Pretense is that which… far from fooling the beholder… serves only to induce contempt for the pretender. In our experience, economic and social position are generally the most common basis for pretense… so many of us have that irresistible urge to go the Joneses one better. If we don't have the means to do it… we rely on pretense. Strangely enough, the more means we get, the more necessary it is to pretend that we are even higher up than that. It has been said, and probably with a great deal of truth that the only people who are completely without pretense are the very rich, because they don't need to pretend… and the very poor, because it would be pointless. In the middle are the haves, in varying degrees… many, grateful and contented with what they do have… but too many, adding that extra helping of "have" through the folly of pretense. Folly… yes… because all they are doing is grasping their way vainly to something completely unimportant and unnecessary… and living behind their own self respect.
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