When someone pretends to be someone they are not, it tricks people into trusting them and being influenced by them. There is a thin line between innocent pretend and when it goes to far and some people have a problem with knowing when too much is too much.
Katie Mitchell
1/17/2013 01:56:10 pm
I agree with you. I like how you brought up how parents protect their kids that way.
Chris Faber
1/17/2013 09:28:18 am
I think pretending as a kid is almost second nature for us. Everyone has or will do it as some point. I can personally admit to pretending as a kid. I would play ball in the backyard pretending I was a famous NFL, MLB, or MLS professional athlete. Pretending things such as this are innocent and common for kids. In fact pretending in general is innocent as long as it's controlled. In other words, someone cannot let their imagination get the best of them. As a kid, you don't understand the true concept of pretending yet. As an adult however you do understand the concept, or at least you should. Regardless, I believe that pretending can become dangerous when people are at an age where they actually understand reality from imagination. Pretending to be someone you're simply not can lead to many problems for you and even others around you.
Danielle O.
1/17/2013 09:31:27 am
WAIT A SECOND. EL BAKES. Title of this blog is lyrics from the foo fighters song The Pretender isn't it?! You clever thing, you.
El Bakes
1/17/2013 10:47:16 am
I was hoping someone would get the allusion! :) #FigurativeBrowniePointsAwarded. Did I do that right? 1/17/2013 09:35:38 am
Of course there are tons of reasons why people pretend. As a kid, yes it does seem innocent. Kids love to make up pretend games and pretend worlds, play outside pretending to be their favorite superhero, singer, sports athlete, etc. I know I used to pretend to be on the Yankees in my front yard playing wiffle ball. People also pretend to be professional singers while alone in their cars as they scream out song lyrics pretending to be good at it. All of this is good and innocent. It can become dangerous for a multitude of reasons. Some people confuse their pretend world and their real world, similar to how in the movie Inception people can't tell when they are dreaming or living in reality. Sometimes those dreams can become reality, like how pretend worlds become some people's realities, which is needless to say, a dangerous situation to be in. There are criminals, murderers, serial killers, etc. that live out their pretend fantasies because they either confuse their distorted fantasy with reality or they just enjoy their pretend world better than their real world.
Ally Caple
1/17/2013 09:36:38 am
The first thing I thought of when I read this blog question were people pretending to be others: aka posers, imposters, etc. With the vast variety of social media websites in this day and age, it's very much possible that you've come across a poser at least once. As an avid Twitter user (like a majority of you are), I see "poser accounts" literally every single day. People pretending, whether to be either a celebrity... or just someone who they clearly aren't. I'm constantly wondering why people put so much time and energy into doing such things, but for some part, I understand why. *story time* A long time ago, one of my very close friends and I made an AIM account (throwback, remember those?) pretending to be... well, it really doesn't matter who we were pretending to be. The point is, we posed as someone else. We did it in order to see how many people would believe us. It was incredibly harmless and lasted about two days until we got bored, but you wouldn't believe the amount of people who fell for it. Unfortunately, most people pretending to be others carry on their act longer than two days, which could eventually cause a problem. I feel like most of the people do it simply just to get a thrill of acting like someone else, or they do it to see how many people are gullible enough to believe it, like in my case. I could continue to go into how it might be an insecurity problem, but I just don't really believe that enough to go into detail. But (dear 12 year old self...) messing with people isn't exactly a good thing and could do some serious damage. It's basically only considered a positive action if 1) you're that young child in the photo above with a fantastic imagination or 2) a police officer pretending to-what could-be a sex offender or someone of the sort who could harm you just to prove a point that people, especially young kids and teens, tend to believe that the cute hilarious guy or chick they just met online is actually who they say they are.
Camille Glasow
1/17/2013 09:50:14 am
Pretending is an important aspect of life, but can also be a dangerous one. During your early years, pretend play is an essential piece in shaping your creativity and forming a vast imagination, all part of developing into a healthy child. However pretending as an adult may not be as innocent. There are times however, when pretending a little does no harm. For example, it's fine to pretend you believe in Santa in front of children, or pretend that you just love the (ugly) outfit your Grandmother bought you for your birthday. Those little cover-ups are essential in making your day-to-day relationships with people go more smoothly or avoid unnecessary confrontations. But when does pretending become dangerous? Many adults will pretend to be someone they're not in order to have friendships and relationships, but this dishonestly can hurt people and make you seem untrustworthy. People can also pretend they're "fine" all the time and never open up to other people about their true feelings. Keeping your real life bottled up will do nothing but lead to emotional distress. As an adult avoiding reality and not facing the truth is a dangerous game to play.
