We pretend:

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We pretend.

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We pretend we know what we’re doing.

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We pretend we’re smart.

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We pretend we’re so successful.

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We pretend a number in our bank account makes us better than other people.

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We pretend a career title matters.

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We pretend our work is important.

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We pretend our work will give us satisfaction and purpose.

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We pretend nice things make us happy.

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We pretend we know how to act in relationships.

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We pretend we know how to parent.

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We pretend we’re tolerant of other people.

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We pretend we can change other people.

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We pretend our partner will change.

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We pretend the person who shows no interest will love us back.

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We pretend we’re living in a bad time in the world.

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We pretend happiness is a destination.

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We pretend we’ll be happy once we get to that next goal post.

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We pretend we’re healthy when we eat like shit, don’t workout and waste our time on our phones.

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We pretend success is defined by numbers and things.

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We pretend our parents and friends will tell us we’re doing a good job.

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We pretend other people’s expectations of our life will make us happy.

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We pretend we’re ugly.

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We pretend no one will love us.

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We pretend we’re the only person who’s insecure.

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We pretend the past and future exist.

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We pretend we know what the future is going to look like.

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We pretend vices will make us happy.

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We pretend people are paying attention to everything we do.

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We pretend social media is not destroying our brains.

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We pretend celebrities’ lives matter.

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We pretend podcasts and audiobooks are making us smarter.

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We pretend we’re up to date with the world.

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We pretend older generations don’t know what they’re talking about.

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We pretend capitalism today works.

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We pretend corporations and the ultra-elite aren’t corrupt.

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We pretend the richest are paying their fair share of taxes.

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We pretend our lives matter.

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We pretend we matter.

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We pretend we’re important.

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We pretend people care about us.

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We pretend we can’t do anything about our situation.

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We pretend our intelligence is capped.

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We pretend we can’t learn something new.

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We pretend we’re stuck where we are.

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We pretend we don’t have control over our lives.

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We pretend we don’t have control over our effort.

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We pretend.

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