David Foster Wallace once joked, “I’m not a pretentious person. I just have a lot of opinions about things I know nothing about.”
Does that ring a bell? Most of us have met someone who tries too hard, someone desperate to appear richer, smarter, or more important than they really are. You may have seen such a person at a party, in a job interview, or scrolling through social media.
Pretension is everywhere. Students, professionals, influencers, even politicians slip on this mask. It shows up in name-dropping, in using long and complicated words when simple ones would do, in boasting about achievements, or flashing wealth to impress. It is not a natural personality; it is a carefully staged performance.sn't the problem.
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How do you recognize it?
Notice the signs: big words without real meaning, constant mentions of “important” people, exaggerated success stories, or an attitude of superiority with little substance behind it. Real confidence is quiet and steady. Pretension is loud but empty.
Why do people pretend?
The answer is usually fear. Fear of being overlooked, judged, or rejected. Pretension becomes a shield to hide insecurity. But here’s the truth: authenticity is more powerful; simpler; stronger; longer lasting. You don’t have to dazzle people; you just have to connect. Speak in plain words. Share your real story. Ask yourself: Why do I feel the need to perform? Often you’ll find that the unmasked version of yourself is already enough.
There’s also a close cousin of pretension: hypocrisy. If pretension is feigning to have what you don’t, hypocrisy is pretending to be what you aren’t, or saying one thing while doing another. Both are forms of deception; both keep people at a distance.
The world doesn’t need another act. It needs honesty. Take off the mask. Let us meet the real you.
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