Jeremiah Burr
1/17/2013 11:59:40 am
I agree that it is an important part of life.
andrew lynch
1/17/2013 09:59:13 am
The word pretending is used in a couple different ways. Young kids pretend as a way to play with one another. Adults sometimes pretend in order to help themselves, or others. For example, young boys quite often pretend to be army men and run around through the wood attacking each other with stick. Where as a young man may pretend to be old enough to drink alcohol even though he is not. Even though these two scenarios are very different from one and other, they are also human nature. No one goes though life without pretending (lying). It is just something that all humans do either for their own benefits or others. It is never a problem when you pretend in the childhood sense of an imaginary friend or something like that, but once you start to use pretending for your own physical benefit, things start to get dangerous. Ex: pretending to be a race car driver in a real car on the highway, pretending to be a soldier with real guns, and real people, or just lying to authority. Over all, I feel that as you age, pretending becomes more dangerous.
Rob Costigan
1/17/2013 10:41:30 am
There are certain levels of pretending-innocent pretending and dangerous pretending.
Justin Leone
1/17/2013 11:26:43 am
People pretend for many different reasons. To get things they usually couldn't, to be someone they aren't and so on. Pretending like this, mainly as an adult, is dangerous and will lead to no good. But pretending as a child is innocent. For instance when I was a little kid I used to make believe I was a soldier and play war. Even make a fort and pretend I was a king. All that is just a childs imagination at work and is a healthy stage of life. However if you never grow out of pretending and keep doing so throughout your life, it will turn around and bite you at some point. I dont see why adults pretend 'major' things in their life, it will never get them anywhere. The way I see things, it is always the best to be an honest person and to never lie about stuff.
Christina Buswell
1/17/2013 11:31:45 am
High school is the time where most people pretend. They pretend to be someone they are not simply to fit in, to feel accepted. I sometimes question if I really know the people I see on a day to day basis. We've all pretended to have something we don't have, to have done something we've never done, etc. In my opinion it's human nature to want to seem equal or superior to others. So we tell little white lies about ourselves and for what? We don't ever really gain anything from this. In the end we are who we are and all of the pretending may fool others but it doesn't change anything. I can see why we would pretend that we make more money than what we really do or pretend to be perfectly fine and happy when we see an ex bf/gf with someone new. But I think far too often people get caught up with the pretending. We pretend because we are insecure, uncomfortable, or jealous. This pretending doesn't come from a place of happiness it comes out of us in times of disparity. It's easy to say that everyone should be happy and content with who they are and all that they have in life, but when it all comes down to it, I think we all pretend sometimes. If not to impress others its to make ourselves feel better. Pretending is never really innocent because in reality you're only hurting yourself. It may not seem like a huge deal when you tell a friend that you're family goes on lavish vacations every summer when you really don't, but you aren't helping yourself either. In my opinion, i'm not sure we, as a society, will ever stop pretending.
Jess Fedak
1/17/2013 11:45:02 pm
I agree and I like how you said people pretend a lot in high school. That's so true!
Jeremiah Burr
1/17/2013 11:57:39 am
There are many reasons why people pretend. Sometimes as children you pretend to be a superhero or a princess because it is fun. People pretend because they do not want to hurt someone else's feelings, like if they get a birthday present that they do not like. And sometimes people pretend because they don't like who they are and they want to be someone else, because they don't think they are popular or because they want to fit in. Pretending to have fun and to protect someones feelings is fine but when you lie to yourself, thats where trouble will start to set in. If you are not true to yourself then you will never find peace with your life. Maybe for a little while you will feel mildly content and you will fit in with everyone, but in the end you will always be haunted by the fact that you are not who you were meant to be. You cannot have the life you want unless you stop pretending.
Alex Mardis
1/17/2013 12:31:12 pm
As you can see with the comments above, there are clearly two types of pretenders. Innocent children and adults. I agree with the class in the sense that it is unhealthy when adults pretend. That is because when adults pretend it can usually be considered lying. Whether they pretend to be happy when they arent, healthy when they arent, etc. Its either that or adults pretend simply because they are insane. I.e. serial killers, con artists, etc. As for children pretending, I truly envy them. Children are so innocent that they pretend to be superheros because they believe they can actually be one one day. I've watched my little cousin entertain himself for HOURS with one little action figure or racecar. And that same object means nothing to us. In that sense I wish more adults were able to pretend. Then again, people would be playing with army men and racecars when they should be working...
Jackie Ortiz
1/17/2013 01:15:00 pm
At first, pretending is a child's game. when we were little, it was a fun way to use our imaginations an get to become a king, queen, mom, or even a dragon. It was a small break from reality. However, as a person grows up, pretending can be an outlet to escape their life. I believe that's the reason children and adults pretend. It is a way to maybe be adventurous, someone new, or the method of faking it until you make it. Pretending is innocent when you still have a sense of self. It is when you can put a wig on for a fun night then take it off and know who you are. For example, if I'm on a cruise and tell a guy my name is Marissa, just because I think it is a funny, stupid joke, that's innocent pretending. The person you pretend to be is not the person you are. Once you are lying to yourself or being something you are not, you've taken pretending to a new level. If you're that unhappy in your life maybe you should see a therapist not prentend you are a completely different person. Actually once it gets dangerous it also becomes sad. Pretending is a game, not a way of life.
