You can tell someone is fake by the things they actively choose to do. At first, many of these things may not seem that important. After all, who cares if someone is obsessed with their social status, right?
Unfortunately the problem with pursuing materialism is that it almost always leads to surface-level behavior that creates a completely inauthentic connection.
If someone is a complete fake, they will worry way too much about these things:
1. Be popular
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Is it fun to be popular at work or school? Absolute. As much as people try to pretend otherwise, being adored feels pretty amazing. We all need social connection and a sense of connection. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be liked. That said, you can tell someone is fake if all they care about is popularity.
No, they don’t care about their friends or how loyal someone has been. Seeking the high of feeling loved, fakers are completely self-centered. Filled with despair and completely superficial, stay away from people who care too much about being popular. While it may not seem like a big deal, those who care too much about being popular may simply throw you under the bus if they think it will serve them well.
2. Their number of followers and likes
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Most people on social media care about the number of followers and like them to some extent, at least when they are young. Hopefully, as they get older, they will eventually grow out of this need. So unless their livelihood is directly related to social media, you can tell someone is being fake if they care too much about the number of followers and likes.
These types of people are always on their phones. They are obsessed with the number of views they get and become enraged when someone close to them gets more engagement than them. It’s poisonousbut fake people can’t help it. They are filled with a huge ego and that is why they cannot allow others to surpass them.
3. Appear rich
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Afraid of looking broke, fake people would rather waste their paychecks on a thousand-dollar pair of shoes than invest in their retirement. It’s a terrible mentality to have, but it’s normal now. Still in the flex culture, wealth and popularity hold us like never before.
Like one study published in 2023 noted“The flex culture has become a virtual tradition that not only involves the upper classes and those with extra wealth, but has also reached more classes, including the lower and middle classes.”
And while some get away from it, others believe in it, which if they get too caught up in it, can make them a little more inauthentic.
4. Be trendy
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It’s not just looking rich that makes fake people overspend. From Hailey Bieber’s summer collection to the latest nail trend, these people want to be seen as cool by everyone they meet. Wanting to be their audience’s It girl, it’s no wonder they’re obsessed with what’s trendy.
Even if a trend doesn’t suit them, fake people don’t care. It sounds superficial, but their biggest fear is that they are uncool or viewed unfavorably. Because they do urgently needs confirmationDon’t be shocked if they are always up to date with the latest social media trends. The need to be the center of attention is something they cannot escape.
5. Looks perfect
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No one in this world looks perfect all the time. Although some people may try, perfection is a fruitless quest. That said, breaking away from this mentality is a lot easier said than done. As a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst Jennifer Kunst, Ph.D., said“It takes a lot of hard psychological work to realize that our pursuit of perfection is in vain.”
While some people eventually get there, others succumb to their own unrealistic expectations. If you care too much about what other people say, you can say that someone is fake if he or she cares too much about looking perfect. They may say it’s a personal norm, but these norms almost always impact the people around them.
They demand that their partner or friends reach their level of perfection and do not realize how much they will lose until it is far too late. While having standards is one thing, expecting people to meet all of yours is a whole other circus. Unfortunately, fake people don’t care, so looking perfect will always be their top priority.
6. Name-dropping of who they know
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It’s cool to know so many people who have done interesting things. Having connections with celebrities and other important people is a powerful tool that can be used to one’s advantage. But just because you know someone doesn’t mean you are gotta brag to everyone else about it.
That should be common knowledge, but fake people just can’t do anything about it. They are far too concerned with impressing others to concern themselves with discretion. Whether for friends or strangers, these people are always on the move. Wanting to appear more important than they actually are, they will flaunt their connections to make themselves look and feel superior.
7. Winning every argument
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Sure, winning an argument feels good in the moment. If you want to feel good, it can give a boost of self-confidence that makes someone feel a little happy inside. But when push comes to shove, our love for others almost always shines through.
Fake people, on the other hand, refuse to give up. It’s frustrating, but they care way too much about winning every argument. As a psychologist Dr. Abby Medcalf explained, “A person who always picks fights has low self-esteem and feelings of unworthiness, and is lonely and afraid (even if they don’t present themselves as such).”
So while it may be tempting to go around in circles, never give a fake person the opportunity to gain the upper hand. It’s hard, but they’ll never let you win anyway, so why bother at all?
8. Create a perfect lifestyle online
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Social media can be both a blessing and a curse. While many people have met lifelong friends or partners on social media, there’s no denying that social media overuse can be toxic. Because they are too focused on how others perceive them, people can tell someone is fake if they care too much about curating a perfect online lifestyle.
You know those people who make those aesthetically pleasing “get ready with me” videos? Yes, those people are probably fake. Maybe they’re trying to make a quick buck, or maybe they care too much about how others perceive them, but either way the consensus is still the same. It is very likely that they are living a lie. So while they may not like the label, if you spend too much time obsessing over posting the ideal lifestyle online, you may be a bit of a fake.
9. Always looking busy
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Today, social media forces people to be their most productive selves. Since we all have to run what seems like a million errands a day to look cool for a vlog, many of us don’t realize that it’s okay for people to take a break. Whether you laze around all day on Saturday or take a study break and play games, you don’t always have to look busy.
Nevertheless, fake people push themselves to the limit. Feeling like they have to look busy all the time, it’s no wonder they do burned himself out. Consumed by what others think of them, people are bound to feel like the worst versions of themselves, leading to inauthentic and negative behavior.
10. Being envied by others
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Finally, the last way you can tell someone is fake is if they care too much be envied by others. Is it wonderful to feel loved and wanted? Absolute. However, this does not mean that people should strive to make others jealous of them.
While a little competitive spirit can never hurt anyone, going out of your way to manipulate someone’s feelings is a bad move. Fake people arouse envy, jealousy, or pain in others and do not realize the damage they have caused until they have driven away all the important people.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in psychology who focuses on self-help, relationships, career, family, and trending topics.
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