Katie Mitchell
1/17/2013 01:53:32 pm
People pretend because they are insecure and lack self-confidence to be themselves. They try to "fit in" and live up to everyone else's expectations. They don't want to show their real personality and faults, so they act fake to impress people. When in reality it's just a fake, and that's not the real them. Other people pretend to hide from current situations going on in their life. Instead of facing reality they think it would be to hard so they decide to lie to themselves. They pretend everything is okay, hoping one day it will be. That type of pretending isn't so bad, and pretty innocent. But pretending becomes dangerous when people get so caught up in trying to be something that they are not that they lose themselves altogether. They think no matter what people won't accept the real them, and soon everything about them becomes a lie.
Zach Antonio
1/17/2013 02:00:26 pm
The real world is a depressing place. So why not go to a fantasy land? In your imagination, anything can happen. You're wildest dreams can be achieved and if you are good enough, you can pretend that what you are imagining is real. And while in this delusion, you can be happy. You can forget how sad your life truly is. Pretending can only hurt one person: the one pretending. Because while pretending to be happy. pretending to be something else may make yourself happy, the real world is still out there. At some point you have to stop pretending and face reality. Because if you don't, your life will just keep on becoming sadder and sadder. But until then, feel free to run around with a towel tied to your back pretending to be a superhero. Not that I do that or anything...
Richard Katrenya
1/17/2013 03:20:10 pm
If you're a child, there is nothing wrong with pretending. There's nothing wrong with pretending to be your favorite superhero, or maybe pretending that you have an imaginary friend, or even playing in a fort made of pillows and pretending that you're a king. Pretending lets a child imagination shine at its brightest. It promotes creativity and its a great way to just have fun.
Bridget Borowy
1/17/2013 04:11:54 pm
Pretending comes in all different shapes and sizes. It beings in adolescence when children pretend to be their favorite movie character, or pretend to be a doctor or an astronaut. This type of behavior is extremely beneficial to children. It allows them to develop and form ideas about who they would like to be when they grow up. Often times they choose to pretend to be someone of importance or strength, such as the President or Superman. Children need to aspire to be the best they can be, so in this case pretending is a good thing. However, sometimes people pretend as adults, too. Some may pretend to be okay in order to hide their real emotions while others may still pretend to be something they're not to impress people. Adult pretending seems to present itself in individuals who are not comfortable with a situation in their life or those who are not comfortable with themselves. People who lie about who they really are or who cover up how they really feel are not honest people. They can become dangerous to themselves or to others. It is important to stay levelheaded and confident in who you are. This can't be done if one is pretending. I think that pretending only blocks an individuals true self, which makes it detrimental to adults. But on the other hand, it boosts children's spirits and helps them to become the confident and successful adults that they have the potential to be.
Victoria Marino
1/17/2013 10:15:31 pm
I believe that people pretend for all different reasons. First being that people are ashamed of who they really are and they want to portray themselves as someone different. In this case, it could be both innocent and dangerous. In the case where someone maybe has a bad past of being a bad person, they may be ashamed of that and want to hide it from others. They may be extra nice to people and do whatever they can to hide it. That would be innocent. Another case that is innocent as people have already stated is when children have pretend friends or animals. They don't know any better and it is good for their imagination to run wild and free just as long as once they grow older their imagination realizes what is real and what is not. Pretending could be dangerous in the case where a criminal is pretending to be a good person and acts like your friend when in reality they want to hurt you. Pretending can be both innocent and dangerous depending on how you view it.
Jess Fedak
1/17/2013 11:43:48 pm
Everybody pretends to a certain degree. When young children pretend it is innocent and because they do not know any better. Adults pretend too but it is not always innocent. People can but a smile on their face and tell others that everything is okay when in fact, something is truly wrong. That is innocent and just the way some people handle their situations. Pretending can become dangerous when it turns into lying. For example, if you pretend you are someone you're not and beginning hurting the people you love. Lying can be very dangerous and can destroy any trust people have for you. It will ruin your relationships and your life. Pretending about serious aspects of your life and when pretending turns into lying is when it becomes dangerous.
Steve Mahoney
1/22/2013 02:07:07 am
Pretend time. Everybody likes to pretend. Starting at a young age, we go into our imagination. We use it for many reasons. Some kids use it as a place to escape the problems they have everyday. It is a magical place where you and only you control it. No one else is the boss. You are the only one who has a say in what happens. Others use it as a place to have fun. Like in the Spongebob episode where spongebob and Patrick use the box and imagine different places and Squidward didn't have any imagination so he couldn't see anything. That type of pretending is innocent. Pretending becomes dangerous when people get hurt or try to ignore things that happen. Comments are closed.
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English 12 HonorsRespond to the question AND comment on another classmate's response in at least 10 sentences. You can certainly disagree, but BE RESPECTFUL of the opinions/feelings of your classmates. Archives
June 2013
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